| Demand for Big 4 IT Consultants: | | | | the top "Install and Customize" ERP technologies |
| "A Big 4 Accounting firm is seeking IT Auditors," "Big4 | | | | providers. With a 300,000 subscribers list, expects to |
| experience in IT Audit, SOX 404, Business Process | | | | reach a U.S.$ 300 million profit in 2006. |
| controls, internal controls" "Big4 ERP consultant with Big | | | | Post Oracle-Siebel Union, Enterprise Software |
| 4 experience," "Strong Big4 experience in the SAP | | | | Technology giant, SAP, is also planning to offer hosted |
| market," "Big 4 firm seeks senior level Oracle, JD | | | | CRM Services. Budging from its conventional |
| Edwards or PeopleSoft Management/Business | | | | Enterprise Software Technology market, SAP is |
| Consultants" ... the requirements list for Big4 IT | | | | competing against industry bigwigs like BEA, Oracle, |
| consultants is limitless! | | | | PeopleSoft and Siebel to earn top honors in hosted |
| Big4 IT Saga: | | | | CRM services. |
| Apart from being extraordinary performers, the Big | | | | Big4 Firms rely on E-business and Security: |
| Four firms and their clients have the knack of | | | | E-business and Security are playing important roles in |
| achieving success during uncertain periods. According | | | | driving the success rate of Big Four firms. In June |
| to Deloitte Technology Fast 500, IT and Software | | | | 2005, Sapient Corp. acquired BIS (Business Information |
| firms consistently lead the Fast 500 list. The latest | | | | Solutions,) a SAP-related services firm. With this |
| Trendsetter Barometer survey from | | | | acquisition, the demand for Business Intelligence and |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers strengthens Deloitte's | | | | value Optimization Services increased tremendously. |
| reports. The survey avers that the fastest growing | | | | Another Big4 stalwart, PricewaterhouseCoopers, helps |
| companies in the U.S. allocate more than 60% of the | | | | clients by offering IT cost and performance |
| budget for Information Technology. | | | | optimization services. PwC enables organizations to |
| What drives the Big 4 IT Firms? | | | | focus on IT business risk, IT spending, IT governance, |
| IT is an ethereal market that demands business and | | | | IT risk management and compliance. |
| technology improvements at the drop of a hat. | | | | In the Information Security arena, Compliance is a |
| Managing risks and handling change are important | | | | forerunner. Business Process Controls, Internal |
| tasks for IT professionals at the Big4 firms. Today, | | | | Controls, SOX 404 are potential players in improving |
| there are three significant requirements that drive the | | | | the business performance of the Big Four IT firms. As |
| Big 4 IT firms. They are- | | | | per a Deloitte Research report, a security loophole in a |
| Innovative Management | | | | shipping container can amount to U.S.$ 1 trillion loss. |
| Dynamic Staff and | | | | Companies worldwide lose U.S.$ 12.5 billion due to |
| Efficient Team Dynamics. | | | | computer hacking and spamming. Additionally, the |
| Organizational performance at Big 4 IT firms is driven | | | | report also suggests that global companies consider |
| by the fact that the Information Systems Audits, | | | | business disruption, poor regulatory compliance, erratic |
| Controls, Business Planning and Development are | | | | surges in interest rates, terrorist activities as factors |
| handled exceptionally. Typically, Big4 IT firms choose | | | | affecting Security. |
| professionals for Information Systems Audits, Disaster | | | | Performance of Service Companies and |
| Recovery, Systems Development and Information | | | | Product-related companies: |
| Security. Big4 - a website catering to Big4 alumni- | | | | As a matter of fact, service companies are |
| receives periodic updates on the latest news and | | | | performing better and reaping higher revenue than the |
| trends at the Big Four IT firms. The training budget per | | | | product-related companies. The analysis made by the |
| IT employee at Ernst & Young was U.S.$2,100 for | | | | PricewaterhouseCoopers' Trendsetter survey |
| the year 2003. | | | | compliments the performance of IT services industry. |
| Big4 and ERP: | | | | As per the survey, 62% of e-business budgeting |
| Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a major bet for | | | | caters to Information Technology. Service companies |
| Big 4 IT professionals. Big 4 IT software job market is | | | | bestow 57% of the e-business budget towards IT |
| dominated by ERP technologies from Oracle, SAP, | | | | personnel, while their counterparts, the product sector |
| PeopleSoft, Siebel and Great Plains. Salesforce.com, | | | | firms, allocate 44% for IT personnel. |
| the Hosted CRM services leader, competes with all | | | | |