digital specialist Pixelpark Agency in its strong status. “As part of a systematic experience. This implies a big switch
Cologne, believes the ICT market is expansion of its international business, in the approach to the management of
recovering. “The ICT market continues T-Systems succeeded in gaining new, both internal and external IT resources:
to grow. Our clients realise that they high-volume orders, particularly companies have to link the technical
have no chance of winning if they from outside Germany. These did infrastructure and metrics with the
behave conservatively in dealing with not compensate for developments in business processes, services and users.”
digital media. Thus we again invest – Germany, however, with the result that There has been previous commentary
the development, anticipated in 1999, the volume of new orders was lower in across Europe concerning a shortage of
occurs now.” 2007 than in the previous year. Despite skilled staff, and the question divides
And it seems to be a matter of scale: difficult market conditions, T-Systems was those working within German-based
Dr Peter Lempp, MD of Capgemini able to expand its Systems Integration enterprises. O’Neill at Forrester believes
Germany, believes that the current operations and bill more hours.” that high standards have created a
demand within Germany is suited to It is not just major industries that shortage. “As everywhere else in Europe
larger enterprises. “There’s a strong seem to be doing well in Germany. the German IT market is also affected by
demand for offerings that include Rene Hermes, VP marketing at the 70 a shortage of IT professionals, perhaps
management consulting plus the ability to strong, Munich-based image specialist as entry requirements for university IT
execute the project. Companies able to Definiens, believes the situation has degrees are very strict. This is why many
offer this combination on a European or improved in the previous few years. companies have decided to outsource
even global scale are hence favourites.” “Large companies like Oracle and SAP their workforce from eastern Europe.”
Dr. Marcus Hacke, EVP of Business buy market share and grow. IT in general Dirk Krause at Pixelpark agrees that
Development, Multinational Customers is doing very well in the last years.” there aren’t enough staff appropriate for
and Public Sector at T-Systems Rene Hermes believes that them. “There is still a lack of qualified
confirms there has been a pattern improvements in technology taking staff in those areas covered by the
emerging. “We observe that the place has enabled the enterprise market Pixelpark group. Pixelpark attempts
merging of telecommunications and to grow, and Definiens has grown within to counteract by in-house training.
IT is a development embraced by our Germany as a result. Currently we train 20 apprentices in
competitors. Telco players are acquiring “There are more and more various professions.”
IT players and vice versa. We see this as opportunities. There are a lot of mergers Patrick Edlund of HP believes
a confirmation of our strategy. As one and acquisitions going on in the that there is a genuine shortage of
of the rare real ICT players we think that pharmaceutical and medical industry employees: “At the moment, it is not
we have a good advantage here. We which drive incremental business easy to find enough of the qualified
also think that this trend will continue for opportunities.” employees which we need especially in
quite some time.” Patrick Edlund, Press and Analyst consulting and sales. This challenge will
Given Germany’s long held Relations Manager with HP’s continue during 2008.”
reputation for science and technology, Technology Solutions Group (TSG) Rene Hermes, though, believes it is
it is no surprise that there will be Deutschland agrees that the enterprise a “good market” with a large enough
no shortage of developments and side, in particular the outsourcing workforce. “There were no major
possibilities for growth. Peter Lempp solutions side, can be rewarding. “We challenges in building up a workforce,”
sees strong demand in the major sectors. had a solid growth of outsourcing says Hermes. “Our company is based in
“We see a good demand in Services in FY09, with a good mix of Munich, and benefits from being near
manufacturing/automotive, the financial large and small deals. One example the Ludwig-Maximillians-University. In
sector as well as energy and utilities. is Commerzbank, Germany’s second- general, people in Germany are very
The manufacturing sector, which is by largest bank, which outsourced to HP well educated with a high enough
far the biggest sector for Capgemini in the management of 33,000 workstations number of skilled people.”
Germany, is currently in a very good and 12,000 printers as part of a five-year SAP’s MD Volker Merk can talk about
shape. The companies use this period information technology services deal.” staffing from an enviably strong position
to develop growth concepts and invest Outsourcing and cost pressures in the as an employer: “eW continue to find
in architectures to make their processes last few years have produced seismic - and hire - highly qualified personnel
and systems more flexible as well as in changes within the German IT industry in Germany, although the competition
optimisations and harmonisations.” regarding systems management. Edlund for high potentials is understandably
In early 2008 T-Systems signed off believes that companies used to manage intense. As SAP enjoys a reputation as
a 5-year, €1bn “mega-deal” with Royal their IT along with technical metrics ‘Employer of Choice’, we continue to
Dutch Shell for worldwide hosting like availability, bandwidth and I/O, successfully attract the people we need.
and storage, signalling perhaps a more but that things have now changed. “IT Nonetheless, with more than 40,000
international perspective for success. executives now define themselves as job vacancies in the ICT industry in
Marcus Hacke admits that interest from managers of business services, and thus Germany, there is danger of slowed
outside Europe has helped to maintain focus on business metrics and end-user growth and speed of innovation.
JUNE 2008 8020 EUROPA 61
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