Recession pushing sales of collaboration tools

Shifts in the workforce are bolstering demand for collaboration software

The struggling economy, combined with emerging technologies and new trends, are leading to a boom in collaboration software, say analysts.

A recent report from Forrester Research found that as many as 70 per cent of enterprises are looking to adopt some form of collaboration tool in the next 12 months.

The collaboration category, which includes communication tools and collaborative workspace services, could see big gains as a result.

"The down economy is a boon for vendors selling collaboration tools that can remove the necessity of travel as well as improve productivity," wrote Forrester analyst T J Keitt.

New shifts in the workforce are also bolstering demand for collaboration software. Forrester said that the influx of younger net-savvy employees is driving up demand, particularly when coupled with executives looking to be more involved in enterprise technology decisions.

"The trends open the door for new business models, clients and delivery methods that render obsolete vendor classifications built solely on the types of collaboration tools they produce. The winners and losers won't necessarily be the same as today," Keitt wrote.

While traditional powerhouses such as Microsoft, IBM, Cisco and Novell are expected to take the lead in collaboration sales, smaller vendors could do well in the coming years by focusing on niche markets and seeking acquisition deals with some of the larger players.