The International Data Corporation (IDC) FutureScape series provides clear predictions and expert insights to help technology suppliers, investors, IT professionals, and business executives strategize for the future.

Eight of these studies are highlighted below which cover a variety of areas undergoing transformative change including oil and gas, robotics, 3D printing, retail, connected vehicles, and more. Read on to learn about IDC’s 2017 predictions, and click to the report pages to access more detailed information.

It’s that time of the year when both kids as well as adult “career enhancers” are heading back to school, but fewer and fewer students are turning to degree-granting for-profit institutions (eg, DeVry University and University of Phoenix) for their post-secondary education needs.

While for-profit enrollment climbed 14% per year on average over the 1995-2010 period (topping out at 9.6% of total post-secondary enrollments in 2010), enrollment fell at an average annual rate of 7.0% over the 2010-2015 period. That performance compares to 1.9% average annual growth in nonprofit private post-secondary school enrollment over the 1995-2010 period, and <1.0% average annual growth over the 2010-2015 period.

The media has covered voter perceptions of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s presidential acceptance speeches to great length. Some have suggested that voters perceive the overall tone of the RNC, and specifically Trump’s acceptance speech, to be one of doom and gloom, and the tone of the DNC and Clinton’s speech to be one of hope and forward movement.

But is that true? To understand the nomination speeches, Beall Research analyzed them using a proprietary digital listening tool. We typically use this tool to reveal emotions, psychological processes, and cognitive processes for consumer brands, products, and services. We were curious what our tool would reveal about Trump and Clinton’s acceptance speeches.

The Democrats and the Republicans don’t agree on much, but there is one thing that their conventions have in common: huge requirements for security. The Republican Convention in Cleveland, with controversial candidate Donald Trump expected to secure the party’s nomination, could be especially contentious.

Interest in drones from the retail sector is growing rapidly as competitive pressures push retailers and distributors to develop new ways to make their supply chains more efficient, to automate warehouses, and to reduce delivery costs. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, recently announced plans to use drones for inventory management in its warehouses. Amazon, the nation’s largest internet retailer, is researching the use of drones to deliver packages to consumers. Global e-commerce giant Alibaba is testing delivery drones in China while DHL is already using drones to deliver packages in Germany.

Educational institutions face a unique set of security issues in order to ensure student safety. They must protect vulnerable student populations while balancing budget limitations, the desire to maintain inviting spaces for the students and community, and maintain government safety standards.

Media coverage of a number of school related tragedies has spurred upgrades to security equipment and procedures focused on student protection as public outcry boosted funds available for security spending. As a result, there has been a shift at a large share of schools — particularly primary and secondary — to devote a portion of their budget each year to evaluating and improving their existing security systems. 

Read more to see how security challenges vary by the type of education facility.

Market research isn’t just a necessity for companies to make their business decisions, it’s also a crucial process during government acquisitions. For the U.S. government, market research is required to gather preliminary information needed for acquisition of commercial items.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has an ever-evolving definition. Each week, a different company hypes a different definition that includes pieces of the market and ignores others. So, how does Compass Intelligence, a leading provider of Telecom market information, define this space? Take the scenario of a city. There are various public and private elements that add up to a city: homes, commercial buildings, government buildings, factories & industrial, infrastructure, transportation, government services, and the list goes on. Each of these elements has “things.” A commercial building has access control, video surveillance, HVAC, offices, elevators, parking structures, sprinklers, energy management, demand response… and the list continues on. The same goes for each of the elements listed above that add to a city.

Mention the market for e-books and most folks flash to a vision of fashion-forward urbanites wielding the latest reading device or tablet while sipping a latte in the park.

Newspapers, magazines and bloggers love to discuss consumer e-books—it’s sexier, more connected to leisure, art, culture and how people read these days—but it is not the heart and soul of the e-book market.

The educational publishing industry traditionally has been dominated by the large textbook publishers and a few large instructional software providers. However, that has shifted. New technology companies are sprouting, changing and challenging traditional ways of providing education in schools and colleges. Investors are paying attention and pouring millions of dollars into ed tech startups in the hopes of a huge return.