2. About this Research
CompTIA’s International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study was conducted to collect and share information on technology adoption and
workforce trends across several countries. The objectives of this research include:
• Explore business and information technology (IT) priorities among organizations
• Examine the usage of key technologies/solutions and IT services such as security and cloud computing
• Identify which IT skills are most important to employers and if there are any skills gap issues or staffing concerns
• Evaluate professional development practices such as training and certification
The data for this study was collected via a quantitative online survey conducted February 22 to March 23, 2013 among 1,256 IT and business executives
directly involved in setting or executing information technology policies and processes within their organizations. The 10 countries covered in this study
include:
Brazil (n=125); Canada (n=125); France (n=125); Germany (n=131); Japan (n=125); India (n=125); Mexico (n=125); Middle East Subset (Oman, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates) (n=125); Thailand (n=125); United Kingdom (n=125)
Surveys were localized and translated to allow respondents to participate in their native language. Additionally, precautions were taken to minimize
misinterpretations of questions. However, research has shown, cultural differences exist and can affect responses to certain question types, such as 5-
point satisfaction rating questions. Viewers of this report should keep that in mind when comparing results across countries.
The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.8 percentage points. Sampling error is larger for subgroups of the data,
such as individual countries where it is +/- 8.9 percentage points. As with any survey, sampling error is only one source of possible error. While non-
sampling error cannot be accurately calculated, precautionary steps were taken in all phases of the survey design, collection and processing of the data
to minimize its influence. Note: because data collection occurred via an online survey, in countries where Internet penetration is lower among
businesses, the non-sampling error could be higher.
CompTIA is responsible for all content contained in this series. Any questions regarding the study should be directed to CompTIA Market Research staff
at research@comptia.org.
CompTIA is a member of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and adheres to the MRA’s Code of Market Research Ethics and Standards.
3. Key IT Priorities for Indian Businesses:
1. IT security
2. Data storage/back-up
3. Data analytics/Big data/Business intelligence
4. Network infrastructure
5. Web/Online presence / e-commerce
Key Points: India
Key Stats for India
$3,900 GDP per capita (PPP) | world rank: 164th
5.68% GDP growth forecast for 2013
81%
% of Indian executives expecting 2013 business
conditions to be better than 2012
498.4m Total workforce
28% % of workforce employed in the services sector
2.8m Estimate of IT workforce* in core IT positions
61%
% of Indian executives expecting to increase IT staff
headcount at their business
61.34m Internet users | world rank: 6th
893.86m Mobile phone users | world rank: 2nd
64%
NET % of Indian executives indicating IT is
important to the success of their business
7.6% Planned increase in IT spending in 2013 (YOY)
Key Strategic Priorities for Indian Businesses:
1. Reach new customers
2. Improve staff productivity / capabilities
3. Innovate more effectively
Cybersecurity:
88% of Indian executives believe the cybersecurity threat is increasing.
Additionally, 67% of Indian executives believe human error is a growing
factor in security security incidents: Top human error related factors
include:
1. Lack of security expertise with websites and applications
2. Failure of IT staff to follow security procedures and policies
IT Skills Gaps:
71% of Indian executives indicate at least some degree of gaps in IT
skills at their business exists. For 34%, the reported skills gaps are
small, while for 38% the gaps are more extensive. Top negative effects
of IT skills gaps at Indian businesses:
1. Lower staff productivity
2. Innovation / new product development
IT Training and Certification:
97% of IT staff at Indian businesses engaged in some type of IT training
during the past 12 months.
1. 81% of Indian executives believe IT certifications will increase in
importance over the next two years
2. 61% of Indian executives agree (NET) that staff holding IT
certifications are more valuable to the organization
Sources used for above stats: CompTIA, IMF, CIA World Factbook, IDC
*See appendix for definition of core IT occupations
5. Strategic Priorities Include Tech Component
Base: 1,244 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
20%
76%
20%
64%
Overall
India
Top Strategic Priorities Among
Indian Businesses for 2013
NET
Unimportant
NET
Important
Neutral
1. Reach new customers
2. Improve staff productivity/capabilities
3. Innovate more effectively
4. Improve use of data analytics for
better/faster business decisions
5. Leverage technology to improve business
operations
81% of Indian executives in this CompTIA
survey say business conditions are improving
and expect 2013 to be better than 2012.
97% expect to increase their expenditure on
IT products and services over the next 12
months.
