Framework Conditions

Due to the crisis in the financial markets, the macroeconomic situation is expected to continue deteriorating. For the euro zone, current forecasts predict a reduction of the gross domestic product by about 2 per cent in 2009. The German economy is expected to shrink by 2 to 3 per cent, and the economic effects of the crisis in the financial markets will still be felt in the in 2010.

Economic uncertainties strain the outlook of the IT industry for 2009

The economic prospects in the IT industry have also become gloomy. While growth will slow down considerably in the software and service segments, hardware trading business will even move in the opposite direction and yield a much lower volume than in the reporting period. Thus, according to BITKOM, more and more ITC enterprises are adjusting their revenue expectations for 2009 downwards.

The extent and duration of the economic crisis will also depend on the effectiveness of the announced government economic recovery programmes. It is not yet possible to make a reliable estimate of the implications for the IT industry, though some of these measures will surely have a direct and indirect impact on public and commercial IT budgets.