This IDC study presents a five-year forecast for the worldwide services industry from 2007 through 2011. It updates Worldwide Services 2006–2010 Forecast Update: New Challenges Equal New Opportunities (IDC #204158, November 2006). The main purpose of this study is to identify recent trends that are influencing the worldwide services opportunities and discuss their effects on the worldwide services five-year forecast.

"Service vendors are faced with a myriad of challenges as the needs in the marketplace are shifting and the competitive landscape is intensifying with a new breed of competitors with new business and/or pricing models. At the same time, service vendors must keep up with and be prepared to offer services to address new emerging technologies and market segments, such as virtualization, unified communication, SOA, and the burgeoning SMB market," said Marianne Hedin, program manager for Worldwide Services and SOA: The Services Opportunity programs.