(IT) Asset management: Fighting recession?

In the last month I have listened to several people whose expertise and ideas seem to be currently converging to one interesting idea...

The current economic crises has taught us that there is no capital to invest. In both IT and the property sectors and worldwide, lack of capital has meant that invesment has been reduced considerably. Consequences in the supply of manufacturing and construction materials have been seen. Many companies are fighting to keep orders from customers whilst the latter are more reluctant. Those with some capital (i.e. banks) are also reluctant to let it go. Governments are spending capital trying to keep people in jobs and with benefits. Those wanting to buy properties are being held back, because it is not certain that their capital is going to be productive in the long run.

So those with capital or assets are seizing an opportunity. To 'lease' products and goods. In the IT sector, I heard that some companies are lending capital to their customers so they can buy IT goods and services; and pay a lease premium. In the automotive sector, this way of 'owning' cars has been around for several years. One does not own a car, only until it is fully paid. The property rental market seems also to be growing in certain countries or has positively influenced the lack of deep problems (debt). In this case one should not have to own a property. As long as there is a good agreement between parties, one could stay in a property as a tenant for several years...

If this is the case, and as long as the financial aspect of 'leasing' keeps customers happy with the arrangement (so that we feel that we are getting a good deal and that possibly we are 'buying' what we pay for, then the desire to own things could become secondary, and with it the need to invest capital in owning and paying to maintain such ownership. Some customers who already own 'old' assets could be supported so that they could maintain these assets and possibly upgrade them gradually. As Jay Forrester once suggested when talking about regeneration of town centres, he was saying that those who owned listed building could be allowed to lease them at a premium, part of which could be dedicated to fund renewal and maintenance of the building.

IT companies could then need a new type of professional: an asset manager, capable of ensuring good service and upgrade, and serving customers in a long term relationship. Such a manager could also attract capital from those that have it, so that new assets could be bought and administered. Those individuals wanting to set up an IT business could think of setting up collective assets (e.g. portals, websites, shared data processing centres), bring several customers and investors under one 'hub', and run it efficiently and effectively. Or perhaps they can also work on enabling better recycling of IT goods.

Will this happen...? maybe, but it depends on what we think about 'ownership' and what we want to do about it. Personally, I think t can take an act of faith in many respects and a re-setting of our priorities in life. Collectively, this means we really need to start caring for relationships.