CIOs "nervous" about new technology

Almost two-thirds of CIOs are nervous about buying new or cutting-edge technology because of concerns about cost and the potential disruption it could cause.

The survey of 100 UK CIOs and IT directors found just two per cent are "eager" to buy new technology that could make a difference to their business, while 61 per cent said they are "hesitant", "nervous" or "averse" to it.

The biggest hurdle, according to almost a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents, was convincing the board that cutting edge technologies are a safe investment while a third pointed to concern over the technology causing disruption to business users and general budgetary constraints.

The survey also found that most (68 per cent) CIOs are happy in their current role, with only 16 per cent saying they aspire to move out of IT into general operating or CEO position. Five per cent said they want to move into a less stressful environment in the next five years.

Steve Kendall-Smith, MD of Fujitsu Siemens Computers UK, which sponsored the survey, said in a statement: "Corporate IT departments have come such a long way over the past 20 years. Right the way from the back-office and into the forefront of an organisation - helping to gain competitive edge. But now, as the IT systems they've built up over the years begin to creak, it will take people with the necessary ambition and nerve to address the task of replacing them with cutting-edge alternatives."

The survey was carried out by Vanson Bourne among 100 CIOs and IT directors in UK businesses with more than 1,000 employees.