This IDC study presents the current and future market opportunities in enterprise resource management (ERM) applications for the <1,000 employees segment of the small and medium-sized business (SMB) market.

The SMB market has remained a growth engine for Australia's ERM applications market. "This is not only a reflection of the increasing success of suppliers in pushing products into the segment, but also favourable demand-side conditions such as the gradual maturing of the SMBs' applications environments and their growing pains competing in a very globalised marketplace," says Chris Chong, Software, IDC Australia. "IDC's recent Enterprise Applications Buying Behaviour and Intentions Survey reveals SMBs' strong intention to automate their back-office systems. IDC expects the market for core back-office applications, particularly financial, payroll and human capital management applications, to be the fastest-growing ones," he adds.