Tech spending to slow, not crash

The prospects for technology spending this year are not too bad and analysts say that's because IT has become embedded in the world of the corporate economy. During the last recession, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, there was far more corporate pain and technology was part of the downward cycle. This year, there is a guarded optimism. Buyers like Monte Ford, the CIO at American Airlines, say that their spending on technology will slow, but it won't stop. But there could be a downside, with some managers delaying the replacement of personal computers and upgrades for mobile devices or putting off purchasing new desktop software.

"You adopt the mentality of a small-business owner for those kinds of things - you just want to avoid writing a check," said Jack Santos, an analyst at the Burton Group, a technology research firm. CIOs, remember that timing is everything and that every corner of your operation must be scrutinized for the best value. We'll have more on this in upcoming issues, and we'd like to hear what you have planned to make your budget lean, mean and efficient.

For more on technology and the economy:
- See this New York Times article