Smart IT leaders cope with this shortage of generalists by moving to hybrid IT departments that manage cloud computing as well as more traditional IT functions, and that essentially run as virtual internal service providers, drawing on a menu of external managed services as demand requires.

FORBES: The Corkscrew Effect: Your IT Staff Has Too Many Experts

The downside scenario assumes a return to recession next year, partly as a result of weaker external and domestic demand, with real GDP declining by 0.5% in real terms, followed by a weak recovery thereafter.

FORBES: S&P Axes Spain's Credit Rating On Heightened Risks To Growth

The Bank of Japan and the country's law makers have said the economy is in a slump as Europe's debt crisis weighs on external demand.

BBC: Woman shopper looks at televisions in Tokyo

The thirst for additional tablet storage may also drive demand for external wireless storage devices for tablets such as the Go-Flex Satellite from Seagate Technology as well as the Kingston WiFi external flash storage device.

FORBES: Are Fat Tablets in Your Future?

"The biggest reason for the decline in gross domestic product (GDP) is external demand was weak and domestic demand did not recover as quickly as we thought, " said Shuji Tonouchi of Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities in Tokyo.

BBC: Japanese economy contracts for third straight quarter

That means that external demand needs to be going up, and, as long as the European Central Bank is trying to keep average eurozone inflation slightly below 2%, that probably means that inflation in Germany needs to be significantly above 2%.

BBC: Plan B for the eurozone?

"As long as the housing shortage persists, we have no alternative but to restrict external demand and curb speculative activities, " he said.

BBC: Hong Kong leader CY Leung in housing pledge

It is clear that as external threats become more sophisticated and insider threats continue to fill headlines, the growing demand for IT security experts will continue to increase.

FORBES: Let's Call It The "Mad Men" Effect

Demand from some of New Zealand's key external markets, such as the US, Japan and Australia, is expected to soften significantly, while the domestic economy is also looking weak.

ECONOMIST: New Zealand's new government

The job of protecting a network has grown more complicated as employees increasingly demand to use their iPads and smartphones at work, and clamor for external Web applications like Dropbox, Skype, Google Docs and Salesforce.

FORBES: Nir Zuk's Palo Alto Networks Is Blowing Up Internet Security