IT will play 'key role' in recession

13:07 5th November 2008

IT directors will play a key role in building a competitive edge for their companies during the economic recession, a technology analyst has suggested.

Speaking to delegates at the Gartner Symposium in Cannes, Mark McDonald, the head of the analyst firm's executive programme, urged business directors to look at how IT can increase the market value of their companies, Computer Weekly has reported.

In addition, Mr McDonald identified that businesses now have far more choice for IT services today than in the past, with cloud computing and software-as-a-service opening up different markets.

He claimed that businesses need to continue IT investment as they "deliver a difference beyond costs".

He said: "Cutting IT costs does not make sense. If you try to contain costs you are making the assumption that every other business will not move forward."

Last month, the British Computer Society suggested that a shortage of students taking IT at degree-level could begin to affect the delivery of public services.