Satisfying compliance issues is the least likely driver for UK firms to adopt software asset management solutions (SAM), research claims.

According to the findings of the IDC’s UK Software Asset Management Maturity white paper, just 1.25 per cent of UK firms cited legal compliance as a driving force behind their company’s SAM policy.

Instead, UK firms are more likely (53 per cent) to adopt SAM solutions to optimise software licence use and keep the purchasing of new licences to a minimum (55 per cent).

Some 400 UK firms took part in the study, which was commissioned by the Software Industry Research Board (SIRB) to assess the attitude of businesses to SAM solutions.

Additionally, 45.5 per cent of those questioned in the survey cited lack of budget as the reason they struggled to adopt appropriate SAM initiatives, while 24.5 per cent said a lack of technical knowledge was to blame.

Alex Hilton, chairman at the SIRB, said: “Reduced compliance risks, controlling software costs and reduced labour costs in managing software must be seen by organisations large and small as an attractive proposition in today’s economic climate.

“But this research has highlighted one fact only – that SAM and SLM appear to be at the bottom of a long list of priorities.”

Hilton said that organisations should consider appointing someone to take responsibility for SAM issues to ensure compliance in the future.

John Lovelock, chief executive of The Federation Against Software Theft and Investors in Software (FAST IiS), said organisations could be losing money because of poor understanding of SAM practices.

He said: “SAM is more than just doing the bare minimum to avoid being fined as part of an audit process. That is just one side of the compliance coin. An effective SAM programme will help the bottom line in the overwhelming majority of organisations as they can manage their software estate to match their needs today.”