During the past year, U.S. businesses have significantly changed their Web-spending patterns. Gone are the days of Web spending to build an Internet presence, and in their place is spending to integrate the Internet into internal and external business processes. In other words, purchases of Web-related technology are now a business imperative, according to IDC.
"Today, corporate Internet spending is an investment that directly impacts the strategic direction of organizations," said Anna Giraldo Kerr, research manager for IDC`s Internet and eCommerce Strategies program. "The strategic impact remains, but it has shifted from reducing costs to the transformation of business models."
While the reason for Web spending is evolving, the amounts expended for IT hardware, software, and services will remain high. IDC expects Web spending on IT products and services to more than double from $119.1 billion in 2000 to $282.5 billion in 2003.
This year, for the first time, U.S. businesses will spend more on Web-related IT services than hardware, and the services category will represent the largest opportunity throughout IDC`s forecast. Nevertheless, the importance of hardware should not be underestimated.
"Hardware vendors play a critical role in the ebusiness supply chain. Their products enable the interface and access of Web technologies," Kerr said. "Although it may appear that Internet-related hardware is at the bottom of the food chain, without it there would be no Internet activity."
Share
International Data Corporation (IDC)
BMI-T has established a long-standing business relationship with the International Data Corporation (IDC). With research centres in over 40 countries and more than 500 research analysts and 3 900 clients world-wide, IDC provides a global market perspective on IT market and technology trends.
As the exclusive South African partner of IDC, BMI-T has instant access to IDC`s formidable knowledge base and consulting skills, and is positioned to offer African clients access to the full range of IDC `s global research.
For more information on IDC products and services, please visit IDCSA on http://www.info@bmi-t.co.za, or contact:
Laurika Kapp
IDCSA Accounts Manager
Tel: + 27 11 803-6412
Fax: + 27 11 803-784
E-mail: Laurika@bmi-t.co.za
BMI-TechKnowledge Group (BMI-T)
BMI-TechKnowledge (BMI-T) is Africa `s leading supplier of market intelligence and knowledge-based consulting in the areas of IT, telecommunications and broadcasting.
Formed over fourteen years ago, BMI-T provides its clients with an unmatched and comprehensive range of unbiased market knowledge. BMI-T conducts more than 20 000 market research business-to-business and business-to-consumer interviews and more than 100 focus group projects every year.
BMI-T has an active ongoing research publications business that has consistently published research-based market analysis covering many facets of the IT, telecommunications and emerging media sectors. This knowledge base provides the platform on which we build our customised research and consulting, including assignments such as market entry strategies, product entry strategies, channel and distribution analysis and African research.
For more information please visit our Web site www.bmi-t.co.za