The move was part of a "productivity initiative designed to simplify business processes" and comes as rival products such as the iPad tablet computer eat into HP's sales.

BBC: Hewlett-Packard to cut 27,000 jobs by the end of 2014

The survey on business growth strategies found mid-size companies continue to prioritize automation of business processes, data analytics, and business intelligence as triggers to increase productivity and areas where they are most likely to make investments in 2012.

FORBES: Connect

Labor-saving inventions, technology, business processes, and trade all increase productivity output per hour worked and form the basis for higher wages as well as higher profits and the basis for our growing standard of living.

FORBES: The FCC, Jobs And Rainbow Stew

Understand how dependent critical business applications and processes are on particular office productivity application vs. a particular file format.

FORBES: Death of The Document