Simplicity: What’s Next in Business Software

Vendors must figure out a way to simplify the delivery and usability of their software for today’s enterprise users and buyers.

By Anthony Deighton, QlikTech

There is a widening gap today between what software users experience in their work environment and what is available on the Web. As the line between work and home life blurs, people expect the applications they use at work to be as clear, simple and user-driven as the applications they use to run their personal lives.

Companies today are much smarter about purchasing software. They’re insisting on solutions that have a faster time-to-market, higher ROI and better end-user adoptability. Enterprise vendors must embrace the philosophy of simplicity in business software or risk being sidelined by innovative, emerging vendors in the near future.

Register to Hear C.K. Prahalad at Software 2008 and Receive a Copy of His New Book

The software business elite are gathering at Software 2008, April 28-29, 2008 in Las Vegas. Attendees will share insight with their executive peers and hear thought-leading keynotes, including one by international management guru, C.K. Prahalad. Register now to be a part of the industry’s most prestigious event and receive a complimentary copy of C.K’s new book, “The New Age of Innovation: Mobilizing Global Networks to Unlock Co-Created Value in Your Company.” Visit www.software2008.com to find out more.

Oracle Roars

As it moves to take on Salesforce.com, Oracle teaches yet another lesson about technology marketing. Guy Smith of Silicon Strategies Marketing shares what Larry Ellison knows and explains why Oracle is shaping up to be scarier than Microsoft in this post to the SandHill.com blog on megavendors.

How to Cut Costs Without Diluting Value

Today’s operations departments can be shortsighted as they evaluate suppliers and choose low-cost options in order to save money. Jeff Thull of Prime Resource Group says companies must evaluate supplier relationships to be sure they are not diluting value. Read how in this post to the SandHill.com Blog on operations best practices.

Publish Your Perspective!

SandHill.com wants your opinions. Send your thoughts on the enterprise software industry to SandHill.com editor, Maryann Jones Thompson (maryann@sandhill.com) and have your opinions published on our site.

The Multilocal Challenge: Managing Cross-Border Functions

Companies are learning to adapt their organizational design to capture cross-border synergies and to protect local sources of profitability. Read how in this article from The McKinsey Quarterly.

Trouble for Larry

Oracle’s quarter shows signs of a weakening economy; plus, Red Hat aims for a billion, Microsoft targets Google with “Albany”, Yahoo does “business as usual” (but tougher), and SAP gets sued and more software news of the week. Read these stories and more software news of the week in the latest SandHill.com Software News Summary.

Poll: The Battle for Simplicity?

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More at SandHill.com:

Microsoft is losing credibility, study says.
Read the most important enterprise software industry news of the week >>

Gear6 received $10 million.
Monitor the latest software venture capital deals >>

Ansys acquired Ansoft for $832 million.
Size up last week's software M&A deals >>

Tal Payne named CFO of Check Point Software Technologies
See who's made it to the top in our list of recent software executive appointments.

Send us your feedback on this newsletter and the SandHill.com site.

Parting Thought

“Anybody can cut prices, but it takes brains to produce a better article.”
–P. D. Armour

Courtesy of Malcolm Kusher, The Kushner Group

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