Research says systems are not being properly used

Most UK businesses waste investments in IT governance systems, research claims.

And just two per cent of UK businesses are using their governance packages across the whole organisation, defeating the purpose of implementing them, says a study conducted by Vanson Bourne for vendor Mercury Interactive.

A spokesman for Mercury UK says the piecemeal approach taken to IT governance is a result of constrained budgets, but wastes money in the process.

'Organisations that don't adopt IT governance throughout risk failing to gain the clear visibility of the value,' he said.

Budgetary constraints were found to be similar across Europe with large percentages in all the surveyed countries saying only one to three per cent of their annual budgets was devoted to governance.

Without proper control businesses will struggle to keep a lid on IT costs, the Mercury spokesman said.

'It is crazy that the UK seems to be kidding itself in saying it has IT governance in place but then not applying it effectively,' he said.