Leaders of the Next Information Revolution

Software vendors must welcome the “Enterprise Architects,” a group which has emerged as the critical link between business and IT architecture.

By Allen Brown, The Open Group

Famed economist Peter Drucker wrote in 1999 that the focus of the IT revolution has not been on information, but rather on technology - technologies that assisted with data collection, storage, transmission, analysis and presentation, but not the information itself. Drucker correctly predicted that the next information revolution would ask about the meaning of information and its purpose.

The next information revolution is happening now. It’s not a revolution in computer hardware, semiconductors or software, but rather a revolution driven by the need to put the right information in the right people's hands at the right time. This new kind of boundary-less information flow requires a technical infrastructure built on open standards – one that is designed to enable individuals, as well as their distinct IT systems, to all work together.

This new revolution also requires a new breed of professionals. We're talking about people who can adopt the city planner view of the enterprise, and communicate effectively with each level of their organizations. This role is referred to as an Enterprise Architect (EA) – and EAs will be a new, increasingly powerful group for software vendors to collaborate with during the sales process.

Showcase Your Innovation at Software 2007

“Powered by Innovation” will be the theme for Software 2007. With 2,000 industry execs, investors and analysts in attendance, what better forum to demonstrate the “next big thing” companies that will shape the next generation of the software industry?

The Innovation Showcase is looking for companies who want to share their unique value proposition with the software business elite. Click here to find out more and nominate your company for inclusion. The presenters will take the stage at Software 2007, May 8 and 9 in Santa Clara, Calif. Visit www.software2007.com to find out more and register today!

Software VC 2006: Larger & Later

The latest figures from the National Venture Capital Association show $5 billion was funneled into software startups in 2006, keeping software the largest single category of venture investment. But Matt Miller of WaldenVC points out the trend towards larger seed rounds and a shrinking number of VC firms overall. Read Matt’s analysis of 2006 investing, see the top 20 software VC deals of the year, and uncover more software VC trends in the latest post to his SandHill.com Blog, The Picky VC.

Funding the Next Big Thing

Business software is moving from simplifying and specializing towards a new wave of innovation. Jonathan Klein of Topline Strategy Group looks closer at what portion of software investment is devoted to new technology innovation and finds evidence of an emerging trend in this week’s post to the SandHill.com Blog on innovation.

New Blog: Letter from China

Veteran software executive, David Scott Lewis, joins SandHill.com’s list of featured bloggers. As senior VP of Startech Global Corporation, David offers a candid view of business and life in the world’s largest market. The inaugural post reviews the latest China-bashing book and points readers to more reputable sources of information.

Publish Your Perspective!

The SandHill.com Blog wants your opinions. Send your thoughts on the enterprise software industry to editor@sandhill.com and we’ll publish them in our blog.

OpSource SaaS Summit Coming in March

Join 300 executives, analysts and investors to exchange ideas, share opportunities and network at the OpSource SaaS Summit 2007, March 14 to 16, 2007. The conference will focus on “Making Business Web2.0 Work.” Find out more about the event and register by Feb. 18 to save $100.

News Update: It Takes a Planet

The EU flexes its muscles, India quantifies its potential, and the U.S. scrambles to remain competitive; plus, Sun makes friends, EMC pledges integration and everyone reports earning. Read these stories and more software news of the week in the latest SandHill.com Software News Summary.

SOA Tops List for CIOs in 2007

A new McKinsey survey of CIOs finds many are eager to deploy services-oriented architecture (SOA) in outward-facing systems this year. Read more about this and other CIO plans for the year in this article from The McKinsey Quarterly.

Poll: A SOX Rollback?

A new report calls for a rollback in Sarbanes-Oxley regulations in order to keep the U.S. competitive.
Take our Pulse Poll >>

Last week, readers gave their opinions on the future of SCO. What do you think?
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More at SandHill.com:

Silicon Valley booming again after 5-year slump.
Read the most important enterprise software industry news of the week >>

Clarabridge receives $7.2 million.
Monitor the latest software venture capital deals >>

Hyperion buys Decisioneering.
Size up last week's software M&A deals >>

Adobe names Mark Garrett executive VP and CFO.
See who's made it to the top in our list of recent software executive appointments >>

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Parting Thought

“In any great organization it is far, far safer to be wrong with the majority than to be right alone.”
–John Kenneth Galbraith

Courtesy of Malcolm Kusher, The Kushner Group