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Gartner‐Forbes C‐level Executives StudyPart IXPreparing for Growth in the Current EconomyA Day in the Life of the C‐level ExecutiveMay 2009

Table of Contents Methodology and Background Key Findings Part One: Attitudes – Preparing for Growth in the Current Economy Part Two: The Role of Information Technology in Business Strategies Part Three: Trends in Media Consumption Part Four: Demographics Part Five: Appendix2

Methodology Gartner and Forbes conducted its ninth annual C‐level Executives Study in April2009 among C‐Level and Senior Management Executives in small‐, medium‐ andlarge‐sized companies. Participants were recruited from among the Forbes Advisory Panel, as well asthird‐party partner Global Market Insite’s nationally representative online panel. The survey was fielded online by Forbes between April 21, 2009 and May 6,2009. Forbes received 658 complete responses; the results are projectable to the U.S.universe of C‐level and Senior Management Executives. 477 C‐Level Executives (80 C‐Level 1000 )(C‐Level Executives defined as:, CEO, CFO, CIO, CTO, COO, other C‐level, Board Member,President) 181 Senior Management (Excludes C‐Level)(Sr. Mgt defined as: VP/EVP/SVP, Director, Manager)3

BackgroundForbes Insights is the custom research practice of Forbes Media, publisher of Forbes magazine andForbes.com, whose combined media properties reach nearly 50 million business decision makersworldwide on a monthly basis. Taking advantage of a proprietary database of senior‐level executives inthe Forbes community, Forbes Insights’ research covers a wide range of vital business issues, includingtalent management, corporate social responsibility, financial benchmarking, risk and regulation, anddoing business in emerging markets.Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company. Wedeliver the technology‐related insight necessary for our clients to make the right decisions, every day.From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high‐tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, we are theindispensable partner to 60,000 clients in 10,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of GartnerResearch, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, we work with every clientto research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,000 associates, including 1,200research analysts and consultants in 80 countries.4

Key Findings – Preparing for Growth in the Current Economy Enterprise‐size companies are more confident in their prospects for growth in the shortterm; 78% claim confidence in their prospects for revenue growth though the end of 2010,compared with 67% of small companies and 71% of medium‐sized companies– C‐level executives at Enterprise‐size companies were the most confident of all, at 84%,compared with 70% of C‐level executives in general and 71% of senior management Confidence in prospects for revenue growth increased markedly through 2012– 96% of the Enterprise C‐suite felt confident in growth prospects, compared with 88% forgeneral C‐level and 87% for Senior Management Large companies ‐‐ most particularly, the Enterprise‐size C‐suite ‐‐ are most likely to beproactively preparing strategies to be ready for the economic upturn; at 54% and 65%,respectively, compared with 45% of total respondents Enterprise‐size organizations are to be taking a wider range of actions to reduce costs inthe current recession than are SMBs ‐‐ ranging from reducing travel expenses andreducing IT staff to outsourcing more. Small companies are more likely to be taking stepsto introduce new ad campaigns and investing in digital communications.– Enterprise companies also report investing in a wider range of activities to grow their–businesses in 2009 than do SMBs, who are focusing largely on advertising.C‐level executives at enterprises also displayed the same practice of investing diversely forgrowth in 2009 when compared with C‐level executives in general and SeniorManagement5

Key Findings ‐ continued Enterprise‐size companies are also far more confident intheir sales pipelines, with 3 in 10 believing theirs are veryfull compared with 15% of total respondents– This confidence is shared by the Enterprise C‐suite, which is far more confidentthan C‐level executives in general and Senior Management Half of all respondents believe their organizations havebeen somewhat or highly impacted by the economicdownturn, a belief that transcended company size and jobtitle6

ATTITUDES: PREPARING FORGROWTH IN THE CURRENTECONOMYSection One7

Enterprise‐size companies are more confident in theirprospects for growth in the short‐ and long‐termLevel of confidence in organization’s prospects for revenue growthBy Company SizeThrough the end of 2010Through the end of 20128

The Enterprise C‐suite has the most confidence inprospects for revenue growth in the short‐ and long‐termLevel of confidence in organization’s prospects for revenue growthBy Job TitleThrough the end of 20109

Enterprise organizations are much more likely to beproactively preparing for the economic upturn, lessfocused on the current downturnAgreement with current organizational activity and focusby Company Size6 or 7 on a scale of 1‐710

Enterprise C‐level executives most proactive inpreparing for the economic upturnAgreement with current organizational activity and focusby Job Title6 or 7 on a scale of 1‐711

Enterprise organizations employing more tactics toreduce costs than SMBsTactics for reducing costs in the current recessionBy Company Size12

Enterprise C‐level executives pursuing more tactics to reducecosts, including staff reductions; C‐level in general investingmore heavily in digital communications effortsTactics for reducing costs in the current recessionBy Job Title13

