Fewer Conferences = Less Innovation

Industry and government personnel believe that event cancellations and travel restrictions are having a negative impact on innovation and collaboration. According to one survey, the massive decrease in conferences that facilitate intelligence gathering and networking will adversely affect government contractors’ abilities to provide the most up-to-date information, solutions and best practices that government agencies require.

Cutbacks have been deep. Nearly 72 percent government respondents to the poll said they have been attending few conferences in 2013 than they did in 2012. Two-thirds of agency personnel surveyed agreed that without access to events, it will be more difficult to maintain best practices in their field; nearly as many said government agencies are likely to become more siloed.

Half of the contractors who responded to the questionnaire related that their companies’ plans for exhibiting in 2013 shrunk. As a result of this decrease, companies will need to become more creative about how they inform and educate government customers, government and industry survey respondents agreed.

“This poll shows us that contractors can benefit from investing in thought leadership programs, webinar hosting and leveraging the reach of trade publications,” Joyce Bosc, president, Boscobel Marketing Communications, said.

Boscobel and Market Connections Incorporated conducted the survey; 161 government contractors and 383 federal government employees from civilian, defense and independent agencies participated.