Results for: North Carolina Technology Association
November, 2012
© 2012 Technology Councils of North America. All rights reserved.

About TECNA
The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) represents almost 50 IT and Technology trade organizations who, in turn, represent more than 16,000 technology-related companies in North
America. TECNA serves its members and the industry through its strong peer-to-peer network and its regional initiatives to raise the visibility and viability of the technology industry.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy.
About TechVoice
TechVoice is a newly-formed partnership of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the
Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), and participating regional technology associations.
Collectively, we represent thousands of technology companies across the country employing millions of workers. We are dedicated to empowering and mobilizing the grassroots tech community to impact legislative and regulatory issues important to growth, innovation and job creation.

The data for this quantitative study was collected via an online survey conducted during October 2012. A total of 1,082 senior (C-level) U.S. IT and business executives belonging to one of the regional technology associations affiliated with the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) participated in the survey. This report contains data specific to the North Carolina Technology Association. The sample size for this segment is
38.
The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the overall results is +/- 3.0 percentage points.
Sampling error is larger for subgroups of the data.
As with any survey, sampling error is only one source of possible error. While non-sampling error cannot be accurately calculated, precautionary steps were taken in all phases of the survey design, collection and processing of the data to minimize its influence.
The study was conducted in conjunction with the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).
CompTIA is a member of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and conforms to its guidelines for survey best practices and research ethics. Any questions about the research methodology or data collection can be directed to research@comptia.org.

Industry Sector of Survey Respondent
Information technology (IT) or telecommunications
Professional services (non IT)
Healthcare/Medical
Media/Publishing/Entertainment
Financial/Banking/Insurance
Education
Advanced manufacturing (non IT sector)
Life sciences
Environmental or energy technology
Retail/Wholesale
Government (federal, state, local)
AMTUC (Agriculture, Mining, Transportation, Utilities, Construction)
Hospitality/Food/Beverage
Advanced materials
Other industry sector
Overall
43%
9%
6%
6%
6%
5%
1%
0%
0%
7%
4%
4%
3%
2%
1%
North Carolina
66%
3%
3%
3%
0%
0%
3%
0%
0%
8%
5%
0%
8%
3%
0%
Total Number of Employees at Firm of Survey Respondent
Less than 10
10 to 24
25 to 99
100 to 499
500 to 999
Overall
34%
15%
18%
15%
3%
North Carolina
11%
18%
21%
21%
8%
1,000 or more employees 15% 21%
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,082 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

This report contains a number comparisons among geographic regions. The following groupings are based on standard U.S. Census Bureau categorizations.
Northeast (n=267)
 Connecticut Technology Council
 Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC)
 New Hampshire High Tech Council
 New Jersey Technology Council
 New York Technology Council
 Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies
 Pittsburgh Technology Council
Midwest (n=279)
 Illinois Technology Association (ITA)
 Northeast Ohio Software Association
 Minnesota High Tech Association
 Technology Association of Iowa
 Wisconsin Technology Council
South (n=234)
 Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED)
 Louisiana Technology Council
 Metroplex Technology Business Council (MTBC)
 North Carolina Technology Association
 Northern Virginia Technology Council
 Technology Association of Georgia
West (n=298)
 Arizona Technology Council
 Technology Association of Oregon
 Utah Technology Council
 Washington Technology Industry Association

