Worldwide IT Spending Forecast

Audio Report: Gartner Predicts on 2010 IT Spending.


Worldwide IT Spending Forecast
Richard Gordon, Vice President, Gartner Research

The global economic downturn has continued to weigh on the ability and desire of businesses and consumers to make IT purchases. However, we assume the economy will recover, beginning towards the end of 2009 and tentatively at first. While initial growth in IT spending in 2010 and 2011 may come as the result, directly or indirectly, of the various government stimulus packages announced around the world in recent months, there will be a return to more sustained growth in IT spending in 2012 and 2013 as the economic recovery unfolds.

IT budget cuts may have slowed market growth in the short term but, even in the toughest of business environments, enterprises must preserve short-term spending on critical business operations and long-term technology investments. IT vendors should be sensitive to the challenges faced by their customers and plan pricing strategies accordingly. The global economic downturn may be easing, but IT budgets are still being cut and consumers will need more persuading before they feel confident enough to spend more. Worldwide IT spending is forecast to total $3.2 trillion in 2009, a 5.2 percent decrease from 2008 spending of $3.4 trillion .

Worldwide IT spending is expected to return to growth in 2010 as revenue is projected to reach $3.3 billion, a 3.3 percent increase from 2009.