KEY ISSUES FOR IT EXECUTIVES 2008

This has been a tumultuous year for organizations faced with sharp decreases in revenue that demanded IT budget cuts, initiatives being put on hold, downsizing, and hiring freezes. While many IT organizations have been collaborating with their business partners to leverage IT to help reduce costs and improve productivity across the company, most are moving forward with a sense of foreboding. When this survey was conducted in June 2008 (before the extent of the recession was known), many executives were anticipating an economic down turn-although perhaps not the decline that has developed. The survey results are compared against more recent research. Since its inception in 1980, the Society for Information Management (SIM) survey has helped IT leaders around the globe understand important issues and trends. This article presents the major findings based on surveys received from 291 organizations. The top five management concerns were: 1. IT and business alignment 2. Build business skills in IT 3. IT strategic planning 4. Attracting IT professionals 5. Making better use of information This is the third in a series of MISQE-published reports on SIM membership surveys. As in the 2007 survey, the paper also presents findings with regard to application and technology developments and aspects of the IT organization.