IT Budget Indicators: U.S. End-User Survey, 4Q04

This IDC study presents results from IDC's 4Q04 end-user survey of 1,110 U.S. organizations. Respondents were asked to identify IT spending plans in relation to budget increases for the coming 12 months, priority solution areas, drivers/inhibitors, infrastructure replacement/upgrades, and application-related activity.

"The relative stability of the economy will ensure that IT budget increases are maintained during 2005, barring wild card factors that might derail this outlook. Large firms remain focused on infrastructure, security, and regulatory requirements and maintain some concentration on cost-cutting initiatives. SMBs, in contrast, are currently more driven by short-term and tactical factors relating to competitiveness, customer demand, and revenue generation, with some evidence of increased awareness of security and risk management. In both cases, there remains little appetite for visionary proposals with any threat of disruption or perceived risk." — Stephen Minton, vice president, Worldwide IT Markets