SMB IT spending will be slow to rebound

Small and medium-sized businesses will be slower to ramp up their technology spending, according to an IDC forecast.

According to IDC, small and medium-sized business (SMB) information technology spending will increase by 5.5 percent over 2010 to 2014. That forecast is much lower than IDC's previous forecast.

IDC noted in a statement that SMBs will remain cautious about IT spending "over the next several years."

To wit:

• SMB IT spending will increase in 2010, but not return to 2008 levels until 2011.
• The declines in IT spending will hit every category, but PCs and peripherals will see the strongest growth.
• SMB spending will be strongest in central and eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. However, North America, western Europe and Japan account for 70 percent of SMB IT spending.

Related: There's a great IT spending, budget disconnect brewing