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GWI Begins Major Study of Region’s IT & Communications Sector: Industry Professionals Invited to Participate in Online Survey  

October 29, 2004; Washington , DC – Greater Washington technology companies are invited to participate in a new study: Information Technology and Communications in Greater Washington. The study will include an analysis of existing sectors, comparative perspectives and future trends. The region’s economic development marketing organization, the Greater Washington Initiative ( GWI) will conduct and publish the study.

Senior communications professionals for IT firms ranging from defense to manufacturing – focused on both commercial and government clients – are encouraged to complete the online survey at http://www.bot.org/gwi_survey.asp. While GWI will maintain the confidentiality of company specifics on individual surveys, participating companies (providing permission) will receive recognition in the final research product, to be released in early 2005. The online survey goes live today; all surveys must be completed by Jan. 14, 2005.

“Previous studies of this sector have helped raise the profile of the region’s IT industry, with visibility of area technology assets highlighted in major national publications such as Newsweek and The New York Times,” said Thomas G. Morr, Managing Partner, GWI. “This is a chance for local firms to help brand Greater Washington as a center of technology.” Following the study’s release, GWI’s business development team will use the study results to increase the region’s tech profile and encourage domestic and international tech firms to consider locating an office in Greater Washington.

Four key regional tech “sub clusters” will be profiled in the study: telecom, digital media, information technology services, and consulting/ technology manufacturing. In addition to the survey instrument, GWI will catalog personal interviews with leading IT experts and include a historical overview to frame the report. Other elements of the study include:

  • current trends impacting the info tech and communications industry’s strength and potential for further growth;
  • a comparative view of how our region stacks up against the other competitive U.S. metro regions; and
  • a near-term outlook for the area’s industry – both in the government contracting and commercial markets.

    • “Changes in the info tech and communications sector have been significant over the past four years since the most recent study of this industry was released. As a result, this project is important and timely,” said William Couper, Chairman, Greater Washington Initiative, and President of Bank of America, Greater Washington . “It will be a useful tool in GWI’s ongoing efforts to grow Greater Washington’s economy.”

    GWI has assembled a distinguished Study Advisory Committee of private and public executives who are providing guidance to GWI’s in-house research staff. A variety of existing federal and state data will be used to provide quantitative analysis, supplemented by the results of the interviews and online surveys. Brad McDearmen, an economic development consultant, will provide survey research, and Peter Behr, formerly with The Washington Post, will author the study. The most recent report of this type was conducted in 2000 by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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    The Greater Washington Initiative (GWI) is the regional economic development marketing organization that promotes the area encompassing the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland as a top business location. GWI is an affiliate of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. For more info, visit www.greaterwashington.org

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