Perceptions vary for role of IT in 2005, study shows

Here are the key findings from a?recent IDC study?that?looks?at?the attitudes of end users with regard to the role of IT and its impact at their organization:

• LOB executives and managers are strikingly different in their perception of the role of IT depending on the size of their organization. Only 20.1 percent of small company line-of-business (LOB) respondents believe that IT is primarily a means of reducing costs, compared with 73.5 percent?among large organizations.
• In general, a strategy of reducing expenses is associated with a long-term strategy for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
• 39.5 percent?of business executives report that controlling costs and improving the financial justification for continued IT investments is the main IT focus for 2005, compared with 23.1 percent of IT executives and managers. While these findings make general sense, they highlight the importance of understanding the decision makers' priorities, position, and mind frame when positioning, marketing, and selling IT products, services, or solutions.