Latest report shows increased IT investment

The latest IT report from Richard Day Research showed that IT investment in hardware and software might reach record highs, with the number of Americans using smartphones and other mobile devices for work purposes increasing daily.

The report showed optimism growing among IT professionals, with the six-month growth outlook composite score reaching 71. The composite score was three points higher in December 2011 than it was in October, and is now at its highest point since figures were first collected in late 2007.

"The data indicates that the IT spending outlook has reached a significant milestone. More IT decision-makers are feeling optimistic about the prospects of their IT budgets increasing, and they are anticipating significant IT investments in the next six months, especially on the hardware and software fronts," said Neal Campbell, an IT professional. "We believe that organizations will continue to look at technology investments as ways to boost efficiencies, increase productivity and gain new competitive advantages in 2012."

Anticipated IT spending increased to 42 percent, and the survey also found 36 percent of IT decision-makers are planning to spend mostly on new assets, which is up 8 percentage points overall. IT hiring is expected to increase in the upcoming months also, despite anticipation that hiring would drop two percentage points.

Hiring could be driven by companies looking to handle the growing demands created by mobile applications and personal device use in the workplace.

"While it should come as no shock that organizations are increasingly allowing their employees to use their personal mobile devices for work-related tasks, many will be surprised to find that nearly one in five organizations are not managing new security risks at all," Campbell said. "Organizations that fail to address new security risks are flirting with disaster, and could face threats ranging from business continuity disruptions to data theft."

While mobile device management needs to be addressed by businesses in all industries, the professional services sector might be in a particularly good position to invest in innovative MDM solutions.

According to the report, IT decision-makers in professional services companies anticipate significant budget increases for hardware, software and IT solutions investments during the next six months. Given that Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies save companies money by reducing hardware acquisitions, budget increases will go even further than they did in the days before BYOD was a widely accepted business practice. Some of the extra funds from budget increases can be used by these enterprises to put robust MDM solutions in place, to prepare for continued growth of BYOD.

Not only does BYOD save businesses money, but productivity has been found to increase when employees are allowed to use personal mobile devices. A recently released International Data Corporation report showed that 65 percent of employees using mobile said they have greater productivity during the work week.