From your enterprise's perspective, how has the current financial turmoil effected senior IT employment, recruiting and salaries in this region and what is the broad outlook for 2009, specifically for IT people?
At Epicor, we are maintaining our commitment to customers and the delivery of our solutions, including the launch of our newest solution, Epicor 9, to help customers sustain and build their business. In the current economic climate, IT remains a critical support for businesses. Companies who have braced themselves for the difficult times and used IT to build efficiencies stand in good stead. Moving forward in 2009, we will still see customers who need to keep investing in critical business solutions.
What does your enterprise believe will be the overall 2009 outlook for IT recruitment, employment and salaries in the Asia pacific? Are there any specific countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China) where you see the situation as being better or worse than others?
The current economic climate will have an impact on recruitment. However, I believe that forward looking companies will continue to invest in training staff. I would recommend that those who have started their IT projects should continue, so that when the economy recovers, they will be ready for growth. We expect that the situation in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong will be less affected by the slow down than China due to their lean IT workforce throughout the functions, from development to production.
How would your enterprise describe the current IT industry employment environment for senior execs in comparison to last year? When was this environment similar in recent times?
The current IT employment for senior execs has not changed significantly. Companies that have a larger IT team will need to justify the support of legacy ERP or other IT systems and work to show the business value of their functions. We see that as an opportunity for IT professionals to highlight the efficiencies that IT can bring to the business in the economic downturn and how business intelligence can be used for sustaining and growing the business.
What 2009 strategies does your enterprise expect enterprises to adopt relating to IT employment to cope with the current downturn?
There will be increased scrutiny on spending and capital outlays across most businesses. In terms of IT employment, businesses should take the opportunity to evaluate the business value of their IT systems. Training and development of IT staff will enable better understanding of the IT required to maximise the information gained and then leverage the information to drive efficiencies and competitive advantage.
How difficult will it be in 2009 for senior IT people in the Asia Pacific region to find employment and which particular industry sectors are likely to be the toughest? Which industry sectors will be most affected? Which will be the ones to enjoy increased employment and salaries?
As the financial industry will be the hardest hit by the downturn in 2009, IT support will likely be very lean. Reorganisation of IT skills will be a solution to maximise IT employment for businesses. As manufacturing is the backbone of many economies in Asia, IT employment will be less affected.
Is there anything else you'd particularly like to add about the IT industry employment and salary scenario in the Asia Pacific which you think should be included in our article?
During these tough times, IT continues to drive value to organisations. In fact, forward looking enterprises will select technologies like ERP and BI to help them streamline efficiencies and be ready for when the economy picks up again. There is also an opportunity for IT professionals to undergo training to provide more efficient value to businesses.
