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"Uneasy" CIOs Reconsider Outsourcing; Bring IT Security in-house
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A global survey by the independent technology analyst firm Ovum has found that organizations are contemplating reducing the outsourcing of security and other IT management applications.
Of more than 500 CIOs surveyed by Ovum, only 7% said they were considering outsourcing IT security over the next two years, down from 18% currently.
Rhonda Ascierto, senior analyst at Ovum, described the planned reduction in IT security outsourcing as one of the most striking trends revealed by the survey.
She said: "The main reason for this shift away from IT security outsourcing is most likely a lack of confidence. Organizations are now more subject to compliance considerations in the form of both formal external and internal policy-driven requirements, particularly in the wake of the US banking controversies and other financial scandals.
"Some may find it difficult to obtain a measurable security metric from an outsourced provider because security is often reported only after negative security occurrences. If security is not breached then there is nothing to report.
Additionally, contractual clauses from outsourcers often do not give the quantitative assurance that organizations need or desire. This may be viewed as a problem with IT outsourcing in general, rather than IT security specifically, since any failings impact the whole business while the contract is limited to the aspects of the IT operation that are outsourced.
Ovum believes this may have contributed to growing unease about the security of outsourced IT in general, with IT security outsourcing simply being the first part of the spectrum to feel this change of mood.
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[Full Article]
Jun-13-2010 |
IT Market is Still Recovering, but Cloud Lingers Over Europe
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Worldwide IT spending has rebounded strongly from the Great Recession, as many businesses take advantage of the general economic recovery to catch up with overdue spending on critical hardware infrastructure. Market data from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows capital spending on PCs, servers, storage, and network equipment soaring in recent quarters, producing strong year-over-year growth comparisons with the lowest period of the recession. Meanwhile, consumer spending on smartphones has continued to accelerate.
According to a new forecast from IDC, worldwide IT spending is set to increase by 3.8% this year at constant currency, to $1.47 trillion. Hardware will lead the way, with growth of 6.4% at constant currency, while software and services spending will increase by 3.1% and 1.5% respectively. Based on exchange rates from the first quarter of 2010, growth in U.S. dollars this year would be higher at 5.6%. This follows the decline in worldwide IT spending of 4.2% in constant currency last year (a decline of 7.3% in U.S. dollars).
In emerging markets like China and India, businesses and consumers are once again rushing to invest in new technology products and services to support their export-driven growth. In the U.S., government stimulus funding has provided a much-needed boost, which has trickled through to strong shipments of IT equipment. Additionally, U.S.-based IT firms received a boost from currency fluctuation in the first quarter of 2010, adding to the general sense of optimism which has accompanied recent earnings announcements.
One of those weak spots is Western Europe, where the current debt crisis in Greece has raised concern over the short-term prospects for the European Union. Even before that crisis reached its recent levels of alarm, the European economy and IT market were recovering sluggishly. IT spending in Western Europe is expected to be flat this year in constant currency, after plunging by 6.5% in 2009 (a decline of 13.5% in U.S. dollars). Representing almost a third of global IT spending, Western Europe is a hugely important market for technology vendors, and any further strains on the confidence of European businesses and consumers could cast a cloud over the outlook for the second half of this year.
Another weak spot for the global IT market is Japan, where the recovery in exports has not yet driven an increase in domestic consumption or investment. IT spending in Japan is expected to decline by 2.2% this year in constant currency, after the plunge of 11.1% recorded in 2009. Growth prospects elsewhere in Asia, though, are brighter; the IT market will increase by 13.7% in China, and by 13.8% in India. In 2011, worldwide IT spending is forecast to accelerate, growing by 5.5%, assuming a gradual recovery in Europe and Japan.
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[Full Article]
Jun-06-2010 |
Survey Finds Increased IT Hiring on the Horizon
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More than three-quarters (78 percent) of HR managers or recruiters who have responsibility in recruiting technology positions are looking to hire IT workers in the next six months, according to the 2010 IT HIRE Intelligence Survey conducted by Monster.com on behalf of Technisource. In addition, the vast majority of respondents are confident that their company's performance will improve across the same time period. The combination of new hires that IT hiring decision-makers are projected to place bodes well for a continued job market recovery.
Among the key findings:
76 percent of respondents have confidence that their company's performance will improve in the next six months.
78 percent of respondents plan to hire IT staff in the next six months.
When asked what technology oriented positions IT hiring managers were looking to fill, applications and infrastructure positions took the lead.
Of the companies planning to hire, only 26 percent are new openings and only nine percent are replacement positions. The remaining percentage is a combination of both.
When recruiting IT talent, job boards, referrals, and social media, are top methods for doing so, according to IT HR technology managers and recruiters.
According to respondents, salary and stability of position lead in recruiting technology talent to an organization, but a company's reputation came in a close third in order of importance.
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[Full Article]
Jun-06-2010 |
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