ROLLING HILLS, Calif., U.S.A. (Jan. 5, 2006) --- To boost the growth of global graphics communications, printing vendors have the opportunity to encourage the adoption of a new technology that can transform the industry, according to a study sponsored by The Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF). The technology, job definition format (JDF), provides an open and automated workflow for print production. "The Global Impact of JDF on the Graphic Communications Industry" study was conducted by researchers at California State University, Los Angeles, and China’s Wuhan University. EDSF is the nonprofit organization dedicated to the document communications and enterprise content management marketplace. "The primary objective of this research effort was to determine the global impact of JDF on the graphic communications industry and the adoption trends within the graphic communications industry for this new technology," said Ben Lee, Acting Associate Dean, College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology, California State University, Los Angeles. "This is the first time research has been attempted on a global basis on the effects and adoption of JDF. We’re grateful to EDSF for the opportunity to study a development which can have a profound affect on the state of world commerce." "By including data from China, this study reflects the global nature of today’s printing industry," commented Ken Morris, EDSF Vice Chair of Research for EDSF and CEO of Lightbulb Press. "Momentum is building worldwide around JDF and computer-integrated manufacturing in the printing industry, and EDSF is eager to support a study relating to this trend." Conducted in two stages, study research began with in-depth interviews with industry experts in the U.S. and China and also included a web survey in those two countries with more than 200 responses. The study revealed that: ---Printing vendors have a higher adoption rate and motivation than other printers ---The U.S. and the rest of the world printers have a higher adoption rate and motivation to implement JDF than printers in China ---Lack of communications about JDF implementation between printing vendors and printers appears to be a primary cause for the slow adoption rate by printers in the field ---Printing vendors have not fully responded to the strong demand for JDF implementation ---Focus by printing vendors and printers on JDF implementation were not complete and balanced EDSF research grants are presented to an academic team, under the leadership of a university professor, for research in document publishing/printing and multimedia communications. Research conducted through the EDSF grant program focuses on technological and societal changes affecting the document communications and the enterprise content management marketplace and forecasts the effects of current and emerging technologies. EDSF’s goal is to be a catalyst for education and research initiatives and to bring the industry together to resolve document issues that impact society.