Enterprise organizations making more investments forgrowth in 2009; technology, new products and hiring majorareas of focus while small businesses focus on advertisingCurrent 2009 Investments for Business GrowthBy Company Size14

Enterprise C‐suite investing for growth much more widely in2009 than other executives; new products, technology, R&D,acquisitions and hiring are top areasCurrent 2009 Investments for Business GrowthBy Company Size15

Enterprise organizations believe their pipelines arefar fuller than SMBsCurrent Sales PipelineBy Company SizeFull‐Very FullModerateEmpty16

Enterprise C‐suite most confident in sales pipeline ofall executives; more confident than Enterprise‐levelrespondents in generalCurrent Sales PipelineBy Job TitleFull‐Very FullModerateEmpty17

Despite their size, Enterprise‐level respondents areunlikely to see themselves as the industry marketleaderPerception of Competitive PositioningBy Company Size18

Enterprise C‐suite less likely to see their organizationas the industry leader than are total EnterpriserespondentsPerception of Competitive PositioningBy Job Title19

Small and Enterprise businesses see theircompetitive positioning as similarly impacted by therecessionEffect of Economic Downturn on Competitive PositioningBy Company Size20

Across job title, all see their competitivepositioning similarly affected by the economyEffect of Economic Downturn on Competitive PositioningBy Job Title21

Enterprise businesses rate customer care, brand reputation, keytalent, CSR and technological innovation above SMBs forsustaining long‐term growth in a recession; SMBs point tocustomer care and nimblenessImportance of various attributes to an organization’s competitive advantage in sustaining its growth through theeconomic downturn and over the long termBy Company SizeScale of 1 to 722

Enterprise C‐suite executives likelier to point to a range ofattributes as key to sustaining long‐term growth in a recession,including key talent, technological innovation, digital outreach,access to capital and CSRImportance of various attributes to an organization’s competitive advantage in sustaining its growth through theeconomic downturn and over the long termBy Job TitleScale of 1 to 723

Technology plays a stronger role in business strategy, plansfor growth and plans for success among large companiesThe Role of Technology in Business StrategyBy Company SizeScale of 1 to 7The Role of Technology in Business StrategyBy Job TitleScale of 1 to 724

THE ROLE OF INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESSSTRATEGIESSection Two25

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TRENDS IN MEDIACONSUMPTIONSection Three27

Enterprise respondents use more portable devices to accessmedia during their commute; small‐business respondents morelikely to check the Internet before heading to workDaily Work Routine: Activities at the Start of the Workday and CommuteBy Company Size28

With the exception of print media, the enterprise C‐suite interactsmore with a wider range of media than do other respondents –particularly portable devicesDaily Work Routine: Activities at the Start of the Workday and CommuteBy Job Title29

Across all company sizes, the Internet is by far thesingle most important source of information onbusinessMost Important Source of Information on BusinessBy Company Size30

Across all job titles, the Internet is by far the most importantsource of information on business – though enterprise c‐suite aremore likely to turn to industry trade publications than any othergroupMost Important Source of Information on BusinessBy Job Title31

Search engines, travel, banking and bill pay are the toponline activities; Enterprise respondents engage in thewidest range of online activitiesInternet ActivitiesBy Company Size32

C‐suite and senior management highly engaged andactive onlineInternet ActivitiesBy Job Title33

Small‐ and Enterprise‐sized organizations show similar behavioronline, though small businesses are more likely to go online forintroductory product/service informationAt‐Work RoutineBy Company Size34

General and competitor research are major online activities for allrespondents, along with financial news and investing; C‐suiteturns to the web for partnership opportunitiesAt‐Work RoutineBy Job Title35

Enterprise executives – particularly in the C‐suite –consume far more media each week across allplatformsHours spent with media type per week, for work and non‐work related activitiesBy Company SizeHours spent with media type per week, for work and non‐work related activitiesBy Job Title36

All groups agree: the Internet provides the mostinformative advertising of all media channelsMedia channel providing the most informative advertising for products forbusiness or personal lifeBy Company SizeMedia channel providing the most informative advertising for products forbusiness or personal lifeBy Job Title37

SMBs rated Forbes the most‐visitedamong business sitesWebsites Visited Most Often for Business ReasonsBy Company Size38

Forbes most‐often‐visited site for businessreasons among C‐level executivesWebsites Visited Most Often for Business ReasonsBy Job Title39

Small Businesses Trust Forbes MostTrustworthiness of Online Sources for Business and Financial InformationBy Company SizeScale of 1‐540

Forbes and WSJ by far the most trustworthy amongC‐level executives and Senior ManagementTrustworthiness of Online Sources for Business and Financial InformationBy Company SizeScale of 1‐541

DEMOGRAPHICSSection Four42

Respondents by Industry43

Respondents by Company SizeOne‐quarter of respondents are employed at companies with 1,000 or more employees;50% of Senior Managers work at companies of this size44

Respondents by Region45

APPENDIXSection Five46