FRAMINGHAM, Mass., July 2, 2012 – International Data Corporation (IDC) was recently profiled in an analytical report* on the IT Research industry published by Outsell, Inc., the world's only research and advisory firm focused solely on the information industry. The report confirmed IDC's position as the biggest and most established source of quantitative market data and noted that the strength of IDC's international presence and its focused end-user research are important sources of future growth for the company.

"IDC is pleased to see the quality and breadth of its offerings acknowledged in an independent assessment of the IT research industry," said Kirk Campbell, President and CEO of IDC. "The Outsell report is correct in noting that IDC's investments in its end-user business are paying off, and that the company is making important strides in the areas of social media and open research. These are representative of the efforts the company is making to meet the research needs of its customers."

IDC's position as one of the largest and most established of the major IT research houses is in part based on its core product, quantitative market data, which Outsell notes is a space in which IDC dominates. With this as its foundation, IDC is able to provide unmatched coverage of markets across the technology spectrum and across the globe.

Outsell also identified IDC's international presence as a source of the company's strength. With market coverage in more than 100 countries and physical locations in more than 50 countries, the report recognized IDC as a mature global organization. Moreover, IDC is unique among the major IT research firms in that more than two thirds of its analysts are based outside the United States. IDC's physical and analytical presence across the globe provides the company with firsthand knowledge of what the trends are in the growing economies of Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.

IDC's investments in its end-user business were also seen by Outsell as an important contributor to the company's overall market position and its ongoing success. IDC's Insights businesses are aligned to six major industries (energy, financial, government, health, manufacturing, and retail), which Outsell identified as a key differentiator from the role-based research at major competitors. The Insights Community was also recognized by Outsell as both a component in IDC's fast-growing end user business and an aggressive experiment in open research.

The report, Watching the IT Watchers, concludes that no company in the IT research industry is invulnerable to market forces and the whims of information consumers. But it also notes that "… [IDC] has already carved out an extremely stable market position" and, further, states that "The significant potential in both the international and end-user arenas should make the near future particularly exciting at IDC."

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. For more than 48 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

* Outsell, Inc., Watching the IT Watchers, by Perry Gartner, May 16, 2012.

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