1. International Technology Adoption
& Workforce Issues Study
Summary for Middle East

2. About this Research
CompTIA’s International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study was conducted to collect and share information on technology adoption and
workforce trends across several countries. The objectives of this research include:
• Explore business and information technology (IT) priorities among organizations
• Examine the usage of key technologies/solutions and IT services such as security and cloud computing
• Identify which IT skills are most important to employers and if there are any skills gap issues or staffing concerns
• Evaluate professional development practices such as training and certification
The data for this study was collected via a quantitative online survey conducted February 22 to March 23, 2013 among 1,256 IT and business executives
directly involved in setting or executing information technology policies and processes within their organizations. The 10 countries covered in this study
include:
Brazil (n=125); Canada (n=125); France (n=125); Germany (n=131); India (n=125); Japan (n=125); Mexico (n=125); Middle East Subset (Oman, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates) (n=125); Thailand (n=125); United Kingdom (n=125)
Surveys were localized and translated to allow respondents to participate in their native language. Additionally, precautions were taken to minimize
misinterpretations of questions. However, research has shown, cultural differences exist and can affect responses to certain question types, such as 5-
point satisfaction rating questions. Viewers of this report should keep that in mind when comparing results across countries.
The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.8 percentage points. Sampling error is larger for subgroups of the data,
such as individual countries where it is +/- 8.9 percentage points. As with any survey, sampling error is only one source of possible error. While non-
sampling error cannot be accurately calculated, precautionary steps were taken in all phases of the survey design, collection and processing of the data
to minimize its influence. Note: because data collection occurred via an online survey, in countries where Internet penetration is lower among
businesses, the non-sampling error could be higher.
CompTIA is responsible for all content contained in this series. Any questions regarding the study should be directed to CompTIA Market Research staff
at research@comptia.org.
CompTIA is a member of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and adheres to the MRA’s Code of Market Research Ethics and Standards.

3. Key IT Priorities for Middle Eastern Businesses:
1. IT security
2. Updating aging computers/software
3. Automating business processes through technology
4. Data analytics/big data/business intelligence
5. Network infrastructure
Key Summary Points: Middle East
Key Stats for Middle East
$41,500 GDP per capita (PPP) | world rank: 24th
1.46% GDP growth forecast for 2013
69%
% of Middle Eastern executives expecting 2013
business conditions to be better than 2012
18.8m Total workforce
76% % of workforce employed in the services sector
0.426m Estimate of IT workforce* in core IT occupations
62%
% of Middle Eastern executives expecting to
increase IT staff headcount at their business in
2013
26.96m Internet users | world rank: 16th
27.38m Mobile phone users | world rank: 37th
95%
NET % of Middle Eastern executives indicating IT is
important to the success of their business
6.2% Planned increase in IT spending in 2013 (YOY)
Key Strategic Priorities for Middle Eastern Businesses:
1. Reach new customers
2. Improve staff productivity/capabilities
3. Innovate more effectively
Cybersecurity:
85% of Middle Eastern executives believe the cybersecurity threat level
is increasing. Additionally, 54% of Middle Eastern executives believe
human error is a growing factor in security security incidents: Top
human error related factors include:
1. Lack of security expertise with websites and applications
2. Inadequate resources – not enough IT staff
IT Skills Gaps:
85% of Middle Eastern executives indicate at least some degree of gaps
in IT skills at their business exists. For 52%, the reported skills gaps are
small, while for 33% the gaps are more extensive. Top negative effects
of IT skills gaps at Middle Eastern businesses:
1. Lower staff productivity
2. Poor customer service
IT Training and Certification:
94% of IT staff at Middle Eastern businesses engaged in some type of IT
training during the past 12 months.
1. 81% of Middle Eastern executives believe IT certifications will
increase in importance over the next two years; 18% believe IT
certifications’ importance will remain constant
2. 82% of Middle Eastern executives believe staff holding
certifications are more valuable to the organization and benefit
from having a common foundation of knowledge.
Sources used for above stats: CompTIA, IMF, CIA World Factbook, IDC
*See appendix for definition of core IT occupations

4. Detailed Findings: Business
and Technology Issues

5. Strategic Priorities Include Tech Component
Base: 1,244 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
20%
76%
4%
Overall
Middle East
95%
Top Strategic Priorities Among
Middle Eastern Businesses for 2013
NET
Unimportant
NET
Important
Neutral
1. Reach new customers
2. Improve staff productivity/capabilities
3. Innovate more effectively
4. Leverage technology to improve business
operations
5. Manage competitive threats
69% of Middle Eastern executives in this
CompTIA survey say business conditions are
improving and expect 2013 to be better than
2012.
86% expect to increase their expenditure on IT
products and services over the next 12 months.
Importance of Technology to Middle
Eastern Business Success Trends
Upwards

