The focus of this report is on the current state of multilingual communications practices; larger business and economic factors that are forcing change; experiences to date, both good and bad; and issues that loom on the horizon. The market for technologies and services for multilingual content is still in its early stages. As such, this study is the first in a series to be published by Gilbane Group. The underlying research has given us a foundation for a multi-year research agenda that will explore broad as well as narrow issues.

This study is designed for two primary audiences:

• For enterprise adopters and buyers of technologies and services for producing high-quality multilingual content. The study is meant as a tool for educating executives and staff who might not be aware of the significant impact that investment decisions in multilingual communications have on the organization's ability to compete effectively. It will help program and project managers learn from the experiences of other companies, and it will provide insight into selling upper management on making more and better investments.
• For suppliers of technologies and services. The study is meant to help you develop offers that alleviate pain points and address obstacles and challenges, and to market and position those offers in ways that make their value clear to buyers.