Steven Zolman

Nov. 14,2012

IT Optimization There are three major components to consider when maximizing economic and strategic value in your agreements, investments and relationships. They are: • Your Company • Your Suppliers • And The Market In your company, you’ll have needs, ambitions, organizational objectives, priorities, budgets, capabilities, infrastructure, and demographics that are all unique to you. In your technology supply chain, suppliers will have their own goals and ambitions, and will have strong incentives to promote their innovations, highlight their capabilities, sell their wares, and position their eco-system partners. In the market, you’ll find ...

Steven Zolman

Oct. 25,2012

Undeniably, there is a cultural shift going on – and despite lingering security concerns and fears of supplier lock-in, our clients (like many others) are moving to the cloud with increasing confidence that the cost savings, operating efficiencies, and improved services levels are quite worth the perceived increase in risk of additional supplier accountability for security and data issues. In the last couple weeks, as I have participated in two conferences, numerous clients have asked me about Oracle’s cloud strategy. It’s no doubt that Larry Ellison, who famously denounced the cloud in 2005, is not necessarily the first one you think about ...

Steven Zolman

Sep. 24,2012

Last July, NET(net) analyzed the consolidating Talent Management Systems market following SAP’s acquisition of SuccessFactors in December 2011 and Oracle’s acquisition of Taleo in January of 2012. Since then, our prediction of further market consolidation continues to materialize. The most recent update is as a result of IBM’s acquisition of Kenexa for $1.3 billion in August, which appears to position IBM to compete more directly against Oracle / Taleo and SAP / SuccessFactors. Kenexa has been struggling to make money since 2007. Last year, they generated revenue of $283 million (a 44% increase year over year), but still managed to post a ...

Steven Zolman

Sep. 24,2012

In one case with our client, we were working with their business consultant, and the software supplier they recommended for an enterprise applications deal. The software supplier recommended a value added reseller (VAR), and the client also needed a systems integrator. It was also decided to host and manage the application, and two providers were needed for this. Due to incomplete software in the core offering, the client also needed to buy some third party applications, and also hired a development company to write needed custom software. Further, the client needed to purchase additional networking equipment, processing equipment, and ...

Steven Zolman

Sep. 24,2012

This month, NET(net), the market leading IT Investment Optimization firm, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. This is a meaningful milestone considering only 2 out of 100 companies make it to 10 years. It all started with a simple but brilliant business model crafted by NET(net)’s Founder and CEO, Steven Zolman. Steve’s mission for NET(net) was and is to be the premier source of IT supplier market intelligence to help our global clients optimize their IT investments, agreements, and relationships with key technology suppliers. Reflecting on the last 10 years, it has been an amazing run advocating for our client’s needs and creating ...

Steven Zolman

Jul. 23,2012

Much has changed since our first detailed analysis of the talent management markets back in 2008. The software oligopoly of SAP and Oracle have significantly changed their views from their previous position that HR software was best served up as part of a monolithic software suite that was on premise in their customer’s data centers to now offering cloud solutions through SuccessFactors and Taleo by acquisitions, respectively. Oracle CEO, Larry Ellison is sort of infamous for his outright dismissal of the cloud, only to later capitulate on his earlier provocative statements and launch Oracle high into the cloud with both arms up as most ...

Steven Zolman

Jul. 23,2012

In talks with clients, industry analysts, company insiders, investors and others, everyone seems to agree that Steve Ballmer has done a terrible job as Microsoft’s CEO. Mr. Ballmer says he plans to retire in 2018, but with lukewarm support from the board, damaged credibility with partners, lost trust with employees, and constant outside criticism - it’s unclear if he can hold on that long. While leading Microsoft through a time when some of the most innovative and spectacular technology advances occurred (e-readers, cloud computing, social networking, smartphones, tablets, and consumer stores just to name a few), Microsoft has failed to ...

Steven Zolman

Jun. 18,2012

As a global company, NET(net) works with many clients in virtually all geographies and industries. In the process, we have the ability to see and federate market intelligence that no one company could possibly see on its own. This federated market intelligence becomes extremely valuable as we see trends in industries or geographies, or with particular suppliers or even with particular technologies. When NET(net) sees these changing market conditions, we leverage this market currency to provide our clients with market leading strategies to unlock and harness more value. One of the emerging opportunities for market arbitrage is to leverage ...

Steven Zolman

Jun. 18,2012

Organic Contracting vs. Traditional Contracts What is Organic Contracting? Fresh Healthy and Growing Evolving with a changing future Used to make organizations more effective at working together Traditional Contracts Stale Artifacts of the relationship Relics of the originating transaction Used to form polarizing positions for disputes and litigation Which do you prefer? Most client organizations have difficulty effectively managing their supply chains in a way that maximizes both economic and strategic value, and most supplier organizations have difficulty developing, and sometimes even retaining their existing customers. One technology ...

Steven Zolman

May. 16,2012

Note: Updates to this article linked below... IBM’s first female CEO, Virginia “Ginni” Rometty, is in after Sam Palmisano parachutes out with $127 million, but not until he leaves a wake of wreckage in his trail. Ginni will have big challenges to overcome if she is to be successful leading IBM, and in this blog, I will outline the Top 10 Reasons Why Ginni Rometty Will Fail as IBM’s new CEO. 1. IBM Forgot Who They Were. The “M” in IBM is for Machines. Machines for International Businesses; that is who IBM was. Who is IBM today? Somewhere along the way, IBM figured out that it was much cheaper to sell services than it was to produce goods, and ...