CA claims IT managers being frozen out

12-05-2008

by Emmet Ryan

IT software firm CA has claimed that IT managers aren't playing enough of a role in the decision-making processes of Irish businesses.

The firm has called for Irish businesses to engage more with IT staff in order to ensure they make the most out of the technology available. "The vast majority of IT budgets are being spent on keeping the lights on," said Frank Kennedy, country manager with CA, speaking with ENN. He said Irish firms need to consult with IT managers to find the right tools to help them grow and become more competitive.

"It's critical that IT people have some say in the decision-making process," said Kennedy. He suggested Irish firms need to look on technology as being a critical component of any business.

The CA country manager's comments came after the firm published a report on the role IT managers in the UK play in their firms' decision-making process. The study found that 73 percent of decisions about innovation projects, which are designed to help businesses respond to tougher market conditions, are made without full consideration of the impact on the IT department. This also reflected greater pressure being felt by IT departments as 45 percent of those surveyed said IT costs were being overlooked when new business ventures were planned, increasing pressure on existing systems and network infrastructure.

The report also found that in 69 percent of the companies surveyed, strategic business decisions that place a burden on the company's network and IT resources are increasingly being made without input from IT decision makers.

CA said it had no research available to show that Ireland was in a similar boat to the UK but the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. "When I talk to CIOs [chief information officers] they tell me that they have the same issues as their UK counterparts," explained Kennedy.

He said Irish firms need to break the mould and consult more with IT staff. "I fear the current trends are going to continue unless people do something different," said Kennedy. "We need to see budgets being allocated towards making better use of IT in business."