Many signs point to modest improvement in 2012, but it likely won’t be drastically different from the previous year. For those with the right product mix and business model, that’s probably not such a bad thing.

What does this mean for industry growth?
For 2012, CompTIA projects a worldwide IT industry growth rate of 4.5%, with upside potential of 7.6%. The U.S. forecast trails slightly at 4.0% and 6.9%, respectively. The data suggests IT industry executives are most bullish on the IT services and software categories.
Compared to U.S. GDP expectations and growth projections for other industry sectors, the outlook for the IT industry looks quite favorable.
A number of trends will inevitably make their mark on the IT industry and the broader economy in 2012.
At a macro level, disintermediation and automation will touch new areas, further reducing layers of complexity, while improving efficiencies. Many organizations will reap the benefits of this innovation, although some will inevitably lag in adoption, potentially resulting in a more pronounced enterprise digital divide.
The technology outlook for th

On the channel front, the “everything-as-a-service” approach to IT will continue to push firms to explore new business models, product mixes and partner relationships. Business transformations, such as the shift from transactional product/services sales to recurring revenue models, will present lucrative opportunities for some, while challenging others.
These and many more trends are discussed in CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2012 report.
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