By 2016, there will be 3 billion internet users globally -almost half the world's population. The internet economy will reach $4.2tr in the G-20 economies. If it were a national economy, the internet economy would rank in the world's top five, behind only the U.S., China, Japan and India, and ahead of Germany.

More than half of Fortune 1000 executives are focused on cost reduction strategies for delivering earnings and funding growth in 2012, according to a recent survey commissioned by Procurian, formerly ICG Commerce, and conducted by Harris Interactive. Administered to more than 300 Fortune 1000 executives, the survey finds that in the coming year 60 percent of respondents will focus on non-people-related cost reductions as the major source of funds for investments in innovation and growth.