Microsoft: UK leads way in innovation

Microsoft said IT's ability to innovate is being squeezed by the downturn

UK IT decision makers are devoting more of their budget to innovation than their counterparts in the US and Germany, according to a study commissioned by Microsoft.

Harris Interactive quizzed 1,200 IT decision makers in the UK, US, Germany and Japan and found that on average they will allocate 37 per cent of their budgets to innovation in 2009.

However, there was a large variance between the countries. The UK figure stood at 41 per cent, Germany at 35 per cent and the US at 29 per cent. A figure was not given for Japan.

The study also found that UK decision makers are devoting more of their budget to green issues.

Some 15 per cent of UK respondents considered green to be a “major factor” in their buying decisions, compared with nine per cent for the US, eight per cent for Germany and six per cent for Japan.

Microsoft said the results appeared to show that the economy was affecting IT’s ability to innovate, but it warned this could have grave consequences.

Bob Kelly, corporate vice president of infrastructure server marketing at Microsoft, said: “Businesses that focus solely on reducing IT costs in this economy will not be as well positioned as those that develop new capabilities and solutions.

“IT is uniquely capable of not only delivering bottom-line cost savings, but also providing innovative solutions that will help organisations weather the storm and thrive. Now, more than ever, IT is a strategic asset.”