Most IT organizations are cost -- not profit -- centers. Senior executives (except for the CIO and CTO, of course) are always trying to reduce technology expenses. A friend of mine -- a CIO at a major insurance company -- gets a memorandum every quarter from the CEO asking him to reduce technology expenses by 10%. He keeps telling him that if he were able to reduce technology spending by 10% -- quarter after quarter -- eventually technology would be free. This silly dance has been going on for years.