This IDC study examines how much time is spent seeking what types of business information, what information is purchased, and how the information is distributed. Results are compared across organization sizes and respondent roles.

IDC's study of Internet usage by business users confirms that the Web has become the primary source for business information. "It's possible that information seekers are becoming somewhat more discriminating about their information sources," said Sue Feldman, IDC's VP for Content Technologies. "Fifty-nine percent of companies also reported significant spending on information services for financial information, news, industry-specific information, or content for training and education."

IDC Opinion

In This Study

Methodology

Respondent Profile

Figure: Respondent Profile: Job Roles

Figure: Respondent Profile: Industries Represented

Figure: Respondent Profile: Organization Size

Use of Results from Multiple Periods

Situation Overview

Figure: Time Workers Spent Seeking Information, 2001, 2004, and 2006

Free Sources Dominate

Figure: Sources of Online Information Accessed by Company Size

What Kind of Online Information Is Being Bought?

Figure: Proportion of Firms that Purchase Online Information by Company Size

Figure: Types of Online Information Purchased by Company Size

Who Has the Purchase Authority?

Figure: Purchase Authority and Distribution of Online Information by Company Size

Future Outlook

Essential Guidance

For Content Providers

For Users

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Related Research

Synopsis