International Data Corporation
International Data Corporation
International Data Corporation (IDC) is an American market intelligence and advisory company covering the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. The company provides research, data, analytics, advisory services, and events for technology vendors, enterprise technology buyers, and investors.
International Data Corporation was founded in 1964 by Patrick Joseph McGovern. It later became part of International Data Group, which operated through two main businesses, IDC and IDG Communications, by the time of Blackstone Inc.'s 2021 acquisition. IDG Communications was later rebranded as Foundry, which International Data Group sold in 2025.
IDC is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is led by chief executive officer Lorenzo Larini, who was appointed effective February 2, 2026.
History
International Data Corporation was founded in 1964 by Patrick Joseph McGovern in Massachusetts. The company initially provided research and data on the emerging computer industry, including information on computer installations and technology markets. In 1967, McGovern launched Computerworld, a weekly newspaper for the computer industry, three years after founding IDC.
IDC and Computerworld became the foundation of International Data Group, which expanded into market research, publishing, events, and related businesses.
The public source identifies “International Data Corporation” as international Data Corporation. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around International, Data and Corporation.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “International Data Corporation”, the useful work is to connect “international Data Corporation” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1666494. VIAF identifies the subject as 135439570. The Library of Congress control number is n81138809. 2 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1964, 2021, 2025 and 2026.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “International Data Corporation”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow International Data Corporation primary sources, International Data Corporation archive and International research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “International Data Corporation”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “International Data Corporation” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.