Biz loves tech: Official

The vast majority of company directors see technology as a key factor in getting their businesses to grow.

The response was almost unanimous across all sectors, according to a survey from the Institute of Directors (IoD), with only 15 per cent dismissing the potential benefits technology can deliver.

Increased productivity is the main driver for bringing technology to the business. Competitive pressure and saving time were also cited as important factors.

Perhaps surprisingly, only two per cent of respondents said saving money and reducing risk are key drivers.

The BlackBerry-based revolution also marches on, with all wireless technology seeing a 20 per cent increase in business usage since 2004. A massive 94 per cent of those surveyed use wireless technology to pick up their emails, reflecting the growing trend in mobile working.

Partial outsourcing saw a dramatic rise in the popularity stakes: 27 per cent of respondents said it is a common choice for their businesses, compared to one per of respondents in 2004.

The research, commissioned by Dell, also noted a continuing trend of companies turning their backs on desktop PCs in favour of laptops - with 41 per cent of respondents indicating they have switched to buying laptops in the past two years.

The research canvassed the opinions of 500 members of the IoD, across a range of sectors.