By contrast, buying rates of 3DTVs (three-dimensional TVs) are expected to rise 500 percent; tablet computers 160 percent; ebook readers 133 percent; and smartphones 26 percent.

The survey found that only 17 percent of survey respondents plan to buy a desktop or laptop computer in 2011– a 39 percent drop from 2010. Tracking with this trend, the survey revealed that 75 percent of U.S. survey respondents emailed each week from their PCs in 2010, down from 80 percent the year before.

The research also showed that respondents are using multiple devices such as tablet PCs for activities that used to be done on traditional PCs. For example, on at least a weekly basis, 40 percent of the respondents email from a tablet PC. In addition to checking email, respondents are using tablet PCs for browsing the web, watching videos and reading books, newspapers and magazines.

“The research findings raise the question as to whether, in the long run, desktop and laptop PCs in the home will be increasingly replaced by a group of newer technology alternatives such as tablet computers, netbooks, smartphones and e-book readers,” said Kumu Puri, senior executive with Accenture’s Electronics & High-Tech Practice.

“If strength is measured by unit sales, the computer will remain the strong consumer technology giant for many years. Our research found that 93 percent of survey respondents own a computer—a higher proportion than any of the 19 technologies included in the survey. But if measured by growth rate, the PC market–at least for consumers–has reached a level of saturation and will continue to see diminished growth rates. There’s increasing potential for an end in sight for the relevance of the personal computer in the home as we know it today.”

More than two-thirds (68%) of Americans go online for health information, and just 11 percent access a pharmaceutical company’s website to find information about a medical condition compared the the majority (92%) who access other online resources more frequently.

“Pharmaceutical companies that embrace innovations such as social networking and communications via mobile devices and integrate and align their communication strategy across multiple channels will be positioned to have a much greater influence on their patients’ choices and consequently, realize significant increases in revenue, profitability and sustained competitive advantage,” said Tom Schwenger, global managing director for Accenture’s Life Sciences Sales & Marketing practice. 

According to the survey, 69 percent of respondents expect pharmaceutical companies to provide information about the medical condition or illness for which they are taking drugs. To address that expectation, Accenture believes pharmaceutical companies must not only provide the right information, but upgrade their websites to create a more dynamic, interactive experience.

“The survey results clearly show that pharmaceutical companies must adopt a better understanding of their patient behavior through sophisticated analysis in order to fully capitalize on how patients interact with social media channels and websites,” said Schwenger.

“With only 11 percent of survey respondents saying they most often use a pharmaceutical company’s web site to seek information about an illness or condition when looking online, pharmaceutical companies have a tremendous opportunity to better connect with patients through multiple digital venues in addition to their own website.”
 

Accenture talked to 100 individuals, and found that 66 of them believed new platforms or ways of delivering content will be the largest drivers of revenue growth over the next five years.  Ad-supported business models were popular with 62 execs, and 68 felt that social media and user-generated content represent a "high-growth opportunity."

 Execs Only Partway To Digital Media Goals

Unfortunately, regardless of where their eyes are focused, the execs seem to have their hands in their pockets.  Accenture stated, "While half (50 percent) of the executives interviewed said they know which capabilities they need to take advantage of in this new digital market, Accenture believes that many have a false sense of their current capabilities."  Which means more than half may not have a clue.

Also, "Sixty-six percent of the respondents have less than 40 percent of required capabilities, a number that is unchanged since last year’s survey, indicating that companies need to implement new digital technologies or be left behind."

For the companies corresponding to the 100 execs (who hail from the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Brazil), this is bad news.  The survey highlights a great opportunity for other businesses to get ahead of the curve, however, since smaller outfits should be able to adapt more quickly.

Finally, for whatever it’s worth to either small businesses or the average Web user, the majority of Accenture’s execs don’t expect any Web 2.0 bubble-bursting to take place in the near future.

Father’s Day Online

Average spending per person will amount to $98.34 in 2007, an increase from $88.80 in 2006. Men will spend an average of $100.72, compared with $96.09 on average for women.

