Cathy CooperThe growth in spending on IT in Western Europe this year will be
bigger than that of North America for the first time, research has
shown.
Specialists at IDC said the figures indicate Europe will soon
catch up with the US in the sophistication of its IT.
Western Europe's spending will continue to rise more quickly
than the US over the coming years, leading to a situation where
Western Europe will be spending a higher proportion of its national
income on IT, IDC analysts predict. Last year the US spent 4% of
its GDP on IT, compared with Europe's 3%.
Europe's rise is led by several countries, including the UK and
France whose spending will increase by 11% each this year. But
Sweden is furthest ahead, with this year's IDC/World Times
Information Society Index ranking the country as number one in IT
development, ahead of the US.
The US is forecast to increase IT spending 8% next year compared
with Western Europe's 11% rise.
