Mumbai: The personal computer (PC) market to grow more as 22 percent or over half a million non-PC small business (SB) firms are expected to invest in computers for the first time. Currently, only a little more than a third of the SBs own a PC since a majority of them lack awareness of the benefits from being computerized.

An AMI survey found that more than 55 percent of the SBs view PCs as having no relevance to their line of business, and nearly a third have not even considered buying a small business computer. However, the trend is changing non-PC SBs opting for a more professional look through computers. Some of them have even realized that PCs will increase the productivity of their employees, and the resultant business automation will boost efficiency. A considerable proportion of these businesses are likely to be first-time PC buyers.

"Even if a fraction of the 2.5 million non-PC owning businesses buy a small PC, it will provide a considerable boost to the Indian IT industry," said Dipendra Mitra, analyst at AMI-Partners. As per findings of the study by Access Markets International (AMI) Partners the move will also trigger a growth in IT spending in various categories like software, services, security. They also reveal that at a time when retrenchment in firms has gained momentum, it's the non-PC owning businesses that hold the key to the country's growth.