6. Many Businesses Seek to Improve Their Use of IT
2%
6%
25%
15%
Not at all close
Not that close
Moderately close
Very close
Exactly where
want to be
Degree to Which Middle Eastern
Businesses are “Where They Want
to Be” in Technology Utilization
1. IT security
1. Updating aging computers/software
1. Automating business processes through
technology
1. Data analytics/Big Data/Business
intelligence
2. Network infrastructure
3. Web/online presence
4. Data storage/back-up
5. Virtualization
6. Disaster recovery/business continuity
Top Technology Priorities Over Next 12
Months for Middle Eastern Businesses
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
52%

7. More than Half of Middle Eastern Businesses have
Adopted Cloud Computing to Some Degree
22% 21%
39%
17%18%
20%
40%
22%
Overall
Middle East
Key Hurdles to Cloud Adoption
for Middle Eastern Businesses
Cloud Computing Adoption Stage
Full use
stage
Experi-
mentation
stage
Evalu-
ation or
Investi-
gation
stage
Basic
aware-
ness
stage
50% Slow/unreliable Internet access
48% Security or data loss concerns
40% Challenges in developing staff expertise/
experience with cloud applications/solutions
38% Lack of local cloud service providers
33% Cloud services still unproven/untested
30% Difficulty in integrating/migrating legacy
applications to the cloud
29% Insufficient/unclear ROI
26% Unclear/costly government regulation
Base: 1,252 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

8. Cybersecurity Risks a Growing Concern
1%
2%
27%
44%
26%
2%
2%
10%
45% 53%
Decreasing
significantly
Decreasing
moderately
No change
Increasing
moderately
Increasing
significantly
Middle East
Overall
Overall, 85% of Middle Eastern
Businesses Believe the Security
Threat Level has Increased during
Past Two Years
1 Rise of social networking
2 Growing criminalization and organization of
hackers motivated by financial gain
1 More reliance on Internet-based
applications, i.e. cloud computing, software-as-
a-service
2 Sophistication of security threats exceeding IT
staff's expertise to thwart them
1 Volume of security threats exceeding capacity
to thwart them
2 Greater interconnectivity of
devices, systems, users
3 Continued use of legacy operating systems, web
browsers, etc.
Top Factors Cited by Middle Eastern
Businesses for Increasing Security Risks
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
40%

9. Human Error is Still a Security Risk Factor
46%
54%
NET increase in human
error as a security risk
factor
NET no change or
decrease in human
error as a security
factor
Top Drivers of Human Error as an
Rising Security Risk FactorAssessment of Human Error as
a Security Risk Factor
1. Lack of security expertise with websites and
applications
1. Inadequate resources - not enough IT staff time
to manage security threats
2. Failure of IT staff to follow security procedures
and policies
1. Lack of security expertise with
networks, servers and other infrastructure
1. General negligence/carelessness towards
security
1. Failure of staff to get up to speed with new
threats
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

10. Detailed Findings: IT Training
and Certification Issues

11. Majority of Middle Eastern Businesses Plan to Hire IT Staff in
2013; Most Expect Challenges in Finding Workers
5%
56%
39%
2%
36%
62%
Decrease in IT staff No… Increase in IT staff
Overall
Middle East
15%
85%
NET concerned
about IT labor
quantity or quality
NET not that
concerned about IT
labor quantity or
quality
Concern Over Ability to Hire IT Staff2013 Hiring Intent for IT Staff
Base: 1,252 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

12. Most Businesses Seek Improvement
on the IT Skills Front
2%
7%
24%
15%
Not at all close
Not that close
Moderately close
Very close
Exactly where
want to be
Assessment of how Close Middle
Eastern Businesses are to Where
They Want to be with the IT Skills
of Their IT Staff
53% Lower staff productivity
36% Poor customer service/customer
engagement
34% Speed to market with new
products or services
34% Ineffective security/defending
against malware
30% Ineffective innovation/new
product development
22% Lower sales/profitability
22% Inability to keep up with
competitors
Top Negative Impacts of IT Skills Gaps
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
52%

13. IT Skills Rating Among Middle Eastern Businesses
1. Customer service
2. Teamwork
3. Project management
4. Strong work ethic
5. Flexibility and adaptability
6. Verbal and written communication skills
7. Motivation/initiative
8. Analytical skills
9. Innovation / Creative problem solving
Top Rated “Soft” IT Skills
1. Networks / Infrastructure
2. Database/information management
3. Help Desk / IT support
4. Customer relationship management
5. Printers, copiers, multifunction devices
6. Storage / data back-up
7. Data analytics / Business intelligence
8. Web design/development
9. Server/data center management
10. Application development/processing
Top Rated IT Skills in Terms of
the Importance of Maintaining a
High Skill Level Among IT staff
Keep in mind, many emerging technologies, such as cloud or mobility, are important to businesses, but it may not yet be the highest
priority to ensure a high level of IT staff expertise. As businesses move along the adoption curve and engage in more advanced uses of
cloud and mobility, staff expertise in those areas increases. Additionally, in some areas such as security, businesses may rely on outside
experts for guidance, so building internal skills could be a lower priority.
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

