EDP Service Provider Survey: Weak but sold turnover growth, favourable outlook continues

In October and November 2000, the Ifo Institute conduction its 23rd quarterly business survey of EDP service providers. For the first time in four quarters, the current business situation did not continue to decline. The majority of participants (on balance + 51%) reported excellent business conditions in the third quarter. For the winter semester 2000/2001, the firms hope to re-connect to their old growth path, and three fifths of EDP service providers assessed the outlook as favourable. A constraint to growth continues to be the lack of qualified personnel, from which about half of the EDP service providers suffer. The lack of qualified personnel is not as strong among east German EDP service providers, but the problem is growing considerably.