Enterprise Need for Advanced Business Intelligence Tools Growing, Heavy Reading FindsGroundbreaking global survey of business intelligence professionals reveals growing interest in tools to deepen analysis of company operationsPRNewswire NEW YORK, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprises worldwide are increasingly turning to advanced business intelligence tools to help them operate more efficiently and ultimately enhance their competitiveness, according to results of a major global survey of enterprise customers conducted by Heavy Reading Enterprise (http://www.heavyreading.com/enterprise), a brand-new research service from the market research division of Light Reading Inc. (http://www.lightreading.com/). Business Intelligence & Decision Support: User Perceptions & Trends reveals the results of this exclusive worldwide survey of enterprise business intelligence professionals, examining their attitudes and expectations about business intelligence tools and technologies. Nearly 200 respondents participated in the invitation-only survey, representing a rich mix of company sizes and more than two dozen vertical market sectors. The survey responses shed light on respondents' perceptions about the effectiveness of business intelligence solutions within their organizations; where business intelligence is being applied now, and how it will be used in the future; and what factors are driving their technology choices and determining product and vendor selection. In addition to detailed analysis of survey results, the report includes a comprehensive taxonomy of business intelligence tools and functions, plus capsule analyses of 17 major business intelligence vendors, including those vendors identified by survey respondents as the leaders in this market. The evolution of the technology and the manner in which it is packaged are changing the way that customers are buying the technology, the report suggests. This evolution is also reshaping the dynamics that are controlling the market. Regulatory compliance is also having its say in driving the demand for the technology. Michael Schiff, Analyst at Large for Heavy Reading Enterprise and author of the report, states: "CFOs and CEOs must attest to the validity of their company's financials and risk significant penalties (and possible incarceration) if they sign off on falsehoods. Business intelligence products help consolidate and report on an organization's financials and most business intelligence vendors are waving the compliance banner." "The growing need for organizations to detect and prevent fraud and for countries to protect its citizens and its borders from terrorist threats has also help drive business intelligence deployments, especially in the use of data mining," adds Schiff. Key findings of Business Intelligence & Decision Support: User Perceptions & Trends include the following: * Organizations are planning to spend more on business intelligence products. Half of the respondents say spending on business intelligence will increase over the next two years, while only a small fraction thought it would decrease. Even if their effectiveness has not been quantified, most enterprises recognize that business intelligence efforts are worthy of additional funding. * Business intelligence deployments within organizations are set to broaden. About a quarter of respondents stated that more than half of the professional and managerial employees within their organizations utilize business intelligence tools at least weekly. This number is expected to almost double in the next two years - especially as the technology becomes easier to use, allowing non-technical users embrace it. * Ease of use is of paramount importance when selecting business intelligence products. Other critical factors that influence the choice of products include return on investment (ROI), interoperability with other products, and IT's ability to support the implementations. Products that users can't readily utilize have little value and are likely to become shelfware. * Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM top the list of companies that respondents consider business intelligence leaders. Well-established business intelligence specialists such as Business Objects, Cognos, SAS, and Hyperion, while still among the top ten in ranking, were well below Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM in terms of user perception of market leadership. Such perceptions don't bode well for business intelligence specialists seeking to increase their market presence. Business Intelligence & Decision Support: User Perceptions & Trends is essential reading for a wide range of industry participants, including the following: * Suppliers of decision support/business intelligence products and technologies: How will the market for business intelligence take shape over the coming months and years? How will enterprise user expectations affect your product positioning? How will internal enterprise politics and policies affect demand for business intelligence? What are the real revenue prospects in this sector? Which suppliers are in the best position to maintain and grow market share? * Enterprise managers: How is the business intelligence sector evolving to meet your needs? How do your organization's approaches and strategies match up to other companies? Which suppliers are taking an approach that fits best with your company's strategy? * Investors: Which companies are emerging as the early winners in this sector, and which ones are likely to struggle for market share? How significant will market growth be to the business intelligence and decision support sectors? Business Intelligence & Decision Support: User Perceptions & Trends costs $4,995 and is published in PDF format. The price includes an enterprise license covering all of the employees at the purchaser's company. Purchasers of the report also gain access to the full survey results for targeted analysis in a searchable database. The online database allows for segmentation of results by a range of factors, including vertical market sector, size of organization, geographic location, and respondent job title. Using the same highly successful model as Heavy Reading's telecom practice, the new Heavy Reading Enterprise research service provides a wide range of products, including: * Full-length formal research reports (50+ pages) on the key trends influencing enterprise technology choices * Custom research services, including worldwide surveys of enterprise/IT professionals to pinpoint technology deployment and spending trends * A full range of consulting services targeting product positioning, market development, financial and competitive analyses, and market sizing * Multisponsor and custom events that deliver high-quality enterprise attendees who directly influence purchases of technologies and services in their organization Heavy Reading Enterprise research reports are completely independent of industry sponsorship, which ensures that all reports are free of industry bias or influence. And direct access to enterprise/IT professionals enables Heavy Reading Enterprise to deliver a complete and unfiltered view into technology selection and deployment processes across a full spectrum of vertical market sectors and geographic regions. For additional information, to request a free executive summary of this report, or for more information about Heavy Reading Enterprise, please contact: Lee Salem Sales Director Heavy Reading Enterprise 415-947-6144 salem@heavyreading.com Press/analyst contact: Dennis Mendyk Managing Director Heavy Reading 201-587-2154 mendyk@heavyreading.com About Heavy Reading Heavy Reading is an independent market research organization offering quantitative analysis of telecom technology to service providers, vendors, and investors. Its mandate is to provide the comprehensive competitive analysis needed today for the deployment of profitable networks based on next-generation hardware and software. About Light Reading Inc. Founded in 2000, Light Reading Inc. (http://www.lightreading.com/) is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. It reaches an extensive audience of executives and technologists within the telecom and enterprise networking communities, as well as the financial/industry analysts and investors who track these sectors. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005, and operates as a unit of CMP Technology. About CMP Technology CMP Technology (http://www.cmp.com/) is a marketing solutions company serving the technology industry. Through its market-leading portfolio of trusted information brands, CMP has earned the confidence of more technology professionals than any other media company. As a result, CMP is the premier provider of access, insight and actionable programs designed to connect sellers and buyers in ways that yield superior return on investment. CMP Technology is a subsidiary of United Business Media (http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com/), a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $3 billion. SOURCE: Heavy Reading CONTACT: Lee Salem, Sales Director of Heavy Reading Enterprise, Web site: http://www.heavyreading.com/enterprise |