I think cost is also a huge factor. But I would be interested to hear from some IT directors.
Right now volume licenses for Windows 7 just aren't that appealing cost-wise, especially when you consider that XP does still work. Home users have a similar dilemma: they can continue to use Windows XP for browsing the web and playing Farmville or they can spend $120 on a neutered Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade.
That's too much money for what is perceived to not be that much better. I think you'd see greater, faster adoption with a lower cost and one version (just Windows 8, not Windows 8 Starter, Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate) that has volume licensing for businesses.
I've only ever worked in a SMB contracting environment, so i can't speak for buying really large volumes, but in my experience it's not windows itself that is the big cost. it's the cost of man-hours to get everybody transferred over, the cost of training people on a new OS, and the cost of upgrading all the ancient tertiary systems that were built for 95 and somebody hacked into being compatible with XP.
Right now volume licenses for Windows 7 just aren't that appealing cost-wise, especially when you consider that XP does still work. Home users have a similar dilemma: they can continue to use Windows XP for browsing the web and playing Farmville or they can spend $120 on a neutered Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade.
That's too much money for what is perceived to not be that much better. I think you'd see greater, faster adoption with a lower cost and one version (just Windows 8, not Windows 8 Starter, Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate) that has volume licensing for businesses.