New Study: Windows Vista Will Create 100,000 Jobs
A Microsoft-commissioned study by research firm IDC has found that Windows Vista could create up to 100,000 new I.T. jobs in the U.S.
For every dollar of Vista-related revenue that goes directly to Microsoft, about $18 will be generated in the industry, according to the report, with up to $70 billion created for Microsoft’s partners and the industry at large.
Microsoft sponsored a similar study for Europe in September, also conducted by IDC, and found that Vista’s launch will create about 50,000 jobs in six European countries.
Windows Vista and Microsoft’s Office 2007 productivity suite were made available to enterprise customers on November 30. Both will be widely available to consumers at the end of January.
No Shock Wave
The results of the studies were not surprising, said IDC analyst John Gantz, who participated in both projects. But some in the industry, he noted, might be taken aback at how many computer products Microsoft touches.
Although it is well known and demonstrated that the company has dominance in several areas, such as networking, desktop systems, and servers, Microsoft actually “touches” several other arenas as well, Gantz said. “The Microsoft footprint, in general, is likely bigger than most people think,” he noted. “Microsoft drives revenue at places that are unconnected directly to the company.”
The Windows ecosystem includes companies that sell hardware, write software, provide I.T. services, or serve in some capacity in I.T. product distribution channels. Gantz said he estimates that in the U.S., more than 200,000 companies will produce, sell, or distribute products and services on or for Windows Vista.
Microsoft partners are expected to invest approximately $10 billion in Windows Vista-related products and services between now and the end of 2007, the report noted.
Job Fair
The overall I.T. employment scene has been a subject of discussion for nearly a decade, as talent shortages were seen…
