Abstract:

In the knowledge-based economy circumstances, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is the driving force behind the development of virtually the entire economy. Technological solutions stimulate innovation, contribute to the creation of new business models, and have created a new phenomenon in the information society. This picture, which was still valid at the beginning of 2020, presented to the ICT sector participants perspectives of uninterrupted growth, dependent only on the company's ability to follow changing technological trends. The COVID-19 epidemic has shaken the global economy, which has faced technology providers with a natural question about the timeliness of development directions defined so far. The purpose of this article is to attempt to approximate the conditions to which ICT enterprises are currently subject, and to indicate how enterprises respond to changes. The first part of the article defines the concept of the ICT sector, then discusses its evolution and importance for the development of the economy. The general characteristics of changes taking place in the ICT sector are discussed further, and on this basis research hypotheses were formulated. These were subsequently verified in an in-depth interview among 52 managers from 20 companies in the Polish ICT sector. The last part of the article presents the results of research as well as formulated conclusions.