Rating on a 100-point scale | 100=highest | 0=Lowest
61
63
61
63
61
64
66
67
68 68
46
47
46 47
48
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
North Carolina
U.S. Economy
Rating
Tech Sector
Rating
My Company
Rating
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,076 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Percent indicating a planned increase in investment over next 6 months
Planned Increase
Investments in new products or business lines
Staffing levels in technical positions (e.g. engineers, programmers, help desk, etc.)
Marketing/advertising expenditures
Technology expenditures
Staffing levels in non-technical positions
(e.g. sales, marketing, project management, etc.)
Staff training or professional development
Business travel
Capital expenditures (e.g. non technology)
Cost cutting
North
Region
59%
59%
57%
53%
51%
44%
42%
32%
25%
49%
41%
46%
36%
23%
Midwest
Region
58%
56%
52%
55%
South
Region
53%
54%
48%
46%
West
Region
64%
59%
56%
54%
North
Carolina
55%
63%
39%
53%
47% 55% 50%
36%
33%
26%
33%
45%
42%
38%
27%
32%
39%
21%
34%
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,078 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Timeframe: over next 6 months
Stalled recovery
General lack of confidence/paralysis
Unexpected shock (e.g. financial crisis, spike in oil prices)
Access to credit/capital
Government regulation
Weak corporate demand
Labor prices/availability of talent
Lower margins
Weak consumer demand
Domestic competition
Disruptive technologies or business models
Overseas competition
Stock market volatility
Input/commodity price inflation
Weak export market
47%
54%
58%
47%
3%
5%
0%
4%
16%
13%
16%
11%
12%
21%
22%
21%
22%
26%
19%
26%
36%
34%
36%
29%
29%
31%
36%
37%
31%
34%
North Carolina
Overall
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,078 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Policy Proposal
Doing more to expand access to capital for startup and high growth companies
Doing more to advance STEM education at the K-12 level
Achieving a simplified personal and corporate tax structure, including closing corporate tax loopholes
Making the research and development (R&D) tax credit permanent
Placing career, technical and vocational education on par with traditional degree programs to help expand pool of trained tech workers
Expanding visa categories and H1B caps to keep foreign nationals with advanced STEM skills in the U.S.
Advancing a pro-trade agenda to expand U.S. exports of technology products
Expanding incentives and easing regulations for commercialization of academic or government applications
Creating more incentives to build out the broadband infrastructure
Making more spectrum available for creation of new wireless applications
Tax holiday for the repatriation of profits from overseas by U.S. tech companies
North
Region
Midwest
Region
South
Region
65% 57% 55%
42%
43%
48%
38%
32%
24%
20%
19%
16%
14%
52%
49%
43%
44%
31%
21%
21%
25%
17%
14%
50%
46%
37%
39%
35%
24%
20%
22%
17%
20%
West
Region
North
Carolina
54% 53%
52%
50%
46%
46%
38%
26%
23%
19%
16%
17%
42%
45%
32%
42%
24%
18%
5%
24%
13%
18%

32%
29%
41%
37%
31%
38%
43%
40%
41%
55%
30%
27%
18%
21%
13%
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
North Carolina
NET Low
Government
Involvement
Moderate
Government
Involvement
NET High
Government
Involvement
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,051 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Timeframe: during past two years
36%
31%
35%
42%
37%
36%
40%
43%
38%
39%
27%
30%
22%
20%
24%
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
North Carolina
NET Well Just Okay NET Poor
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,043 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Significant shortage in terms of the quantity and quality of tech talent
11%
22%
Moderate shortage
Equilibrium, supply roughly
equals demand
Moderate surplus
3%
10%
Significant surplus in terms of quantity and quality of tech talent
3%
2%
16%
24%
50%
61%
North Carolina
Overall
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,049 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base:38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Rating of the respondent’s belief of the degree to which the tech sector in respondent’s state/region is reaching its potential, or not
67%
70%
68%
61%
74%
25%
23% 23%
28%
24%
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
North Carolina
2% 2% 2%
4%
0%
Out-performing its potential
Performing at about its potential
Under-performing its potential
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,046 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Information technology or telecommunications
Life sciences or healthcare technology
Advanced manufacturing
Environmental or energy technology
Defense / military technology
Advanced materials
0%
5%
0%
1%
3%
9%
7%
11%
34%
34%
44%
53%
North Carolina
Overall
Source: TECNA
Base: 1,042 senior U.S. technology and business executives
Base: 38 North Carolina Technology Association executives

Overall
64%
North
Carolina
73% Big Data analytics, data mining and business intelligence
38%
38%
27%
32%
27%
43%
32%
35%
51%
70%
70%
70%
30%
27%
46%
35%
19%
19%
27%
3%
5%
11%
36%
35%
34%
33%
31%
30%
29%
29%
60%
59%
59%
48%
42%
39%
38%
37%
26%
24%
23%
17%
14%
9%
Mobile apps development
Healthcare tech
Cloud-based software development (SaaS)
Everything-as-a-service (e.g. managed help desk, networks, security, etc.)
Wireless services
E-commerce or mobile commerce
Cloud implementation, integration or consulting services
Green tech
Mobile implementation, integration or consulting services
Mobile device development (Tablets, smartphones, accessories)
Biotech
Business process automation
Social solutions and technologies
Big Data storage and management
Enterprise collaboration (Video conferencing, collaboration tools)
Cloud data centers
Data visualization
Location-based services and technologies
Aggregation/Orchestration (coordination among multiple service providers)
Machine-to-machine learning or interaction
Defense tech
Telecom equipment development