<p>The collaborative applications software segment is forecast by IDC to have higher growth than any other software category this year. It is also seeing more cloud deployments than other software segments.</p><p>Overall, IDC expects the worldwide software market to increase 5.7 percent year-over-year in 2013, compared with sluggish growth of 3.6 percent year-over-year in 2012. The research firm predicts that the worldwide software growth phase will increase at a 6.3 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2017.</p><p>The structured data management software category is expected to show the strongest growth over the five-year forecast period, with a 9.3 percent CAGR through 2017. IDC explained that data management will play a vital role in the implementation of big data and analytics.</p><p>Regionally, emerging economies are expected to see stronger growth than mature economies. For the Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan), Latin America, and Central Eastern, Middle East, and Africa, IDC is forecasting an 8.8 percent CAGR through 2017, while the average CAGR for the mature markets of North America, Western Europe and Japan is expected to be a more modest 5 percent CAGR.</p><p><a href="http://www.fierceenterprisecommunications.com/story/collaboration-software-growth-outpace-other-software-segments-says-idc/2013-05-26">Keep reading...</a></p>