Summary: 

The Software sector remains the single largest generator of Foreign Direct Investment projects into Europe. "The Software Report 2009: International Investment Strategies and Location Benchmarking Study" was published in April 2009. Special post-publication deals are available now to new buyers.

The report looks at how will the software sector's key international firms view Europe and what is going to be the impact of the current credit crisis on the international business development activities of these companies? Software continues to be one of the main sources of overall FDI into Europe, but 2009 will see a continued decline, before the recovery begins in 2010.

The CEOS, CFOs and senior executives were interviewed at length about their past and future foreign investment decisions :

- What will be the impact of the credit crunch on location investment strategies?
- What are the trends and emerging opportunities in terms of foreign direct investment?
- How have key location drivers changed from 2001-2009?
- What are the workforce skills most needed and which are considered most scarce?
- Which location attributes have become more important for companies?
- How do key European software regions compare in terms of their attractiveness?
- What are current attitudes to Europe in a global context?
- What are the future perspectives for off-shoring of key activities and business processes?
- What is the direction of future foreign direct investment plans?
- How have corporate perceptions and usage of agencies changed from 2001-2009?
- How can development agencies deliver services of genuine value to companies?

Oxford Intelligence previously published two major reports on corporate FDI strategies and location benchmarking in the software sector: in 2001 and 2005. The Software Report 2009 focuses on the future of international investment trends in location selection in the software industry.  It considers the impact of the credit crunch and ensuing economic slowdown on the software sector as a whole and its likely impact on European investment strategies.  It also provides an independent location benchmarking analysis for software companies of 23 Western European locations and three Central and Eastern European locations.

Part 1 is divided into two core sections. The first section provides an overview of global and European market trends statistics, a review of key growth segments, foreign direct investment trends, mergers and acquisitions and venture capital funding. The second section focuses on key industry issues and challenges; an analysis of future international corporate investment strategies; analysis of the key drivers in investment location selection; and an appraisal of the role of economic development agencies and professional services providers in assisting software companies in their international investment projects.

Part 2 is divided into two sections: Executive Perceptions and Regional Benchmarking. The first section presents corporate executives’ perceptions of the best locations and key emerging locations for software companies in Europe and offshore. The second section provides a top-line benchmarking analysis of 23 Western European locations and three Central & Eastern European locations.

Part 3 of the report provides location profiles for the 13 Software Report Partners that helped to develop the study. The partners were asked to prepare a profile for their region’s attractiveness and strengths as a potential investment location for international software companies, as well as outlining its research capabilities and providing details about its clusters, centres of research and academic excellence. In addition, there is extensive information on the key companies in each location.