8129.0 - Business Use of Information Technology, 2007-08

Quality Declaration

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/08/2009

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Contents >> CHARACTERISTICS OF IT IN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS >> IT Support

IT SUPPORT

All businesses which reported computer use were asked about the sources of IT support used during the year ended 30 June 2008; businesses could identify more than one source of IT support. The most commonly reported source of IT support was contractors or consultants (35%), followed by people working for the business who are not IT specialists (34%).

Source of IT support, by employment size(a)(b), 2007 - 08

		0-4 persons	5-19 persons	20-199 persons	200 or more persons	Total
		%	%	%	%	%

Persons working for the business who are:
	IT specialists	18.3	25.1	39.2	88.1	22.5
	not IT specialists	34.8	33.5	29.3	11.9	33.8
Suppliers of software or hardware(c)		21.1	32.8	43.0	61.1	26.7
Contractors or consultants		27.5	43.0	53.8	64.7	34.6
Other sources of IT support		2.8	2.1	0.8	1.4	2.4
No IT support		22.8	8.9	4.3	np	16.9

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
(a) Proportions are of all businesses that used a computer in each employment size category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one source of IT support.
(c) Software or hardware suppliers are only included where IT support was part of the purchase, lease or warranty for the software or hardware.

The proportion of businesses reporting IT specialists working for the business as a source of IT support increased with each successive employment size range, from 18% (0-4 persons employed) to 88% (200 or more persons employed). Using not IT specialists as a source of IT support was most common among businesses with 0-4 persons employed (35%).

Businesses with 200 or more persons employed were the most likely to have multiple forms of IT support, particularly in the more technical roles such as in-house IT specialists, suppliers of software or hardware and contractors or consultants.

IT specialists working for the businesses were most prevalent among businesses in Information media and telecommunications (39%). Businesses in Health care and social assistance were the most likely to have reported IT support from suppliers of software or hardware (39%), followed by those in Retail trade (37%).