04-04-2025
Forbes Survey: As Enterprises Decentralize Tech Buying, New Power Brokers Emerge
By Romy Oltuski
As enterprise tech spending surges, so do the stakes of selecting the right vendors and solutions. This year, a striking 99% of companies plan to boost tech investments, with 57% expecting increases of more than 10%.
To uncover where and how businesses are funneling these dollars, Forbes Research polled 1,000 IT decision makers about their purchasing patterns, toughest stakeholder challenges and evolving vendor dynamics. The inaugural Enterprise Technology Purchasing Survey reveals a shift away from rigid procurement processes to a more agile, decentralized approach, with artificial intelligence commanding the largest share of 2025 budgets.
Read on to discover what drives decisions on both sides of the deal.
Then, take our quiz to see how your tech strategy stacks up.
Who drives enterprise tech adoption? While IT has traditionally held the reins, influence is expanding to executives across the organization.
Today, IT departments steer 59% of technology acquisitions, while specific lines of business oversee 41%. Within three years, that balance is expected to flip, with business functions leading the majority of purchases.
This forecast signals a move toward more cross-functional decision-making. No longer sole gatekeepers, IT collaborates with marketing, finance, HR and other departments—each bringing distinct needs and priorities to the table. In fact, 46% percent of survey respondents cited management committee approval as the top business requirement for tech acquisitions.
Already, chief marketing officers spearhead customer relationship management selection, while chief human resources officers guide talent management platform decisions—paving the way for technology choices better aligned with end-user needs.
For vendors, that means adapting. Engaging a wider range of stakeholders—from CEOs to department heads—opens new avenues for relationship-building but also demands more nuanced sales strategies to navigate competing priorities.
Over the next three years, enterprise leaders anticipate a gradual shift from custom-built tech portfolios to off-the-shelf third-party solutions. As companies evaluate vendors and platforms, which factors will shape their decisions?
Survey respondents shared distinct priorities and challenges across technology categories.
For AI and machine learning, for example, businesses prioritize scalability and post-purchase support—yet 79% report that their current solutions fall short in the latter area. They also seek robust partner ecosystems that integrate seamlessly with third-party tools. While their existing setups score well in usability and integration, reliability and security remain key improvement areas.
In the cybersecurity space, flexibility in contract terms, cost-effectiveness and scalability take precedence. While companies generally trust their current solutions, they have concerns about long-term adaptability and return on investment.
Across all top tech categories, talent shortages emerged as the biggest tech implementation challenge, fueling demand for greater ongoing customer support.
Beyond the tech itself, enterprises value partners they can trust. The most sought-after attributes include functionality (45%), security and compliance (40%), cost-effectiveness (37%) and the vendor's commitment to sustainability and social responsibility (37%).
Meet the Tech Accelerators.
This elite group of high-performing companies—representing the top five percent of our survey sample—exhibits common traits that offer a blueprint for others. These organizations have achieved at least five percent year-over-year growth, setting them apart from their lower-growth peers.
Their fast, flexible and flat approach to tech buying removes adoption barriers and encourages innovation:
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