Technology nightmare

British small businesses place less of an emphasis on technology than their European counterparts, research finds. Only 51% of UK SMEs say that IT is an integral part of their drive for business growth, increased innovation and productivity, according to new research, making it one of the poorest technology performers in the 27 Member States of the EU.

In France and Germany, 76% consider IT integral to growth, with 73% in Spain and 68% in Italy agreeing.

However, the very smallest UK businesses like to use the latest technology, with the average age of most of the technology in use being around 2.2 years, compared to an average of 2.5 across European countries. Some 70% of British SMEs say that they replace IT equipment every two years, recognising the importance of staying up to date.

More hopefully, over half (57%) of British businesses say modern IT is vital for staff productivity, with 27% believing it helps attract and retain staff, and only 2% thinking it is an unnecessary expense.

APA