Importance of Technology to Indian
Business Success Trends Upwards
6. Many Businesses Seek to Improve Their Use of IT
1%
4%
30%
30%
35%
Not at all close
Not that close
Moderately close
Very close
Exactly where
want to be
Degree to Which Indian Businesses
are “Where They Want to Be” in
Technology Utilization
1. IT security
1. Data storage/back-up
1. Data analytics/Big Data/Business intelligence
1. Network infrastructure
1. Web/Online presence/e-commerce
1. Network infrastructure
1. Updating aging computers/software
1. Automating business processes through
technology
1. Cloud computing
1. Telecommunications
Top Technology Priorities Over Next 12
Months for Indian Businesses
Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
7. More than Two-Thirds of Indian Businesses have
Adopted Cloud Computing to Some Degree
22% 21%
39%
17%
15%
17%
34% 35%
Overall
India
Key Hurdles to Cloud Adoption
for Indian Businesses
Cloud Computing Adoption Stage
Full use
stage
Experi-
mentation
stage
Evalu-
ation or
Investi-
gation
stage
Basic
aware-
ness
stage
46% Security or data loss concerns
34% Challenges in developing staff expertise/
experience with cloud applications/solutions
30% Difficulty in integrating/migrating legacy
applications to the cloud
29% Unclear/costly government regulation
29% Slow/unreliable internet access
28% Lack of local cloud service providers
26% Insufficient/unclear ROI
24% Cloud services still unproven/untested
Base: 1,252 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
8. Cybersecurity Risks a Growing Concern
1%
2%
27%
44%
26%
1%
1%
11%
44% 53%
Decreasing
significantly
Decreasing
moderately
No change
Increasing
moderately
Increasing
significantly
India
Overall
44
Overall, 88% of Indian Businesses
Believe the Security Threat Level
has Increased during Past Two Years 1 Rise of social networking
1 Growing criminalization and organization of
hackers motivated by financial gain
1 Greater availability of easy-to-use hacking
tools, allowing more individuals to engage in
hacking
1 Greater interconnectivity of devices, systems
1 Challenges in finding/training employees with
security expertise
1 More reliance on Internet-based
applications, i.e. cloud computing, software-as-
a-service
1 Volume of security threats exceeding capacity
to thwart them
1 Continued use of legacy OSs, web browsers, etc.
Top Factors Cited by Indian Businesses
for Increasing Security Risks
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
9. Human Error is Still a Security Risk Factor
33%
67%
NET increase in human
error as a security risk
factor
NET no change or
decrease in human
error as a security
factor
Top Drivers of Human Error as an
Rising Security Risk Factor
Assessment of Human Error as
a Security Risk Factor
1. Lack of security expertise with websites and
applications
1. Failure of IT staff to follow security procedures
and policies
1. General negligence/carelessness towards
security
1. Lack of security expertise with
networks, servers and other infrastructure
1. Inadequate resources - not enough IT staff time
to manage security threats
1. Increased use of social media by staff
2. Failure of end-users to follow security
procedures and policies
3. Failure of staff to get up-to-speed with new
threats Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
11. 6 in 10 Indian Businesses Plan to Hire IT Staff in
2013; Most Expect Challenges in Finding Workers
5%
56%
39%
4%
35%
61%
Decrease in IT staff No… Increase in IT staff
Overall
India 15%
85%
NET concerned
about IT labor
quantity or quality
NET not that
concerned about
IT labor quantity
or quality
Concern Over Ability to Hire IT Staff
in India
2013 Hiring Intent for IT Staff
Base: 1,252 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
12. Most Businesses Seek Improvement
on the IT Skills Front
2%
10%
26%
34%
29%
Not at all close
Not that close
Moderately close
Very close
Exactly where
want to be
Assessment of how Close Indian
Businesses are to Where They
Want to be with the IT Skills of
Their IT Staff
Top Negative Impacts of IT Skills Gaps
Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
53% Lower staff productivity
42% Ineffective innovation/new
product development
37% Speed to market with new products
or services
36% Poor customer service/customer
engagement
32% Ineffective security/defending
against malware
27% Inability to keep up with competitors
22% Lower sales or profitability
13. IT Skills Rating Among Indian Businesses
1. Project management
2. Teamwork
3. Customer service
4. Motivation/initiative
5. Strong work ethic
6. Verbal and written communication skills
7. Flexibility and adaptability
8. Analytical skills
9. Innovation / Creative problem solving
Top Rated “Soft” IT Skills
1. Networks / Infrastructure
2. Database / information management
3. Data analytics / Business intelligence
4. Server / data center management
5. Web design / development
6. Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
7. Customer relationship management (CRM)
8. Help desk / IT support
9. Printers, copiers, multifunction devices
10. Storage / data back-up
Top Rated IT Skills in Terms of
the Importance of Maintaining a
High Skill Level Among IT staff
Keep in mind, many emerging technologies, such as cloud or mobility, are important to businesses, but it may not yet be the highest
priority to ensure a high level of IT staff expertise. As businesses move along the adoption curve and engage in more advanced uses of
cloud and mobility, staff expertise in those areas increases. Additionally, in some areas such as security, businesses may rely on outside
experts for guidance, so building internal skills could be a lower priority.
Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
14. Types of Training/Education Utilized
by IT Staff in Past 12 Months
11%
8%
24%
23%
30%
38%
40%
45%
3%
10%
22%
26%
42%
46%
46%
51%
No training or education
Some other type of training
Reading industry news, technical journals, etc.
Additional college coursework
Webinars / Online presentation
from an instructor or expert
Attending industry conferences, workshops, etc.
E-learning / Online self-directed training
Training course with an instructor /
Classroom instruction
India
Overall
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
15. Policy Towards the Use of IT Certifications
21%
37%
34%
7%
31%
56%
No formal or informal position
towards the use of IT certifications
Informal – not required,
but valued and encouraged
Formal – IT certifications
required for certain IT staff
India
Overall
Base: 1,241 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
16. Majority of Indian Businesses Expect IT
Certifications to Increase in Importance
Significant
Increase in
Importance
Increase in
Importance
NET
Decrease
NET
Increase in
Importance
No
Change
67% “Teams of staff with IT certifications benefit
from having a common foundation of knowledge”
63% “It’s important to test after training to confirm
knowledge gains”
62% “The organization is more secure from malware
and hackers due to staff with IT certifications”
61% “Staff holding IT certifications are more
valuable to the organization”
58% “Staff with IT certifications have proven expertise”
58% “Retention is higher among staff with IT
certifications than non-certified staff”
NET Agreement (agree +
strongly agree) to Statements
Expectations for Change in
Importance of IT Certifications
Over Next Two Years
Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
12%
43%
37%
17. Indian Businesses are Much More Likely to Agree to
Statements About IT Certifications Than Disagree
17%
18%
13%
16%
19%
11%
11%
29%
23%
26%
20%
18%
20%
18%
53%
58%
58%
61%
62%
63%
67%
Staff with IT certifications perform at a
higher level than non-certified staff
Staff with IT certifications have proven expertise
Retention is higher among staff with IT
certifications than non-certified staff
Staff holding IT certifications are
more valuable to the organization
The organization is more secure from malware
and hackers due to staff with IT certifications
It’s important to test after training
to confirm knowledge gains
Teams of staff with IT certifications benefit from
having a common foundation of knowledge
NET Disagree Neutral NET Agree
Base: 125 Indian business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
19. U.S. Member Profile
19
Respondent Profile
18%
Information Technology (IT) (e.g. hardware, software, IT
services, consulting, reseller, telecom, distributor)
12% Manufacturing (other than IT related)
11% Professional services (other than IT related)
10% Retail/Wholesale (other than IT related)
6% Healthcare/Medical
6% Financial/Banking/Insurance
2% Media/Publishing/Entertainment
7% Government (federal, state, local)
5%
AMTUC (Agriculture, Mining, Transportation, Utilities,
Construction)
8% Education
3% Hospitality
13% Other industry
Primary Industry
6% 1 – 4 employees
5% 5 – 9
11% 10 – 49
17% 50 – 99
31% 100 – 499
14% 500 – 999
16% 1,000 or more employees
Staff Size
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
14%
Executive Management (CEO, President, Managing Director,
Owner, etc.)
16%
Senior Management – IT function (CIO, CSO, VP of IT-related
function, etc.)
20%
Middle Management – IT function (Director, Manager,
Team Leader etc.)
12% Staff level – IT function
7%
Senior Management – business function (CFO, VP, GM of
business function)
18%
Middle Management – business function (Director,
Manager, Team Leader etc.)
8% Staff level – business function
2% Business Consultant
3% IT Consultant
Job Role
95% Setting or influencing technology-related strategies*
94%
Installing or managing hardware, software, communications
and other technology*
94%
Purchasing or working with vendors, providers or
consultants of technology products and services*
82% Hiring or managing IT staff
Involvement in Tech (NET very + somewhat involved)
*To qualify for the survey, respondents had to be very involved or somewhat involved in
at least two of these areas, with the majority of respondents being very involved.
Note: A mix of industries, company sizes, and job roles
were targeted for this study.
20. Defining Core IT Occupations
• Computer Support Specialists
• Software Developers, Applications
• Computer Systems Analysts
• Software Developers, Systems Software
• Network and Computer Systems Administrators
• Computer Programmers
• Computer and Information Systems Managers
• Information Security Analysts, Web Dev., and Computer Network Architects
• Computer Occupations, All Other
• Database Administrators
• Computer Hardware Engineers
• Computer and Information Research Scientists
• Computer Support Specialists
For the purposes of this study, core IT occupations include positions related to the list below. In this study, certain
telecommunications occupations were excluded, such as positions responsible for installing or maintaining cellular
towers. Additionally, this study excludes ‘knowledge worker’ type positions, such as technical writer, graphic
designer or business analyst.
