Information Technology (IT) Geared Towards Small Businesses takes on a Global Importance
Release Date: July 10, 2007
For Immediate Release
International Council for Small Business (ICSB) International Office
The George Washington University
By: Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy, ICSB Executive Director
Contact Tel: 202-994-0704
Email: aymanelt@icsb.org
Summary Article:
The State of IT World-Wide: Listening to Entrepreneurs and Experts
Web Address for Article and Findings:
http://www.icsb.org/IT/tabid/168/Default.aspx or www.icsb.org
The International Office of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) today announced the results of a Global Technology Study conducted in collaboration with DELL Inc. The study included a 12 country survey of small business owners and decision makers and a targeted survey of international small business researchers, practitioners, and consultants conducted by ICSB. The study confirms that IT is extremely important in the growth of small businesses world-wide.
"The survey results reinforce the fact that small business owners and the experts both acknowledge the importance of IT on a global level,” said Rob van der Horst, President of the ICSB. “Small businesses are using IT for multiple reasons, to better serve their customers and also to better compete in the marketplace."
Small Businesses World-Wide Have Been Heard
According to the DELL 12 country survey, covering Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, China, Germany, India, Japan Mexico, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, sixty-six percent (66%) of small business owners indicate that IT is extremely important to their business. At the same time, fifty-seven percent (57%) of small business experts, researchers and educators surveyed by ICSB state that IT plays an extremely important role in the growth of small businesses. The ICSB portion of the study also shows that eighty-eight percent (88%) of small business experts think that most small business owners could financially benefit from a greater awareness of IT options.
The No. 1 reason small businesses use technology is to better serve customers, followed by growth of their business and, finally, to enable them to better compete in the marketplace. Additionally, small business owners around the world indicate that when it comes to IT:
They prefer simple service solutions because they do not have full-time dedicated IT staff and are, therefore, installing their most sophisticated IT products on their own;
They do not have time to explore new IT products/possibilities;
Their top IT Pain Points include: managing costs of technology, product complexity making them too dependent on an outside company for support, and issues with trial-ware installed on new computers;
For more information about the ICSB/DELL Global Technology Study, visit http://www.icsb.org/IT/tabid/168/Default.aspx
About the International Council for Small Business (ICSB): Global Networks, Global Knowledge. Founded in 1955, the ICSB is the premier global membership organization to promote the growth and development of small businesses worldwide. With over 2,000 members from over 70 countries, the ICSB brings together educators, researchers, policy makers and practitioners to share knowledge and experience in their respective fields. ICSB on the web http://www.icsb.org/IT/tabid/168/Default.aspx
About Dell, Inc.: Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.