Asked where they planned to shop for Father’s Day gifts this year, 34 percent said department stores. Around 29 percent said they would shop at discount stores and 29 percent said they would go to an electronics or greeting card store. Online stores were the shopping choice of 18 percent of consumers.

About 70 percent of consumers said they would buy Father’s Day cards. Close to 43 percent said they would buy dinner at a restaurant for their fathers. Around 30 percent said they would buy a gift card.

Tracy Mullin of the NRF said, "Gas prices have little effect on what consumers spend for those who matter most. Retailers will see increased sales of clothing and tools as well as gift cards, which allow dad to treat himself to something he chooses."

Consumer electronics vendors will have solid online sales for Father’s Day. Accenture’s "Retail & CGS Innovation survey: U.S. Results," found that the Internet is the most popular place to purchase digital gadgets with 57 percent of consumers choosing to go online for electronics.

Consumers Research Products Online,Buy Offline

While 67 percent of those surveyed said they favored making purchases at a bricks and mortar store, 69 percent said they used the Internet to comparison shop, and 58 percent said they go online to locate items before going to the store to make a purchase. Just 13 percent said the Internet had not improved their in-store shopping experience.

"Instead of replacing brick and mortar stores, the Internet is an extension of consumers’ in-store shopping experience providing a resource to research product and price," said Jeff Smith, global managing director of Accenture’s Retail practice.

When asked what the most powerful influencer was concerning purchasing decisions, 60 percent said word of mouth, followed by advertising  (47%) and online information (43%).

The survey findings reveal that consumers want better service and selection both online and in a physical store. Over two-thirds (67%) said they felt physical stores had two few registers available and 54 percent said there were not enough sales people available.

"Consumers are telling us that there is a need for more efficient customer service departments," said Smith. "The phone, and increasingly a company’s web site, are the first points of entry."

"If the on-hold time is too long, if the customer is passed around to different departments or if online navigation is confusing the sale can easily be lost. Customer service can be a powerful – and profitable – differentiator for retailers that know what their customers want and how to deliver it."

The survey participants were composed of 600 U.S. consumers and was conducted online in January of 2007.

Big Media Fears Your Video Upload

What happens if people decide in large numbers to bring some talent and a passionate obsession for detail to the content they create? Believe it or not, as the old TV show goes, they could bring a big headache to media and entertainment.

Consulting firm Accenture asked executives in those fields about the biggest threats to their businesses. More than half of them, 57 percent by Accenture’s count, feel The Fear coming from user-generated content.

Digital video, podcasting, camera phones, wikis, and blogs. Oh my Hollywood, you sure aren’t in the 20th Century anymore.

70 percent of Accenture’s respondents said they believe that social media, one of the largest segments of user-generated content, will continue to grow, compared with only 3 percent of respondents who said they view social media as a fad.

A few well-known names participated in Accenture’s study, including CBS honcho Leslie Moonves and WPP Group’s Martin Sorrell. "The winners will be those who can probe and analyze the changes and manage and merge on-line and the off-line most successfully," Sorrell said of the consolidation between on- and off-line media.

Moonves cited the ongoing need for quality content: "Current technologically driven distribution channels will expand and new ones will open. But without compelling content, every new platform is an empty shell."

That’s the conundrum for Big Media. It’s become very narrow-minded, because they tend to fear taking chances and failing. But the same lack of courage holds them back. Meanwhile there is the prospect of someone, or lots of someones, coming along without any fear but with a sackful of digital tools and making something interesting that Big Media does not control.

Eventually someone with real vision, and the forceful, benevolent dictator personality needed to create something great in long-form digital video will do that, and just toss it out there to be shared. No producer meetings, no distribution negotiations, no theater contracts. Lights, camera, action, edit, upload, done.

Then Big Media has to do something that truly terrifies the corner office dwellers. They have to deal with compelling talent on its terms. Not theirs.

The survey looked at the growth strategies of companies in advertising, film, music, publishing, radio, the Internet, videogames and television.

User-generated content was named by 57 percent of respondents as one of the top three issues they face today. More that 70 percent believed that social media would continue to grow, while only 3 percent said they viewed social media as a fad.