21. comptia.org
Want to know more?
As the voice of the IT industry, CompTIA has hundreds
of tools, market intelligence reports and business
training programs to help IT organizations grow through
education, certification, advocacy and philanthropy.
Check it out at www.comptia.org.
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Visit http://www.comptia.org/research/it-workforce.aspx.
Notas do Editor
Q5. Your organization likely has many strategic priorities. Among the following, how do you rate each in terms of its priority to your organization over the next 12 months?;Q6.And, what is your outlook for 2013? Do you expect business conditions for your organization to improve, worsen or remain about the same as 2012?;Q10. Next, looking ahead over the next 12 months, how do you expect your organization’s investment in technology to change? This may include expenditures for information technology (IT) equipment, computers, mobile devices, software, IT services and IT staffing. |Q7. Next, please think specifically about the strategic role of technology to your organization. Overall, how important or unimportant is technology to the success of your organization?(This graph displays the Importance today, compared to two years ago)
Q11. When considering your overall experience with the information technology (IT) in use at your organization, such as the technology products and services mentioned previously, how close or how far is your current experience to your ideal experience? |Q8 – Q9. Among the following possible information technology (IT) initiatives, how do you rate each in terms of its priority to your organization over the next 12 months?(15 total options presented)
Q12. Getting back to the topic of cloud computing, how do you characterize your organization’s current use of cloud computing technologies, which may include public or private clouds, as well as IaaS, PaaS or SaaS? |Q13. What factors do you think are most likely to inhibit or slow your organization’s adoption or expansion of using cloud computing services?
Q31. Getting back to the topic of information security, thinking about all the different types of security threats to your organization such as viruses, hacking, phishing and so on, how do you view the trend in the security threat level? Compared to two years ago, do you think the security threat level is increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same? |Q32. Among the following, what do you think are the key factors potentially contributing to concerns about cybersecurity today?NOTE: OS = Operating System
Q33. The cause of many security incidents/breaches may entail a range of factors including shortcomings in the use of technology (e.g. anti-virus software or firewalls), human error or shortcoming in security policies. Thinking specifically about human error, how, if at all has this factor changed at your organization over the past two years? |Q34. You indicated that human error was at least moderately more of a factor in your organization’s security incidents/breaches. Which of the following reasons are the most significant causes?(Only among those who cited that human error was now moderately or significantly more of a factor)
Q16.How, if at all, did the number of dedicated IT staff and/or staff that work on IT change at your organization last year? And, what is your expectation for change during 2013? (This graph answers the latter, i.e. for 2013) |Q24.Looking ahead over the next two years to any new hires your organization may make in any area of IT, such as the aforementioned specialties, how concerned or unconcerned are you about your ability to hire workers with the right set of skills, expertise and experience?
Q17. Next, please think about the overall level of skill and expertise among your IT staff and/or those responsible for IT at your company. What is your assessment of the IT skills gap, if any, between what your organization needs from IT and the IT skills staff possess? |Q18. For the IT skills gaps at your organization today, what areas of the business have potentially been affected due to insufficient skill or expertise in any area of information technology?
Q20. Going into further detail on the topic of IT skills, below are a list of items that relate to managing, implementing, troubleshooting or optimizing IT infrastructure and endpoints. Please indicate the items most important to your organization in terms of ensuring high levels of staff expertise and minimizing skills gaps.Q21.And for these areas that relate to managing, implementing, troubleshooting or optimizing databases and information management, please indicate the items most important to your organization in terms of ensuring high levels of staff expertise and minimizing skills gaps.Q22. For these areas as they relate to application development, software and web technologies, please indicate the same. |Q23.Lastly, on the soft skills (or non-technical skills) side, what items, if any, are of most importance to your organization in terms of ensuring high levels of staff expertise and minimizing skills gaps?
Q25. Going into a bit more detail on the topic of training, which of the following, if any, has your organization utilized in the past 12 months for IT staff professional development and/or to address any IT skills gaps?
8% Don’t know – Overall7% Don’t know – IndiaQ26. Next, there are many types of IT certifications and credentials which often accompany training and professional development for IT workers. Certifications are designed to confirm expertise in some technical area and are typically earned by passing an exam or other assessment; sometimes contingent on attending training classes. Examples of common IT industry certifications include:A+ or Security+ (CompTIA)CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional)PMP (Project Management Professional)How, if at all, does your organization use IT certifications?
Q27. Based on your organization’s experience with IT staff that have IT certifications and those that do not, how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? |Q29. Thinking ahead over the next two years, do you expect IT certifications to become more important, less important or unchanged in terms of providing a mechanism for validating the skills and expertise of IT staff?
Q27. Based on your organization’s experience with IT staff that have IT certifications and those that do not, how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?