Private Canadian companies are proving to be averse to risk when it comes to technology despite acknowledging the great success they’ve had with recent forays, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
PwC’s Business Insights Survey, released July 4, found 70% of companies polled had success with their most recent technological integrations.
But just 20% of those companies plan to invest in more technology within a year.
The report points to risk-aversion on the part of Canadian firms, which seem unwilling to take the leap and maximize their use of everything from cloud computing to mobile technologies.
“There’s a segment of mid-market business owners that are content to continue to use the same processes and systems that have allowed them to grow in the past,” the report stated.
Cloud computer — or sharing data over a network — is a cheaper than relying on physical hard drives. But just 18% of respondents plan to invest in the technology over the next three years.
The report said this was surprising since cloud computing minimizes the costs associated with replacing aging infrastructure.
"It's a 'pay-as-you-go' model which moves technology from a capital expense to an operating expense,” the report noted.
Furthermore, 31% of respondents planned to invest in mobile technology within three years. This could involve equipping employees with anything from a smartphone to a tablet.
But the PwC survey noted part of the reason less than one-third of private companies plan on investing in mobile technologies is because many of them have already enacted “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) policies.
Since smartphones are becoming more ubiquitous — 64% of Canadians own one, according to a 2013 Insights West poll — companies with a BYOD policy reimburse employees for expenses associated with their using their own device.
