Service Providers of the Information Society -Europe Is most Important Market for Internationally Operating Companies

Around 39 per cent of the companies in the economic sector service providers of the information society operate abroad and sell their products and services in different regions worldwide. This international orientation opens up new sales opportunities to internationally active companies and increases their competitiveness. The main focus of their international activities is on Europe. These are the findings of a business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss. The survey was conducted in June 2011 in the economic sector service providers of the information society (see details at end of press release).

The economic sector service providers of the information society embraces both ICT-providers (companies engaged in software and IT-services, ICT specialisedtrade and telecommunication services) and knowledge-intensive service providers (companies associated with tax consultancy and accounting, consultants, architects, technical consultancy and planning, research and development and advertising).

"For the service providers of the information society, Austria and Switzerland – i. e. German-speaking foreign countries – represent the most interesting export markets. Around 79 per cent of the companies of the economic sector that are internationally active operate in this region", explains Miruna Sarbu, researcher at ZEW. Western Europe is the second most important region. Around 65 per cent of the companies operate here. At least some 39 per cent of the service providers of the information society active in foreign markets also operate in EU member states in Eastern Europe, whereas North America is the fourth most important market with 25 per cent of the companies operating in this region. Twenty per cent of the service providers of the information society that are internationally active operate in China and India and around 15 per cent operate in the remaining countries put together.

For further information please contact

Miruna Sarbu, Phone: +49/621/1235-334, E-mail: sarbu@zew.de

The economic survey by ZEW/Creditreform

Around 700 companies participate in the survey, which is conducted on a quarterly basis. The economic sector service providers of the information society consists of information and communication technology (ICT) service providers (businesses of the sub-sectors software and IT-services, ICTspecialisedtrade and telecommunication services) and knowledge- intensive service providers (businesses of the sub-sectors tax consultancy and accounting, business consultancy, architectural offices, technical consultancy and planning, research and development and advertising).

Comment on the projection

To ensure the representativity of the analyses, the ZEW projects the answers of the survey participants with the turnover value of the businesses with regard to the entire economic branch.