Joe Webb

Dr. Joe Webb, director of Lexington, Kentucky-based What They Think’s Economics and Research Center, offers thoughts on the marketplace’s future in light of current economic challenges. The current financial turmoil is supposedly making it very difficult to forecast the future. However, there is a strange paradox about forecasting—the further out you forecast, the more accurate you can be. But, you can’t use numbers. Most planning exercises I’ve seen in organizations are numbers-focused only and not trend-focused. Demographic trends are almost always the most important underlying contributor to the direction of change. The most important demographic trends today are birth rates, increasing longevity and

Lexington, Kentucky-based WhatTheyThink—an online media organization serving the printing and publishing industry—announced the availability of its most current report titled: “Monthly U.S. Printing Shipments, Issue #33.” It is authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s economics and research center. “June printing shipments were $8.16 billion, down $218 million (or 2.6 percent) compared to June 2007,” said Webb. “On an inflation-adjusted basis, shipments were down $638 million (or 7.3 percent) compared to June 2007.” Data collected within the past few months indicated it has been a particularly difficult time for the industry. “Even though the recent GDP estimates for the second quarter were positive,

WhatTheyThink, Lexington, Ky., an online media organization serving the printing and publishing industry, announced the availability of its most recent economic report “Printing Shipments and Profits,” authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center. “Printing profits for the last four quarters, Q4-2006 to Q3-2007, were $4.06 billion on an inflation-adjusted basis,” said Webb. “This was a disappointing performance, and includes the effects of a significant downward revision of previously profits data by the U.S. Department of Commerce.” Webb also stated that “our exclusive forecasting models now indicate profit levels will remain under serious pressure because of lackluster sales levels, higher

Headquartered in Lexington, Ky., WhatTheyThink—an online media organization serving the printing and publishing industry—announced the availability of its most recent economic report, “Printing Shipments and Profits.” The report is authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center. “Printing profits for the last four quarters, Q3-2006 to Q2-2007, were $5.15 billion dollars on an inflation-adjusted basis,” said Webb. “This is excellent news compared to the same period a year ago, when profits were only $3.86 billion, a 23.4 percent increase.” Built on data from WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center, the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

For an industry plagued by predictions of doom and gloom, it certainly offers tremendous opportunities for growth and success to those who can remain flexible and adaptable. Sales figures for the top 100 manufacturers added up to a whopping $2.97 billion for the last fiscal year completed. And, while this is only a slight increase from the previous year’s grand total of $2.92 billion, it was achieved despite sharply increasing costs for raw materials, postage and fuel. Marketplace demand for printed products, it seems, is on the rise—a trend documented in several key industry studies. Dr. Joe Webb, director of Lexington, Kentucky-based

Lexington, Kentucky-based WhatTheyThink.com—an online media organization serving the printing and publishing industry—announced the availability of its most current report titled “Printing Shipments and Profits.” Authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink.com’s Economics and Research Center, the report is available for immediate purchase at www.wttstore.com/prpr.html. “Printing profits for the last four quarters were $4.6 billion, on an inflation-adjusted basis, comparing favorably with the same period a year ago,” said Webb. “However, overall data from the government and our own forecast models show profitability only modestly improving.” Built on data from WhatTheyThink.com’s Economics and Research Center, the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Bureau