The Wall Street Journal Business Technology Blog had an interesting entry late on Wednesday that hits home perfectly with the work that Knowledge Infusion has been doing in the last few weeks. It seems like this question that Ben Worthen asks is a question that is being asked to me daily, "What is the future of business software?"
There are three scenarios that are being played out in the blog entry and a new report from Forrester. The three scenarios are:
Scenario one: Online software hasn’t really caught on, nor has open-source software. Businesses can buy products of both varieties, of course, as well as any number of niche software programs that can be integrated with other products. The catch: You’ll only be able to buy it from a couple of companies. In this scenario, the large companies have gobbled up their competitors. Not surprisingly, software hasn’t gotten any cheaper.
Scenario two: Lots of open-source and online software here. The big guys remain big, but lose market share to Internet-based companies. Not surprisingly, software prices plunge. Businesses will have a lot of choices; the challenge will be making the right ones.
Scenario three: Some open-source software, lots of online software, and extreme globalization. This is the all-hell-breaks-loose model. The big guys can’t keep up with the pace of change and lose market share to Google or whichever other companies can fill the void. One consequence is that tech-buying decisions shift from the tech department to workers, who get to select the software that meets their individual needs.
Forrester polled a room full of CIOs who thought scenario two was most likely.
What do you think? What would you want? Is HRMS and Talent Management software any different? Post your reply below...
Another infusion of knowledge...
Link to blog entry
