A survey has revealed the key IT outsourcing trends in western Europe.

Conducted by Equaterra on behalf of Computer Weekly, the 2Q10 Gloal Business and Information Technology Pulse survey looked at outsourcing activity in the region during the second quarter of 2010.

The report, which also looked ahead to the rest of the year and 2011, found a slight downturn in the demand growth for third-party business and IT outsourcing services during the quarter.

But outsourcing demand remains positive and is growing overall as the benefits of enlisting the expertise of providers is widely recognised.

Ongoing economic concerns were found to be the cause of the marginal decline in demand as firms weigh up their investment options.

Buyers are keener than ever to get value for money and a return on investment as they seek to reduce costs and boost revenue, the study highlighted.