Important New Research from EDSF, Gartner and University of Connecticut

In a press release this week, the Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF)announced groundbreaking research that was conducted by consulting firm Gartner and the University of Connecticut under EDSF’s ongoing research programs. Titled “Criticality of Printed Information in the Financial Service Industry: 2005 Survey Results,” the research targeted the financial services industry and included responses from more than 350 managers. Its objective was to identify the attitudes of business managers and to examine how they relate to printing as part of their business processes. The study highlights how managers view printed information as part of their departments' business processes, and how these managers work (and don't work) with other departments to implement new technology.

WhatTheyThink spoke with Andrew (AJ) Johnson, Managing Vice President of Gartner, who managed the study process, to gain additional insight into the study and what it means for the printing industry. Kumar Mehta, Ph.D., led the study on behalf of the University of Connecticut. The study is available for downloading at no charge, and is a must-read for printing industry professionals.

WTT: AJ, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Perhaps you could start by giving us some background on how this study came about.

Continue reading your article
with a WhatTheyThink membership.

WhatTheyThink Annual Membership

Less than $4/week.

Get unlimited access to in-depth commentary and analysis covering the latest trends, emerging technologies, operational strategies, and key events across every segment of today's printing industry.

Stay informed. Stay competitive. Stay ahead.

WhatTheyThink Day Pass

$5 for 24 hours

Unlimited access to all of WhatTheyThink. Get your Day Pass

Already a member?

About Cary Sherburne

Cary Sherburne is a well-known author, journalist and marketing consultant whose practice is focused on marketing communications strategies for the printing and publishing industries.

Cary Sherburne is available for speaking engagements and consulting projects. To get more information contact us.

Please offer your feedback to Cary. She can be reached at [email protected].

10 Things PSPs Should Consider Before Adopting Robotics: What You Need to Know to Begin the Journey

Why Highly Targeted Communications Make Digital Print Essential to Modern Marketing

Wide Format in 2026: How Technology Is Reshaping Competitive Advantage

Labels & Packaging in 2026: Turning Insight into Direction

Print, Digital, and Everything in Between

View Keypoint Intelligence Reports

Toby Weiss Leaving Fiery After 17 years

After 17 years with Fiery, culminating in his role as CEO, Toby Weiss is leaving the company to take on the role of CEO at Securonix, with the task of scaling the next era of AI-Powered security operations. In this interview. Toby shares some of his favorite experiences at Fiery as well as some of the challenges. While this move might seem unusual, Toby explains that he joined Fiery from the cybersecurity industry and is looking forward to get back into it, although he will miss Fiery and its people and customers, and our industry will certainly miss him! Read More

U.S. Hemp Goes International

While the U.S. domestic textile industry is struggling to grow, the U.S. farming industry could play an important role in making textiles more sustainable with arrangements such as the recently announced deal for Panda Biotech to provide U.S. grown hemp fibers to the Indian textile market. Read More

Tariffs and Textiles: Will They Help Bring Back U.S. textile Manufacturing?

So supposedly, a goal of U.S. tariffs on products imported from other countries, including textiles, apparel, and footwear, was to incentivize bringing manufacturing back to the States. Of course, setting up a new factory takes time and money; it doesn’t happen overnight. But it seems that producers had other ideas…the results may surprise you. Read More