The high-tech sector is one of the largest and most significant in the modern economy. It includes the following industries: production of software, computers and computer equipment, semiconductors, information storage systems and network communications, provision of communication services and telecommunications equipment.
The largest and most famous representatives of the sector in the USA include such giants as Apple, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, etc. An important component of the high-tech sector is the Internet industry, which we examined in a separate review.
In recent years, the technology sector has undergone significant evolution. The main trends are:
- the increasing prevalence of smartphones and tablet computers;
- as a result – a drop in sales of personal computers around the world;
- development of social media platforms;
- active implementation of “cloud” technologies. According to Gartner, in 2011-2016, global spending on relevant services will grow by 17.7% year-on-year. The market size could reach $210 billion by 2016.
As a result, more and more opportunities are emerging. However, competition between companies is also growing. The focus is on corporations that can inspire consumers, produce an integrated chain of goods, and provide related services (for example, Apple).
