The great app versus optimisation debate has come to a head in a survey of corporate web managers.

Bowen Craggs & Company, the online effectiveness experts who run the web effectiveness index, released findings from a survey of 68 web managers at major international companies. Of respondents, 87% prefer their company to introduce a mobile-optimised website to a corporate app.

The relative ease of creating a website primed for mobile outweighs the necessity of a multi-platform approach to app development. Additionally, the omnipresence of wi-fi has made the ability to access apps offline less advantageous. The introduction of HTML5 has also allowed companies more freedom with their homepages, reducing the reliance on separately developed apps.

Beyond that, results differed between responsive sites and dedicated mobile sites. Only 10% had a responsive site in place but 53% are planning to launch one within the year.

Despite the booming sales of tablets and smartphones, particularly in the UK, app sales may not increase simultaneously. Forecasts have predicted app sales to more than quadruple by 2015, but a turn toward mobile-friendly corporate sites could hamper that growth. If the web managers have their say, that just may come to fruition.