"This is just the beginning for a rapidly changing landscape where the media content environment grows more fractious and the user gains more control and power," said Gavin Mann, digital media lead for Accenture’s Media & Entertainment practice. 

"Traditional, established content providers will have to adapt and develop new business and monetization models in order to keep revenue streams flowing. The key to success will be identifying new forms of content that can complement their traditional strengths."

Despite the challenges of social media and user-generated content, 68 percent believe that within three years their businesses will see revenue from user-generated content. Sixty-two percent said their companies would make money advertising and sponsoring social media.

Other areas of revenue mentioned were subscriptions (21 percent), and pay-per-play offerings (18 percent). Twenty-four percent said they did not know how they would profit from user-generated content.

Leslie Moonves, chief executive of CBS believes that consumers will have more choices in the future.  He said," Technology will continue to alter the distribution landscape, allowing people to access content on their own schedule, wherever they are, in all kinds of ways." 

"Current technologically driven distribution channels will expand and new ones will open. But without compelling content, every new platform is an empty shell.  Companies that can combine world-class content with powerful national and local distribution will have the competitive advantage."

The survey included around 350 communications executives in firms located in North and South America, Europe and Asia. While 60 percent believe that IPTV will generate strong revenue in the next three years the number falls to 52 percent over the next 12 months.

… “It helps to think of [a wiki] as a sort of online whiteboard,” says Gary Boone, research manager at Accenture’s technology laboratories. “We set up a blog and wiki system for 100,000 employees about a year ago and we now have 245 wiki pages. Most of the use is by small work groups with particular projects – things like people talking about design issues and eliminating software bugs.”

In the UK, the BBC is another big user with about 40 wikis accessed by about 400 people. Their applications, says Euan Semple, BBC director of knowledge management solutions, range from shared workspaces for teams to low-cost websites anyone can set up. “We also have several groups in new media who are using wikis as a means of doing their day jobs now.”

[At Les Blogs in Paris on Monday, Euan provided some insight into some of the experimental things going on at the BBC where wikis are but one element.]

Microsoft is also walking the way of the wiki. “For certain uses”, says Pete McKiernan, product manager, “it is an exceptionally effective approach.” One of their key characteristics, he adds, is that making changes is “trivial” – it is very easy and the documents are quite basic. So people do not feel as if they are attacking some beautiful edifice, a problem that has occurred with other collaborative attempts. Ward Cunningham, a software architect at Microsoft and the inventor of the concept, says: “A wiki is the smallest, lightest thing that can host a collective work.”

These are good examples indeed of how wikis can be used in the workplace. One disadvantage, though, is that wikis can appear daunting at first in that adding and editing content isn’t as simple as, say, doing the same in a Word document. No real WYSIWYG here – you’re confronted with getting into HTML code and the choice of formatting is somewhat limited. It reminds me of what creating web pages looked like in the mid 1990s.

But, as the FT article comments, the advantages of wikis outweigh most major concerns:

Managers do worry that people will deface pages they can edit. Yet if the wiki is located on an intranet, defacement is unlikely for the same reason that staff do not usually scribble profanities on the office whiteboard. Rather, it will allow employees to correct something as trivial as a telephone number without having to contact information technology systems.

There is also a safeguard: wikis retain previous versions of documents, allowing versions to be restored. And, if someone does put something offensive on a wiki page, at least you know who did it.

If you routinely collaborate with others on creating and editing documents, a wiki is definitely worth considering.

On a simple level, it’s a far more effective collaborative tool than those Word documents that go around groups and that come back to you with a zillion tracked changes with the text in a rainbow of different colours that makes it almost impossible to see what you’re doing.

Financial Times | The advent of the online whiteboard (paid subscription required)

If you’ve not seen a wiki before, take a look at the New PR Wiki or the Wikipedia encyclopedia, two public wikis. They don’t look that different to regular websites. But look closely – you can edit them just using your browser.

Neville Hobson is the author of the popular NevilleHobson.com blog which focuses on business communication and technology.

Neville is currentlly the VP of New Marketing at Crayon. Visit Neville Hobson’s blog: NevilleHobson.com.