Business Strategy: Manufacturing IT Buying Preferences and Budget Trends in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, 2012

This IDC Manufacturing Insights study draws on the results of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Middle East and Africa (MEA) Business and IT Priorities survey conducted in 2012. The survey is based on responses from manufacturers across all four value chains covering four key CEE countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Russia; and three key MEA countries: South Africa, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. This study includes representation and analysis of manufacturing IT budget preferences and budget trends among CEE and MEA manufacturers. It is part of a series which includes representation and analysis of manufacturing business drivers and strategic objectives, and operational initiatives among CEE and MEA manufacturers.

"Delivering service as expected by internal clients, integrating disparate applications, and justifying the IT budget for new implementations are the top IT challenges indicated by CEE and MEA manufacturers. There is no one-size-fits-all approach in overcoming these challenges. CEE manufacturers are taking the more conservative approach, sticking to application areas they know best, whereas MEA manufacturers are, instead, taking advantage of game-changing technologies to meet their challenges, including BI, mobility, and social business." – Senior Research Analyst Craig Simpson, IDC Manufacturing Insights, CEMA