Interview: IBM Cognos chief Rob Ashe | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

Interesting Rob Ashe interview @ ZDNet.com:

Ashe said part of the reason the industry grew up so quickly was that customers were looking to BI applications to squeeze returns out of ERP systems. Today, it’s clear that ERP systems are about automating transactions, but BI is the real differentiator because it optimizes the business. That realization is one reason why Oracle and SAP bought BI companies.

[...]

IBM’s approach to BI is to take Cognos and integrate it into the so-called information life cycle. In other words, IBM will take Cognos and layer its performance management software on top of its information server, data quality tools, storage and data warehousing applications. “They (SAP and Oracle) are selling transaction environment. We’re selling data and information management independent of transaction.”

[...]

“Most enterprises have performance management already, but are looking for more centralized capability to get a single strategic view of data.”

Interview: IBM Cognos chief Rob Ashe | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com