ISG Software Research Analyst Perspectives

Hello there! Starting this week, I’m part of the best independent research team in the business – the Ventana Research team – and I couldn’t be more thrilled. As the song goes, “What a long, strange trip it’s been” to get here. For more than two decades I’ve held leadership roles in various capacities, including marketing communications, business development, employee development, talent management and general management, working in the human resources and recruiting services industries, high technology and higher education. Most recently I served as president of marketing software and services firm HRmarketer.com, where I worked for more than seven years, and as a principal of The Glowan Consulting Group, a leadership development firm. Prior to segueing into the greater HR marketplace over a decade ago, I worked with Silicon Valley icons such as Hewlett-Packard and Brocade Communications Systems on various product and service launches; I remember one newly created division at HP titled “e-solutions” for the enterprise, which launched before most of the world knew what exactly e-solutions were. We created a slick marketing launch for the division and then hit the market with an e-splash, only to hear crickets chirp and witness head-scratching. Now, e-solutions are everywhere. In fact, it’s almost a misnomer to use the term HR technology in the human capital management space because, well, technology envelopes companies big and small; it’s changed the way we work, how we hire for work and who we hire to work. Throughout my 10 years in the HCM marketplace, I’ve helped hundreds of HR software and services companies grow their businesses and bring to market leading-edge technologies for managing human capital and the workforce effectively. I’ve also had the opportunity of working with, and especially learning from, many of the leading HCM research analysts. But no matter how many vendors I’ve worked with over the years or how many HR practitioners I’ve spoken with, I’ve always found myself back at the intersection of supplier and buyer, helping each side make the best possible business case for working together. In my new role, I’ll be responsible for research and advisory services in human capital management at Ventana Research, covering major areas of workforce performance management and talent management and workforce activities including recruiting, hiring, performance, compensation, learning, succession and analytics and people-related activities that cross business processes. I’ll also be responsible for examining the role of business technology innovations including cloud computing, social media, collaboration, analytics and mobile technologies as they affect human capital. How cool is that? Very! I think the greater HR marketplace needs more independent voices, which is why I launched my Marcom HRsay (http://marcomhrsay.com) blog last November, and why I’ve been a prolific blogger in the space since 2004. But as I’ve gotten to know Ventana Research and how it performs its objective, primary benchmark research, I’ve found myself at home with its educational research and its savvy team of experienced, independent analysts. Unfortunately the market is plagued with surveys and other approaches that aren’t based on a rigidly objective research methodology and process; that’s what Ventana Research uses, and that’s why I have accepted the invitation to join this team. I look forward to collaborating with you. Please let me know your thoughts or come and collaborate with me on Facebook, LinkedIn and my new Twitter account for Ventana Research. Regards, Kevin W. Grossman VP & Research Director

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