Coronavirus Research Advisories
This page gathers together all of our research and advisory reports on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IT spending trends and other topics related to crisis response.
Revisiting the Impact of COVID-19 on IT Organizations in 2020
Our latest survey shows that that a K-shaped recovery of IT spending has begun. Nearly an equal number of companies have increased their IT budgets in response to the pandemic as those that decreased them, with slightly more actually increasing. This report outlines how the pandemic is affecting IT operational budgets, IT capital budgets, IT staff head counts, compensation, outsourcing, budgets for new projects, and the use of the public cloud. It also shows trends in working from home. We also report how long IT leaders expect it will take for their budgets to recover to prerecession levels. We also forecast expected IT spending cuts by industry for all of 2020, along with our recommendations for IT leaders in managing their spending through the crisis. (26 pp., 12 fig.)
[Research Byte]
The Impact of COVID-19 on IT Budgets in 2020
The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has led to a worldwide recession, with a significant impact on IT budgets. Because our current IT spending benchmarks adjust based on levels of business activity, they can still be applied in times of economic decline. Nevertheless, many IT leaders want to understand how IT spending is being influenced by current pandemic and economic conditions. Based on our special survey, this report outlines how the pandemic is affecting IT operational budgets, IT capital budgets, IT staff head counts, compensation, outsourcing, budgets for new projects, and the use of the public cloud. We also report how long IT leaders expect it will take for their budgets to recover from the current recession. We also forecast expected IT spending cuts by industry for all of 2020, along with our recommendations for IT leaders in managing their spending through the crisis. (22 pp., 11 fig.)
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[Webinar Replay]
How Digital Transformation Will Drive IT Organizations in the Post-Pandemic World
The coronavirus pandemic has had a tremendous impact around the world, affecting every aspect of business. What do IT organizations need to do as we emerge from the pandemic? The bottom line is that if you are operating consistent with an integrated digital operating model, the post-COVID world should not be much different from the pre-COVID world—except any further digital transformation should be accelerated. That is one of the key themes of our recent digital forum, “Reality Check: How to Reshape Your IT Organization – A CIO Perspective.”Investing to Survive (and Thrive) in a Post-Coronavirus Economy
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has led to widespread disruption of the world’s economy. But even if there were a universally available vaccine now, the COVID-19 crisis would be far from over. The economic recovery could take many years, and even when fully recovered could be changed in ways that are not at first apparent. This Research Byte lays out lessons learned so far from digital businesses and outlines four areas where traditional companies can invest to survive and thrive as we emerge from the pandemic. It is based on a presentation to IAOP by Avasant CEO, Kevin Parikh.COVID-19 Response Lifecycle for IT Organizations
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, IT leaders are asking what actions they should take and what a recovery will look like. The recovery will include reorganization of IT service delivery, invocation of force majeure, and renegotiation of support agreements with third parties. This presentation lays out the expected life-cycle stages for the current pandemic and its impact on IT services short-term and long-term. We also outline specific contractual and legal considerations that IT leaders should understand in renegotiating relationships with service providers. (35 slides).
[Research Byte]
Working From Home Was Already Surging Before Pandemic
The practice of working remotely has skyrocketed over the past 11 years for many reasons, and in early 2020 it got a huge boost with the COVID-19 pandemic. Untold millions of workers around the world started working from home in March 2020, after thousands of companies and governments instructed them to do so. This Research Byte summarizes the findings in our full report.Coronavirus Impact Index by Industry
COVID-19 fears continue to grip the world, with a growing number of people infected. In addition to the human tragedy, there is also a massive impact on business. But to truly understand the impact of the pandemic on the world’s economy, it is important to view the impact of the coronavirus by industry. This free Research Byte provides the analysis.Business Continuity under a Pandemic Scenario
Pandemics are fundamentally different from the disasters commonly envisioned in disaster recovery and business continuity plans. The most recent threat of the Wuhan coronavirus highlights the fact that most organizations are not prepared for a pandemic scenario. This updated report outlines the specific ways in which pandemics are different from other types of disasters. It suggests three planning scenarios, and it outlines specific actions that IT risk managers should consider to prepare for them. If adequately prepared, the IT group will be able to continue to support critical business functions, and it can provide solutions to help the organization get through a pandemic. (13 pp., 1 fig.)Note: In recognition of the urgent need, we are now offering this full report at no charge.
[Research Byte]
Blunting the Effects of Pandemic-Induced Travel Restrictions on Offshore Service Delivery
As global enterprises brace for the uncertain impact of the coronavirus pandemic, travel bans and visa restrictions have complicated the landscape for companies that manage a global workforce and have partners in different countries. This Research Byte provides recommendations to prevent negative impacts on business operability and customer satisfaction.
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