Business Requirements for IT among Western European SMBs in 2012: An IDC Survey

This IDC study draws on the results of IDC's European Vertical Markets Survey carried out in April–July 2011 in the top 5 Western European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K.), covering 1,021 SMBs with 20–499 employees. This study focuses on the initiatives leading companies' business agenda in 2012 and which of them are perceived as the most critical improvements required for the IT organization to better support the business and the role of non-IT business managers in the IT purchasing decision-making process. Results are provided and analyzed by company size (20–49, 50–99, 100–249, and 250–499 employees), top Western European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K.), and vertical markets (financial services, discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, telecom/media, utilities/oil and gas, retail/wholesale, business services/transport, government/education, and healthcare).

"By now, the trend toward a pervasive interconnection between IT and the business is well consolidated. The adoption of IT solutions is driven primarily by business needs, and the decision-making process regarding investments in IT products and services also resides increasingly within non-IT functions," said Serena Da Rold, program manager, IDC European Vertical Markets. "Therefore, it is vital for vendors to convey the right message to line-of-business managers and appeal to them by demonstrating a deep understanding of their business needs".