The fierce commitment of US businesses to cutting-edge digital communications technology is helping the US economy outpace that of Europe, according to a leading IT expert.
The belief in US boardrooms that state-of-the-art IT communications is essential to a profitable business model has allowed the US to steal a march over Europe, posting growth rates close to double that of the EU, said Mr Aaron McCormack, vice-president of products for BT Global Services.
Although corporate America has been pilloried for investing heavily in digital communications during the downturn, its emergence as the powerhouse of the current tentative recovery has vindicated its decision, said Mr McCormack.
"US boardrooms place more store in digital networks and applications," Mr McCormack said, in a briefing to media in Dublin.
Companies such as retail giant Wal-Mart owe their dominance to massive investment in state-of-the-art communications systems, which allow them to anticipate demand and switch suppliers extremely quickly, he said.
Unlike many European companies, US firms often had an IT expert on the board, he said. They were keenly aware of how import efficient digital communications can be, both to their short-term profitability and to long-term strategy, said Mr McCormack.
