Tall IT investments in 2004: Gartner

NEW DELHI: Infrastructure is the number one priority for Indian CIOs in 2004

with CRM and IT Performance also topping the Indian CIOs priority list for 2004.

A preview of the Global CIOs survey done by Gartner revealed this.

The global survey also revealed that CIOs across the world named

Demonstrating Business Value of IS/IT and Developing Leadership in the IS Senior

Team as their top management priority for 2004. Whereas Indian CIOs named their

priorities as Developing Leadership in the IS Senior Team and Making IS more

Service Oriented.

Globally, CIOs referred to Security and Cost Control as the key business

imperative and top business trends for 2004. The annual survey also revealed

that IS budget growth is likely to be staggered over time. More than 40 percent

of CIO's surveyed suggested IT growth will return to the sector in the latter

stages of 2004. Enterprises expect their IT budgets to grow in line with the

recovery.

The survey also revealed that breaking away enterprises are already making

that investment, but for many enterprises IS budget growth and investment will

be delayed into 04. Overall, IT budgets are set to pick up for most enterprises

by an average of 1.2 percent. Breaking away enterprises are making significant

investments in IT with budgets increasing by 6.9 percent. But, according to

Gartner, this average hides important detail, fighting for survival enterprise

are still seeing IT budgets decline by 4.4 percent. Fighting for survival

enterprises still find themselves in cost cutting mode.

The study also revealed that senior business executives are focusing on

business initiatives that deliver tangible business benefit and need CIOs who

will be support those initiatives as well as bringing opportunities to the table

and taking part in their evaluation and realization. According to the study,

this can only be achieved through managing IT through a more mature business

model focusing on governance, risk management, performance management, portfolio

management and technological and process innovation, and last but not least,

leadership of exceptional human capital.

(CyberMedia News Service)