Gartner expects software spending to rise in 2010

Mumbai: Although organisations are continuing to drive down their total IT budgets in 2009, compared to 2008, technology researcher Gartner expects global software budgets  to rise in 2010.

The Gartner survey showed that organisations plan to increase their software budgets on average 1.53 per cent in 2010.

Gartner surveyed approximately 1,000 IT professionals worldwide during April and May 2009. Respondents were asked whether they expected their 2010 IT budget to be below, the same as or exceed the IT budget for 2009.

Among those polled, 30 per cent of companies in Asia/Pacific, 28 per cent in North America, and 25 per cent  in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) said they expected their 2010 IT budget to increase.

With regard to spending expectations for software by region, North America is still expected to decline 2.06 percent, and EMEA is only slightly positive at 0.45 per cent  for 2010 compared with 2009. Software budgets in Latin America will rise 2.54 per cent, and in Asia/Pacific, software budgets will increase 4.34 per cent, showing a very positive trend in increasing their software spending in 2010.

Gartner analysts said this is a reflection of the relative maturity of the markets. Generally, the survey found software spending to be holding ground, and consequently, Gartner recommends that vendors work toward helping clients know where they can cut costs and better utilise resources to allow new budgeted dollars to go further.