A scenario that a decade ago might have been considered a sign of weakness is today becoming a market standard. A medium-sized IT integrator faces the prospect of a lucrative contract that exceeds its internal competence resources. Instead of opting out, the company turns to partners within a formal network. The result? The project is won and the client receives a solution that could not be delivered by a single entity. This is a sign of the times in a market whose value is growing at a dizzying pace.
The role of the IT systems integrator has undergone a fundamental transformation. Corporate customers are no longer just looking for hardware and software suppliers. They expect strategic partners who not only support, but actively guide their digitalisation process. This trend, identified, among others, in research by the analyst firm Lünendonk, is driving demand for advanced and comprehensive IT services.
This is borne out by hard data. Analysts at Gartner forecast that global spending on IT services will reach nearly $1.7 trillion in 2025, continuing its rapid growth in the years to come. This is a huge and attractive market, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to enter it with a full range of offerings, especially for small and medium-sized companies that cannot afford to build all their niche specialisations internally.
In this new reality, traditional fierce competition, especially between like-minded companies, is beginning to give way to cooperative models. The solution is becoming associations and networks of integrators, which are evolving from loose interest groups into strategic alliances. Their aim is not only to survive, but above all to successfully compete for the largest contracts.
The main benefit of such cooperation is synergy. Companies gain access to a wider market, to the unique competences of other partners, and to preferential terms with suppliers and distributors. The pooling of resources allows the implementation of complex, multi-phase projects, and the transfer of knowledge and experience within the network increases the competitiveness of each member. Support in technical, legal or marketing issues is an added value that allows you to focus on your core business activities.
Key to the success of such platforms is a culture based on trust and the elimination of internal competitive pressure. Rather than competing, network members act as one organism, exchanging knowledge and experience on an equal basis. Informal communication and peer relationships build an environment where innovation and out-of-the-box solutions are easier to come by. Importantly, the best networks take care to preserve the independence of their members, avoiding the creation of centralised structures, such as joint purchasing departments. Instead, they negotiate favourable framework agreements from which everyone can benefit on their own terms.
Membership of an elite network, however, is not given to everyone. It is a model based on reciprocity – ‘give and take’. These organisations place specific requirements on candidates, expecting not only a willingness to compromise, but above all an active contribution to the community. Criteria often include proven financial stability and a certain minimum volume of turnover in the IT industry, reaching, for example, €2.5 million per year. This is a selection mechanism to ensure that only reliable and committed partners are brought into the network.
The ‘lone wolf’ model, which builds all competences on its own, is becoming a relic of the past in the face of increasing technological complexity and market pressures. The future belongs to ecosystems in which the strength of a single company is measured not only by its internal potential, but above all by the quality of its partner network. This is a strategic shift that redefines the rules of the game on the Polish and global IT market.
