SWOT: The Evolution Of IT Service Providers To Business Technology Competitors

The market for traditional IT services will change dramatically over the next five years as more vendors realize the benefits of aligning their technology solutions with the needs of business customers. Unlike other technology trends that come and go, the emergence of a differentiated business technology (BT) marketplace will be characterized by evolution — involving powerful long-term technology trends and near-term technology disruptions. In the next five years, the market for such services will become increasingly competitive as more IT vendors seek to push themselves deeper into the core processes of their customers by aligning with business needs. Our study of four leading IT services firms that have adopted a business focus in their strategies, products, and go-to-market approaches reveals that companies are finding new ways to create alignment with business customers— and in the process, expanding the definition and limits of the technology marketplace.