Ventana Research Presents the 2012 Value Index for Product Information Management

SAN RAMON, CA, July 26, 2012 (Press-News.org) Ventana Research has released its 2012 Value Index for Product Information Management, the latest in a new category of quantified, research-based Indexes on technology vendors and products. This Value Index provides guidance that will enable organizations to ascertain the value of software that allows for better management of product information. Using the Value Index, sales, marketing, operations, finance and IT organizations will be able to evaluate vendors and their products as well as make choices based on an understanding of how well existing and new offerings satisfy their needs.

The Value Indexes are the product of more than two decades of experience and knowledge of the market and of in-depth analyses of technology suppliers' products. The Value Index for Product Information Management examines organizations' existing and planned approaches to Performance Information Management including best practices and steps for improvement. Ventana Research believes that wise investments will improve an organization's performance as a whole. Product Information Management helps companies gain a competitive advantage by addressing common issues ranging from unreliable product data quality with inconsistent product information, insufficient management and control of the flow of product information, and inaccurate information regarding operational processes.

In the 2012 Value Index for Product Information Management, the company delivering the highest value on an overall weighted-evaluation basis is Stibo Systems, followed closely by Heiler, Riversand, Enterworks and Hybris, who also earning the Hot Vendor rating. SAP, Agility and WebOn also received the Hot Vendor rating, while Oracle and IBM were rated as Warm.

"This year's Value Index for Product Information Management was highly competitive, with a set of mature vendors competing for the 'hottest vendor' title while other larger enterprise software vendors fell behind," said Mark Smith, CEO & Chief Research Officer at Ventana Research. "The mission to manage product information is advancing readily and vendors and their respective products have advanced significantly over the last 18 months. This business application software category is much more than master data management (MDM). Many IT analyst firms have failed to address the need to improve product related processes and therefore the resulting efficiency and overall profitability."

This new research-based undertaking is fully independent. It is neither sponsored nor influenced by technology vendors and is conducted solely in pursuit of Ventana Research's mission to provide value to business and IT through benchmark assessments, workshops and advisory services. Ventana Research's goal is to guide organizations to optimal efficiency in their use of technology investments for business and IT. To learn more about the 2012 Value Index for Sales Performance Management, please visit http://www.ventanaresearch.com/PIMvalueindex.

About Value Index Methodology

The methodology used to produce this Value Index evaluates in detail aspects of product functionality and suitability-to-task as well as the effectiveness of vendor support for the buying process and customer assurance. The Index reflects the value offered by a vendor and its products, presented both as a clear and accessible graphic representation in a simple thermometer and as a precise index maturity percentage.

The technology vendors earning the highest "Hot" and "Warm" Vendor classifications are those that Ventana Research certifies best deliver buyer value based on a thorough evaluation and audit - that is, based on research and verifiable facts. The Value Index is not just a selection of "cool" products, and rather than merely representing a vendor on a four-quadrant chart, the Index provides specific thermometer readings, both overall and component metrics, for a technology buyer to consider. Organizations can use the Value Index by first determining their priorities and then consulting the Index to determine which vendors best meet those needs.

About Ventana Research

Ventana Research is the most authoritative and respected benchmark business technology research and advisory services firm. We provide insight and expert guidance on mainstream and disruptive technologies through a unique set of research-based offerings including benchmark research and technology evaluation assessments, education workshops and our research and advisory services, Ventana On-Demand. Our unparalleled understanding of the role of technology in optimizing business processes and performance and our best practices guidance are rooted in our rigorous research-based benchmarking of people, processes, information and technology across business and IT functions in every industry. This benchmark research plus our market coverage and in-depth knowledge of hundreds of technology providers means we can deliver education and expertise to our clients to increase the value they derive from technology investments while reducing time, cost and risk.

Ventana Research provides the most comprehensive analyst and research coverage in the industry; business and IT professionals worldwide are members of our community and benefit from Ventana Research's insights, as do highly regarded media and association partners around the globe. Our views and analyses are distributed daily through blogs and social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

To learn how Ventana Research advances the maturity of organizations' use of information and technology through benchmark research, education and advisory services, visit www.ventanaresearch.com.

Media: Copies of benchmark research report and interviews are available upon request.

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Media Contact:
Molly Johnson
(925) 242-2412
marketing@ventanaresearch.com