Hard Dollar, Hard Times in IT Spending

The consequences of "hard" dollar and the weakening of demand in the emerging economies of the world will suffer, this year, the global IT market. Spending on IT is expected to move, internationally, to the level of $ 2.69 trillion in 2015, down by 3.5% compared with a year earlier, with all - without exception - branches of the world economy to reduce investment costs of Information Technology.

The decline of international market of IT associated, primarily, with the rise of the dollar - particularly in relation to the euro, the yen and the ruble - and the increases that brought the prices of IT products, as well as weak performance of markets such as Russia, Brazil and China.

According to estimates of the company Gartner, the exchange rates will impact investments in all sectors of economic activity for IT, with costs limited to 2015. In the case of banks, the costs will be, this year, less 2.4% in Communications and Media, the decline will be around 3.6% in Education are expected to fall by 2.5%, while travel spending of public organizations will be reduced in 2015 by 5%. As is apparent from the same data, spending on IT in the health sector will be reduced by 2.7%, insurance by 2,8%, in construction by 4,5%, in retail trade by 1,5% and transport by 3.1%.

Despite the downturn, however, retail, banking and insurance and the health sector should take the lead by making the highest IT spending this year.

Retail

The technologies that help better understanding of consumer needs and enhance customer engagement in a brand, through a multi-channel shopping experience are high priority areas concerning the agenda of business retail for IT. Regarding purchases in the store, the challenges identified, particularly in the various electronic payment systems, but also investments in card acceptance machines (POS).

Banks

Although investments in the banking sector and insurance companies in Information Technology will be reduced in the current year, by 2.5%, Gartner estimates that banks will double their budgets for IT by 2019 in an effort to hold their customers, improve consumer service experience and reduce operating costs. The cyber security remains a focus area for retail banking and an emerging area of ​​interest is the intelligent machine technology, including artificial intelligence, robotics and automation processes.

Health sector

Spending on IT is expected to fall during the current year, in health and care, with the related rate of decline can be estimated, for 2015, to 2.7%. The largest market for IT in the health sector is that of the US, which accounts for the current year, 40% of total expenditure on IT f the health sector. Great mobility is expected to show the sector in the region of Europe, Asia and South Africa.