2012 AQT Barometer - Annual Index of the State of the Quebec ICT Industry

MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Technology Association today launched its extensive annual survey of executives of Quebec Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies. The AQT Barometer, the only one of its kind in North America and already an inspiration to other groups, provides a picture of business practices and key issues, while also highlighting the growth requirements of a strategically important sector of the Quebec economy.

An Annual Index Built on 4 Performance Indicators
The AQT Barometer provides a detailed profile of Quebec ICT companies and identifies indicators that serve as benchmarks to track the sector's progression. These indicators also serve to develop the AQT Index, which is designed to measure the annual growth of the ICT sector on the basis of human resources, innovation, income, and marketing data.

Survey Goals
"The 2012 questionnaire was expanded to further refine some of the data collected in the inaugural year. More specifically, data pertaining to marketing methods, income sources, and various funding sources, including R&D tax credits and the Refundable Tax Credit for the Development of E-Business, explained Nicole Martel, Chief Executive Officer of AQT. It will be interesting to see if companies are following through on their plans to increase recruitment through immigration."

Why do companies take part in this survey?

• Participating companies receive a personalized report from SOM, giving them more than 30 indicators to gauge their performance relative to similar companies.
• The results help identify trends in the Quebec ICT industry.
• The analysis provides an overview of the progression of business practices.
• The aggregated data helps define the orientation of presentations to be made to governments.

Data Collection Period/Publication of the Results
Information on business issues and practices was collected from more than 650 companies through the 2011 AQT Barometer initiative. Over the next few weeks, SOM, a survey firm, will independently collect data from 2,000 Quebec ICT companies. AQT members will have premiere access to the overall results in May 2012 and then the AQT Index will be made widely available to the media.

The Performance Indicator information sheets issued in 2011 and distributed in collaboration with McCarthy Tétrault are currently available on the AQT Web site. The 2012 edition of the survey was made possible through the support of the ministère du Développement économique de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation (MDEIE).

ICT companies wishing to be heard by taking part in this ten-minute online survey are invited to write to [email protected] to obtain a password.

About the Quebec Technology Association (AQT) www.aqt.ca
The Quebec Technology Association (AQT) www.aqt.ca represents the leaders of growth-oriented small and medium-sized Quebec Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies with between 4 and 1,000 employees. The AQT Growth Accelerator gives them access to best practices in management and marketing, and connects them with a vast business network. The AQT is a self-sustaining entity with more than 500 member companies and affiliate members.

For further information:

AQT - Valérie Danger, 514 874 2667, extension 118, or [email protected]