Plunkett Research News
With the Plunkett Research News feed, you can quickly and easily see what titles are forthcoming, which conferences we will be attending and what hot new features we are adding to our online database.

• Secrets of the 2008 Job Hunting Atmosphere
  Job seekers in 2008 will find a mixed hiring climate. Barring any economic catastrophes due to such continuing risks as terrorism strikes, energy shortages and natural disasters such as hurricanes, there should be a reasonable variety of good employment opportunities.However, job seekers who want good positions will be forced to be better prepared and to do better research than in the boom years of the recent past. Fortunately, Plunkett Research, Ltd. has just released its annual report on the American job market. To find out more and to read the full article, follow the link!
• Insurance Industry Undergoes Regulatory Changes-Competition Heats Up
  Insurance and risk management make up an immense global industry. Recent regulatory changes have heightened competition within this industry - an area in which competition has always been fierce. Massive mergers and acquisitions have resulted, creating financial services mega-firms. Many of these offer a complete range of financial services and products to their customers, from checking accounts to investment products to life insurance. The biggest changes in the insurance industry are detailed in a recent report from Plunkett Research, Ltd. To find out more and to read the full article, follow the link!
• The American Health Care Industry Faces More Challenges than Ever
  Particularly in the U.S., continuous increases in the cost of health care, growing at rates far exceeding the rate of inflation in general, are hammering health consumers and payors of all types. Managed care providers continue to struggle to contain costs. Meanwhile, employers are hit hard by vast increases in the cost of providing coverage to employees and retirees. A number of factors contribute to these challenges, all of which are contained in a recent report by Plunkett Research, Ltd. To find out mroe and read the full article, follow the link!
• Automobile Market Goes Global in a Big Way
  There are approximately 244 million vehicles in operation in the United States. Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007. By 2020, that number will reach 1 billion. Meanwhile, the Big Three (American automakers GM, Ford and Chrysler) face difficult times at best. The Detroit companies are under intense competitive pressure from foreign-based firms while enduring high labor costs at home. Asian car manufacturers are generally enjoying booming success, with Toyota and Honda at the forefront. European manufacturers have challenges of their own. High costs, tough labor laws, daunting government regulations and a few disappointing model designs have hampered recent results. Keeping up with the global trends causing sweeping changes in this volatile industry can be daunting. Follow th link to find out more and to read the full article.
• Travel Industry Begins to Rebound
  The past several years have seen dramatic changes in the travel industry. The major airlines are recovering reasonably well from the staggering losses incurred in the early years after 9/11, either through the elimination of debt and high costs via bankruptcy, or through capable management and sharp cost cutting. In the global travel and tourism business, threats of terrorism continue to cause the travel industry to evolve. Ecotourism and adventure tourism are booming. Spas are the hottest thing in fine hotels. Affluent retirees from the U.S., Canada and Japan are traveling more and more, while tourists from Europe and Asia are flocking to U.S. cities to take advantage of bargain prices due to the relatively low value of the U.S. dollar. Today's outlook for the travel industry is one of innovation, high occupancy rates, healthy competition and, outside of the legacy airlines, returning profits. To read the full article and find out more, follow the link.
• Biotech Breakthroughs Cause Considerable Commotion
  While the 1900s will be remembered by industrial historians as the Information Technology Era and the Physics Era, the 2000s will most likely be marked as the Biotechnology Era because rapid advances in biotechnology will completely revolutionize many aspects of life in coming decades. Global trends are affecting the biotech industry in a big way. Post 9/11, an emphasis is being placed by government agencies on the prevention of bioterror risks, such as attacks by the spread of anthrax. This factor, combined with global concern about the possible spread of avian flu, has been a significant boost to vaccine research and production. Meanwhile, the rapid rise of offshoring and globalization is contributing to the movement of research, development and clinical trials away from the U.S., U.K. and France into lower cost technology centers in India and elsewhere. In fact, biotech firms are rising rapidly in India, China, Singapore and South Korea that will provide serious future competition to older companies in the West. To find out more and read the full article, follow the link.
• Modern Trends Change the Face of the Telecommunications Industry
  Globally, the telecommunications industry is about a $3.5 billion sector, including more than $1 trillion in annual revenues in the U.S. Several forces continue to reap major changes in the telecommunications sector today, including: a) mergers and consolidation have completely changed this industry's landscape, b) competition is heating up and cross-border ownership of telecom businesses is making this an increasingly globalized industry, c) deregulation and privatization will have a continual effect on the telecom sector worldwide and d) rapid advances in Internet and wireless technologies will continue unabated, quickly changing consumer preferences and disrupting traditional communication methods. In this fast-paced environment, it can be difficult to keep up with which trends are affecting the industry and by how much. A recent report has come out by Plunkett Research, Ltd. to answer that very challenge. Follow the link to find out more
• Wireless Industry Continues Rapid Worldwide Growth
  Mobile communications, including mobile entertainment, remains one of the hottest sectors in the InfoTech market. More than 900 million cell phones will sell worldwide during 2007 and again in 2008-making the cellular phone the fastest-selling single item of consumer electronics by far. Worldwide, cell phone use continues extremely rapid growth, particularly in China and India. In some nations, particularly in Scandinavia, market penetration exceeds 100% of the population as some people have more than one cell phone subscription. Accessing and transferring data and entertainment via cell phone is growing at a rapid clip. With all this rapid growth and development going on, keeping up with the trends affecting the industry can be challenging. follow the link to see what experts say are some of the most exciting new trends in this mutable industry
• Plunkett Research Announces Release of Plunkett's Almanac of Middle Market Compa
  The new almanac is now available! Our new Plunkett's Almanac of Middle Market Companies and our online Middle Market Industry Research Center are designed to be time-saving business development tools for professionals, marketers, sales directors, consultants and strategists seeking to understand and reach middle market American companies. It will also be of great use to placement, recruiting and human resources professionals, as well as professionals working in economic development, lending and media. Follow the link to see the full story and find out more
• Boom in Global Demand Creates Growing Need for Chemicals, Coatings & Plastics
  The businesses of chemicals, coatings and plastics are closely linked, and those sectors, in turn, are closely linked with the oil and gas industry. Plastics comprise a branch of petrochemicals-that is, chemicals refined from petroleum. Total world consumption of oil for industrial uses is about 30 million barrels daily-mostly for use in chemical processes. Chemicals products include pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, dyes, fibers, packaging, adhesives and explosives, among many, many others. While the chemicals industry can be cyclical, gaining and losing ground with changes in the global economy, many trends in the world today point to rapidly increasing demand for many types of chemical products. Follow the link to find out what they are
• Sports Industry Soars as Spectator Tastes and Technologies Evolve
  While it may