(PR NEWSWIRE) DJ: Year 2000 Poll Finds Nation Waking To Troubling Reality
DJ: Year 2000 Poll Finds Nation Waking To Troubling Reality of Computer Problem
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 1998--
Concerns Grow as Clock Ticks Down
Almost one in four Americans believe that Year 2000 computer related
failures may force them to undergo lifestyle changes, according to a new
Wirthlin Worldwide poll commissioned by the Information Technology
Association of America.
Released today at the World Congress on Information Technology in Fairfax,
VA, the survey finds half of those polled believe elected officials and
business leaders are not doing enough to address the Year 2000 issue. The
three top reasons cited by respondents for this are that the computer
industry will fix the situation when the time comes; that businesses are too
busy making money; and that there are too many other problems to solve.
The Year 2000 (or Y2K) challenge relates to the inability of computers and
other intelligent devices to interpret the century from information coded in
software. As the calendar flips to the Year 2000, computer programs not
adjusted to recognize the new century are apt to fail or to make erroneous
computations.
"That one in four Americans is now concerned about the Year 2000 is a
compelling fact. Just one year ago, a reference to the Year 2000 would have
brought blank stares or an image of Times Square at midnight. Americans are
beginning to worry and it is time for our elected officials and business
leaders to wake up," said ITAA President Harris Miller.
Of those expecting Y2K-induced lifestyle changes, the ITAA/Wirthlin poll
indicates:
-- 80 percent are concerned that their financial records may be distorted --
72 percent believe there will be business losses -- 68 percent anticipate
possible telephone disruptions -- 64 percent fear power outages -- 56
percent worry that they may lose their jobs -- 42 percent foresee shortages
of products or merchandise
Poll data also suggests that those individuals with the most to lose as the
result of Year 2000 failures appear to be the least interested. For
instance, those individuals earning over $60,000 per year seem far less
concerned about the issue than those earning under $15,000. Eighteen percent
of those in the highest wage category indicated concerns about lifestyle
changes as compared to 34 percent in the lowest wage category. Those with a
college education were similarly less likely to be concerned about the
personal impacts of the computer date glitch. Similarly, 90 percent of the
Y2K concerned group with some high school education fear business losses as
compared to 52 percent of those with post graduate degrees; 73 percent of
the former group expressed concerns about job losses versus 40 percent of
the latter group.
Better educated Americans also appear to be more satisfied that those in
charge are taking the necessary steps to correct the problem. Fifty-two
percent of those with post graduate degrees and 48 percent of those with
college degrees indicated enough is being done; only 20 percent of those
with some high school agree.
These results are drawn from the Wirthlin National Quorum. The Quorum is a
telephone survey based on a representative random sample consisting of 1000
adults residing within the continental U.S.
The ITAA/Wirthlin poll results are strongly reinforced by a second Year 2000
survey, conducted by ITAA of World Congress attendees. The ITAA
IndustryPulse results show that 61.7 percent of these global information
technology executives foresee a significant impact from the Year 2000. Fifty
percent of respondents believe national governments are not doing everything
possible to address the issue.
ITAA consists of 11,000 direct and affiliate members throughout the U.S.
which produce products and services in the IT industry. The Association
plays a leading role in public policy issues of concern to the IT industry,
including taxes, intellectual property, telecommunications law, encryption,
securities litigation reform, and human resources policy. ITAA members range
from the smallest IT start ups to industry leaders in the software,
services, systems integration, telecommunications, Internet, and computer
consulting fields. Learn more about ITAA and its positions on the issues by
connecting to its web site at itaa.org.
CONTACT: ITAA
Bob Cohen, 703/284-5333
bcohen@itaa.org
12:47 EDT JUNE 22, 1998
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