10 Drivers of Software Innovation in 2011

January 5, 2011

10 Drivers of Software Innovation in 2011

The cloud and a new generation of strategies, technologies and users will drive the enterprise technology business in the year to come.

By M.R. Rangaswami, Sand Hill Group

Looking ahead to what 2011 will bring for the software industry, I am reminded of last November.

Hosting the Nasscom Product Conclave in Bangalore, I was impressed by the innovative spirit of the sold-out gathering of 1,200 software entrepreneurs. Organizers literally turned away 200 people at the door. Even more impressive: The cloud is enabling a "better, faster, stronger" world of software development that can take place anywhere on the globe.

I believe 2011 will be another exciting year for enterprise software innovation. Here are the ten focal points that will drive software vendors to develop products, better address customer needs and rev their business models in the coming year.

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How is bad market research like a cheap date? Guy Smith of Silicon Strategies Marketing explains in this post to the SandHill.com Blog on Best Practices: Software Marketing.

Understanding the Strategic Value of IT in M&A

Many mergers don't live up to expectations, because they stumble on the integration of technology and operations. But a well-planned strategy for IT integration can help mergers succeed. Learn more in this article from The McKinsey Quarterly.

Poll: Top Innovation Driver in 2011

Which factor will be the biggest driver of software industry innovation in the coming year?
Take our Pulse Poll >>

The Latest Software Business News on SandHill.com

All Headlines: Microsoft says Hotmail service is back to normal.

VC Activity: KnowledgeVision receives $2 million.

M&A Deals: Dell acquires SecureWorks.

Executive Moves: Johan Berg named CEO of International Business Systems.

Quote of the Week

“The iPhone has hands-down captured the imagination not only of the consumer but of the corporate user.”

- Sugar CRM chief technology officer and cofounder Clint Oram on the power of consumer devices in the enterprise

This Week's Sponsor

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Software Pulse

Software Pulse is a publication of SandHill.com, the online resource for software business strategy.

Publisher: M.R. Rangaswami
Editor: Maryann Jones Thompson
Assistant Editor: Jane Ann Chien

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SandHill.com is published by Sand Hill Group, which provides investment and management advice to emerging leaders in the $600 billion enterprise software, services and solutions market. Sand Hill Group produces the Software and the Enterprise series of conferences for industry executives, and authors research reports on cutting-edge technology topics.

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