Majority of Respondents Report Increased or Flat IT Budgets

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2012 - In a new research report released today by ZDNet, IT spending around the world will be stable for 2012.  According to its inaugural IT Priorities 2012 Report, 38.7% of respondents saw their IT budgets increase, while 44.6% reported flat budgets in 2011 compared to 2010.  The trend of increased budgets was repeated across all regions including South East Asia, India, China, and Australia.

Overall, technology budgets are reflecting a shift in priorities.  Mobility and Web apps are in, data mining and analytics is on the radar and security remains an ongoing issue.

“From global financial uncertainties to rapid changes in tech, business executives are faced with many challenges in how they invest their IT dollars,” said Lawrence Dignan, Editor-in-Chief of ZDNet.  “Our report’s findings revealed that many businesses will continue to put money into IT because they realize how it will transform the way they do business like investing in mobile, web and cloud applications, to help their employees become more efficient and productive.”

Additional findings from the report include:

•  Mobile and Web Apps: Listed as one of the top priorities in the Software and Applications Tech Category with 31.1% of respondents will be implementing web application projects, while 28.8% will deploy applications for mobile devices (tablets and notebooks) in 2012.  Tech execs are more in favor of shedding existing software programs for cloud offerings.
•  Data Mining and Business Intelligence: About 70% of respondents recognize the importance of analytics and listed it as one of their priorities for 2012.  Business leaders have placed a greater emphasis on the value of business analytics.
•  Security Keeps IT Awake at Night:  While businesses make it easier for employees to access info from multiple devices, IT teams are challenged in supporting these networks and securing confidential corporate data.  About 50% of organizations say protecting and securing the network is their “top” or “major” issue.

ZDNet will host a live and interactive webcast on Wednesday, March 21 at 2:00 PM, ET to discuss their findings in more detail.  Hosted by Angus Macaskill, Industry Analyst at CBS Interactive, and Jonas Tichenor, Business and Technology Editor at CBS Interactive, the webcast will focus on IT trends that are influencing the world and how organizations can benefit and leverage them.  To register for the webcast, attendees can visit:  http://www.techrepublic.com/webcasts/live-webcast-2012-it-priorities-us/4054353?promo=100202&tag=content;selector-3

The report, IT Priorities (ZDNet, March 2012), provides an overview of U.S. organizations’ spending behavior, strategies, challenges and deployment trends for 2012.  The report surveyed more than 1,300 IT, business leaders and professionals who visited CBS Interactive’s B2B properties including ZDNet and TechRepublic.

About ZDNet

ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com/), a property of CBS Interactive, is the online destination for professionals seeking to solve business technology problems and find new opportunities.  The site provides a broad range of business technology coverage, by experts across industries.  Features include daily news and opinion, reviews, downloads, Webcasts, peer feedback and ongoing research.  ZDNet delivers the highest-ranked business technology blogs in the world, according to Technorati.

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation, is the best online content network for information and entertainment.  With 200 million people visiting its properties each month, it is a top 10 Web property globally and a top 5 Web property in the U.S. in terms of unique video viewers. Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET, CBS RADIO, ZDNet, TechRepublic and Last.fm, span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news and business.

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