8129.0 - Business Use of Information Technology, 2011-12

Quality Declaration

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/08/2013

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Contents >> Characteristics of IT and internet in Australian business >> IT support

IT SUPPORT

All businesses were asked who provided their IT support during the year ended 30 June 2012. Businesses could identify more than one source of IT support.

Consistent with previous results, almost a third of all businesses reported that IT support was provided by contractors or consultants (32%).

Source of IT support, by employment size(a)(b), 2011-12

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

Person(s) working for the business who are:
	IT specialists	15.5	28.5	39.4	80.1	21.6
	not IT specialists	21.8	23.2	23.4	17.2	22.3
Suppliers of software or hardware(c)		14.0	19.9	38.8	58.0	18.0
Contractors or consultants		24.2	42.4	53.7	71.9	32.2
Other sources of IT support		0.6	0.6	np	0.4	0.6
No IT support		31.5	14.4	3.5	0.1	24.0

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output 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 use of IT support increased with each successive employment size range for person(s) working for the business who are IT specialists, suppliers of software or hardware and contractors or consultants. Businesses with 200 or more persons employed were three times as likely to report that contractors or consultants provided IT support (72%) as businesses with 0-4 persons employed (24%). Businesses with 0-4 persons employed were the most likely to report no IT support (32%).

Overall, businesses in the Construction industry were the most likely to report no IT support (37%), followed by businesses in Agriculture, forestry and fishing (35%). Businesses in the Information media and telecommunications industry were the least likely to report no IT support was received during 2011-12 (9%). Businesses in this industry were the most likely to report that IT support was provided by person(s) working for the business who are IT specialists (39%) and person(s) working for the business who are not IT specialists (34%).