Infrastructure tops Indian CIO's priority list: Gartner

The Global CIOs survey by Gartner reveals that infrastructure is the number one priority, followed by CRM and IT performance, for Indian CIOs in 2004. It also states that CIOs worldwide named demonstrating business value of information systems (IS) /IT and developing leadership in the IS senior team as their top management priority for 2004. However, Indian CIOs gave priority to developing leadership in the IS senior team and making IS more service oriented. 

José Ruggero, Gartner VP for Executive Programs, APac and Japan comments, "CIOs reveal that senior executives are now recognizing the need and opportunities for growth. Increase in total IT and business operating budgets are being noticed as enterprises invest for growth." According to him, investing in conformance, to handle security, privacy and legislative pressures, will ensure compliance and reduce enterprise risk, but will not deliver growth. 

The annual survey also reveals that the IS budget growth is likely to stagger over time. More than 40% of CIO's suggested IT growth will return to this sector in the latter stages of 2004. IT budgets are set to pick up for most enterprises by an average of 1.2%. Breaking away enterprises are making significant investments in IT, with budgets increasing by 6.9%.

The study further states that senior business executives are focusing on business initiatives and need CIOs, who will be support these initiatives.

DQCI NEWS BUREAU 

MUMBAI