14. Types of Training/Education Utilized
by IT Staff in Past 12 Months
11%
8%
30%
24%
40%
23%
38%
45%
6%
9%
23%
29%
44%
23%
42%
56%
No training or education
Some other type of training
Webinars / Online presentation
from an instructor or expert
Reading industry news, technical journals, etc.
E-learning / Online self-directed training
Additional college coursework
Attending industry conferences, workshops, etc.
Training course with an instructor /
Classroom instruction
Middle East
Overall
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

15. Policy Towards the Use of IT Certifications
21%
37%
34%
7%
30%
57%
No formal or informal position
towards the use of IT certifications
Informal – not required,
but valued and encouraged
Formal – IT certifications
required for certain IT staff
Middle East
Overall
Base: 1,241 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

16. Majority of Middle Eastern Businesses Expect IT
Certifications to Increase in Importance
Significant
Increase in
Importance
Increase in
Importance
NET
Decrease
NET Increase
in Importance
No Change
82% “Staff holding IT certifications are more
valuable to the organization”
82% “Teams of staff with IT certifications
benefit from having a common foundation
of knowledge”
78% “The organization is more secure from
malware/hackers”
77% “It’s important to test after training to
confirm knowledge gains”
76% “Staff with IT certifications perform at a
higher level than non-certified staff”
NET Agreement (agree +
strongly agree) to Statements
Expectations for Change in Importance of IT
Certifications Over Next Two Years
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study
18%
43%
38%

17. Middle Eastern Businesses are Much More Likely to Agree to
Statements About IT Certifications Than Disagree
9%
8%
8%
3%
7%
7%
2%
18%
17%
15%
20%
15%
9%
17%
73%
74%
76%
77%
78%
82%
82%
Retention is higher among staff with IT
certifications than non-certified staff
Staff with IT certifications have proven expertise
Staff with IT certifications perform at a
higher level than non-certified staff
It’s important to test after training
to confirm knowledge gains
The organization is more secure from malware
and hackers due to staff with IT certifications
Staff holding IT certifications are
more valuable to the organization
Teams of staff with IT certifications benefit from
having a common foundation of knowledge
NET Disagree Neutral NET Agree
Base: 125 Middle Eastern business and IT executives
Source: CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Issues study

18. Appendix

19. U.S. Member Profile
19
Respondent Profile
18%
Information Technology (IT) (e.g. hardware, software, IT
services, consulting, reseller, telecom, distributor)
12% Manufacturing (other than IT related)
11% Professional services (other than IT related)
10% Retail/Wholesale (other than IT related)
6% Healthcare/Medical
6% Financial/Banking/Insurance
2% Media/Publishing/Entertainment
7% Government (federal, state, local)
5%
AMTUC (Agriculture, Mining, Transportation, Utilities,
Construction)
8% Education
3% Hospitality
13% Other industry
Primary Industry
6% 1 – 4 employees
5% 5 – 9
11% 10 – 49
17% 50 – 99
31% 100 – 499
14% 500 – 999
16% 1,000 or more employees
Staff Size
Base: 1,256 business and IT executives from Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, Thailand and the UK
14%
Executive Management (CEO, President, Managing Director,
Owner, etc.)
16%
Senior Management – IT function (CIO, CSO, VP of IT-related
function, etc.)
20%
Middle Management – IT function (Director, Manager,
Team Leader etc.)
12% Staff level – IT function
7%
Senior Management – business function (CFO, VP, GM of
business function)
18%
Middle Management – business function (Director,
Manager, Team Leader etc.)
8% Staff level – business function
2% Business Consultant
3% IT Consultant
Job Role
95% Setting or influencing technology-related strategies*
94%
Installing or managing hardware, software, communications
and other technology*
94%
Purchasing or working with vendors, providers or
consultants of technology products and services*
82% Hiring or managing IT staff
Involvement in Tech (NET very + somewhat involved)
*To qualify for the survey, respondents had to be very involved or somewhat involved in
at least two of these areas, with the majority of respondents being very involved.
Note: A mix of industries, company sizes, and job roles
were targeted for this study.

20. Defining Core IT Occupations
• Computer Support Specialists
• Software Developers, Applications
• Computer Systems Analysts
• Software Developers, Systems Software
• Network and Computer Systems Administrators
• Computer Programmers
• Computer and Information Systems Managers
• Information Security Analysts, Web Dev., and Computer Network Architects
• Computer Occupations, All Other
• Database Administrators
• Computer Hardware Engineers
• Computer and Information Research Scientists
• Computer Support Specialists
For the purposes of this study, core IT occupations include positions related to the list below. In this study, certain
telecommunications occupations were excluded, such as positions responsible for installing or maintaining cellular
towers. Additionally, this study excludes ‘knowledge worker’ type positions, such as technical writer, graphic
designer or business analyst.

21. comptia.org
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