brian sommer
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About Brian Sommer
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Brian is in a unique position to diagnosis the winners and the losers in technology and services. He was the longest running (10 years) and most senior director of Andersen Consulting's (now Accenture's) global Software Intelligence unit - a position that required him to pick the best possible software solutions for hundreds of clients globally. He advised the firm on ERP software market forecasts and helped establish manpower planning estimates by vendor for deployment globally.
Brian continues to remain close to technology buyers and sellers. When he left Andersen Consulting, he co-created a dot-com with blogger and former arch-enemy at Price Waterhouse, Vinnie Mirchandani. That firm helped broker efficient services contracts between software buyers and systems integrators. Since then, he's created TechVentive, Inc. - a company that helps technology firms better understand their markets - and Vital Analysis - the research and publishing arm of TechVentive.
Brian still travels the world and publishes an impressive number of articles, research reports and blog posts annually to help software and services buyers make better business decisions. He can be reached at: brian @ vitalanalysis.com
Disclosure
Brian Sommer
I am co-owner of TechVentive, Inc. The company has been engaged on numerous consulting engagements, often for technology firms, service firms and litigators. As a general rule, I do not write about current clients of TechVentive. Should that occur, I will note this in blogs. Readers should assume that I have had client relationships with many ERP and other technology providers. Some of these relationships may be quite small and short-lived while others more significant. One of TechVentive's business units publishes research reports about technology providers. As a result, this business receives small amounts of revenues from a wide variety of software firms, software buyers and others when they purchase copies of reports. Some firms do secure reprint rights to these reports. None of these purchases, individually, represents a significant amount of total revenue for me and the nature of it is hard to predict where it will come from. I also provide some marketing strategy and/or market segmentation work for software firms as I have developed a unique database that segments the largest 4000+ technology buyers in the world. Many technology firms periodically engage me for unique views into this database for future marketing campaigns. I do not blog about these efforts and do not blog about client firms while they are active clients unless some pressing news story erupts. If that event occurs, I will indicate any perceived or real conflict of interest. Occasionally, I will develop unique intellectual property pieces for technology or service providers. If I should blog about a vendor with whom I have recently developed a special information product, I will note this in a blog to avoid any appearance, real or unintended, of bias. For the most part, I have no investments in technology firms. While I've been offered friends and family stock and other inducements in the past, I have steadfastly refused these. I used to be a partner with Andersen Consulting and had no ownership stake in the firm for many years. I frequently refer to this in my blogs and do not hide my prior association with the company. I did purchase a few shares of Accenture and Cognizant stock in late - 2008. I have sold some of those positions in late 2009. Readers should assume that most software conferences that I write about involved some measure of fees waived and/or travel reimbursement. I do not charge vendors to attend these events nor will I accept payment for same. I do get reimbursed for many speaking engagements. I generally note at the end of blogs whether the vendor reimbursed me for travel expenses. Generally, this includes airfare and hotel. I do not request, receive nor accept travel perks such as first class airfare.
Biography
Brian Sommer
Brian is in a unique position to diagnosis the winners and the losers in technology and services. He was the longest running (10 years) and most senior director of Andersen Consulting's (now Accenture's) global Software Intelligence unit - a position that required him to pick the best possible software solutions for hundreds of clients globally. He advised the firm on ERP software market forecasts and helped establish manpower planning estimates by vendor for deployment globally.
Brian continues to remain close to technology buyers and sellers. When he left Andersen Consulting, he co-created a dot-com with blogger and former arch-enemy at Price Waterhouse, Vinnie Mirchandani. That firm helped broker efficient services contracts between software buyers and systems integrators. Since then, he's created TechVentive, Inc. - a company that helps technology firms better understand their markets - and Vital Analysis - the research and publishing arm of TechVentive.
