Few companies will cut their way to success in 2010, predicts Gartner, as the country emerges from the recessionary crunch that saw most South African executives dedicating their energies to driving down costs.
Following the announcement of the seventh Gartner Symposium ITxpo, to be hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 30 August to 1 September, Gartner Africa MD Ren'e Jacobs gave an outline of how companies performed during the global recession. She also followed with predictions on how they will cope in the period following.
In line with the symposium theme, 'Innovation: The key to the future', Jacobs urged businesses to be innovative in order to stay afloat. “Enduring organisations are built on sustained top-line growth and bottom-line optimisation. The way in which to achieve this is through innovation, which is the focus of the upcoming symposium”.
As the recession pinch fades into the horizon, Jacobs predicts the region would see more growth in sectors like ICT.
“Globally, businesses find themselves in a delicate period between the end of a recession and the start of a return to growth. In our region, the opportunity for growth may be even higher given our newfound international broadband access, which is placing local organisations on a more equal global ICT footing,” she said.
“The environment in which we're conducting business is changing fast, introducing the opportunity for a renewed focus on innovation as a catalyst for growth.”
Concurring with Jacobs, scenario planner for the symposium, Clem Sunter, adds that after the slump, the region will go through a delicate period of recession hangover. However, he painted an optimistic picture for Africa.
“Contrary to the view expressed in 2000 that Africa is the 'hopeless continent', Africa has exceeded the global economic growth rate by 2% per annum - every single year of the past decade.
“At the moment, the world economy is in a very volatile state. It is therefore encouraging to know that the African continent is now rated - after China and India - as the region with the highest potential for economic growth,” Sunter noted.
He says innovation and entrepreneurship will be the driving forces that propel many African economies up the world economic rankings.
Sunter will join a group of global experts and Gartner analysts speaking on the first day of the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Africa conference. Aimed at senior decision-makers in the public and private sectors, the event aims to explore the intersection of technology and business.
Discussion topics will range from scenario planning and strategy development to emerging trends, executive leadership and innovation.
During the three-day event, 18 Gartner analysts will deliver over 40 focused sessions to guide IT leaders on the strategic and operational decisions needed to exploit the new business context, and position their organisations for innovation and growth.
Related story:
CIOs in for turbulent year, says Gartner
Share
