Johannesburg, 08 May 2009
IT practitioners are concerned about how the economic downturn will affect the way they do business, particularly how they procure and finance IT requirements.
This is according to Stuart Lewis, managing executive: sales and marketing at RentWorks, who asks: "If growth and purchasing is under severe pressure, what are likely to be the most important factors in terms of managing our IT assets going forward?"
With this issue in mind, RentWorks, in conjunction with ITWeb, is introducing the ITWeb/RentWorks IT Financing Survey, aimed at answering these and other questions surrounding IT financing and procurement.
The survey aims to assess the impact of the global financial crisis on the local IT sector and views on IT financing, including rental, pre- and post-financial-downturn. It will also probe IT decision-makers` understanding of the concept of asset management versus financial solutions.
Lewis says it will be interesting to see how the survey reflects the significant shift in the market`s attitude we have seen over the past few years. "SA is now feeling the effects of the global financial crisis and, with the recent announcement that our economy is indeed in a recession, market confidence is at a decade low."
All in all, he says, the overriding sentiment is one of "unchartered waters", particularly as this is an election year, where the party political landscape has altered dramatically. The momentum of the market has been replaced by a "wait and see" mindset, which is further affecting opportunity for growth, and will inevitably and significantly affect the South African economy, he explains.
ITWeb will compile a report, Effects of the Economic Downturn on IT Financing in South Africa, based on the survey data, to be published on ITWeb in June.
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