Brian still travels the world and publishes an impressive number of articles, research reports and blog posts annually to help software and services buyers make better business decisions. He can be reached at: brian @ vitalanalysis.com
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NetSuite SuiteWorld Part 3: The Product Enhancements
Part 3 - NetSuite made a significant number of product announcements at its recent SuiteWorld event. It's the volume and speed of their R&D group that other vendors should note.
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NetSuite SuiteWorld Part 2: Growth of the Platform Ecosystem
Part 2 of NetSuite SuiteWorld big points: The Partner ecosystem of NetSuite is definitely gaining momentum. But, is the growth consistent with other major platform ecosystems? How is it differing?
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NetSuite SuiteWorld Part 1: The Big Points
So what were the big takeaways from the NetSuite SuiteWorld conference last week? In the first of a three part assessment, see how the new commerce engine may be creating a new for new analytic...
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Buying Cloud Accounting Software?
Accounting software can really change from time to time. Now, with cloud solutions popping up in abundance, the changes are everywhere. What are the key factors to consider? How should these new...
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Business, Social Business and Beyond...
There are lots of businesses. Only a few have successfully found a way to be great social businesses, too. Sadly, even fewer still know how to listen to the the process improvement suggestions of...
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Contract Negotiation - What changes are driven by SaaS?
Thinking about signing on the dotted line for a SaaS solution? Guest columnist Tom Ryan tosses out a few points to ponder.
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Ultimate & Yammer - When social media meets HR
When traditional HR technology is fused with newer social & collaboration technology, it's time to rethink how performance management will really get done.
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Making Sense of "Multi-tenancy" Claims
Single-tenant, Multi-tenant, Mixed-tenant, Mega-tenant, Tenant-tenant, Loo-tenant, ..... It's ridiculous what lengths software vendors go to when they really want to confuse buyers.
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On-Premise can't win (and neither can some cloud providers)
The economics are getting clearer. Individual IT shops can't acquire and operate hardware with the same scale and economy as larger cloud providers. But, not all providers are the same. Some are...
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Ultimate's Predictive Analytics
Ultimate Software recently showcased a new predictive analytics tool they have produced. The results they produced were worth noting and can deliver value to other firms as well.
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What is (or will be) a good ERP PaaS ecosystem? [part 6]
The last (6th) in a series on ERP and PaaS. The requirements for what will spell success in a new ERP world are articulated here.
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Why PaaS, ERP and ecosystems need planks [part 5]
In part 5 of this series, we understand what 'planks' (i.e., the building blocks of a PaaS ecosystem) will be needed in the coming ERP market
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Why these ecosystems are SO important [part 4]
In part 4 of this series on PaaS & ERP, we learn how software buyers' shopping will evolve. We also examine how ecosystems permit hockey stick growth within software firms.
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Why power is so key to this part of the ERP world [part 3]
In this, the third installment of PaaS & ERP, the distinction between market power and product control is covered.
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State of ERP PaaS and PaaS ecosystems [part 2]
In the second of this series on ERP and PaaS Ecosystems, we learn some of the reasons why platform creators are so driven to create the go-to place for ERP solutions
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PaaS ecosystems & ERP: The next (and hugely important) frontier [part 1]
ERP software and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) are on a collision course. This is part one a 5-piece series on the evolving ERP/PaaS space. Who's ecosystem will reign supreme?
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The New Technology Elite - Author Interview
Exclusive: An interview with the author of the new book: The New Technology Elite. Brian Sommer fires off a number of questions about Vinnie's book, innovation and where is ERP in all this.
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Future of management science, ERP and decision making
What does the future of analytics or BI look like? A chat with John Schwarz held some interesting perspectives.
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Purists, Pragmatists and others re: cloud
Does the cloud vs. on-premise dialogue have to be so polarized? Can't we see something other than stark one-way decisions? Here are some items two IT research analysts have come to terms with.
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Cornerstone and Sonar6 - A Really Good Deal
Sonar6, the hippest, irreverent HR vendor out there has just been acquired by Cornerstone OnDemand. Is it a good deal or not?
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