Budget time is approaching at many companies. Perhaps it's already there at your company. How is the economy affecting IT spending plans at your organization?

An upcoming InformationWeek feature story will examine how some companies are responding to the recession. (It is a recession, right?) A sneak peak at a new InformationWeek Research online survey related to this story indicates that the mood is getting darker at some companies when compared with a few months ago.

That's not shocking. However, what is more surprising is that the gloom in IT orgs isn't as pervasive as you might think, especially considering what's been happening in the bigger picture lately, from fuel prices to the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Considering what happened when the economy turned south in the early 2000s, you'd think more techies would be starting to freak out. But that doesn't seem to be the case, at least not yet, according to our preliminary survey findings.

Maybe times have changed. Or perhaps there are disconnects between reality and perception regarding what's happening with the economy, what's happening inside companies, and what's depicted in the mainstream media. Perhaps the impact of the economy on your organization is dependent more on the circles you're in, like industry, geography, or whatever.

Tell us how you see your world right now with regard to the economy. And more specifically, what impact is the economy having on your IT organization -- real or imagined?