Notes from Monday keynote:
- Charles Phillips and Safra Catz take the stage
- Discuss their own transformation
- Transition from just sending customers pieces of technology they had to put together themselves to a mode where vendors deliver systems that work together
- Need all pieces in order to send complete systems (Oracle's assertion that justifies Fusion - could debate that re: standard interfaces, protocols, etc - owning all the parts just one model/approach not the only one)
- Importance of advisory boards, focus groups, etc to Oracle (all vendors actually) so they can prioritize enhancements
What's changed over last year:
- By delivering domain (CRM, ERP) solutions and vertical solutions (industry specific) provides them with important insight on understanding flows of work, data, etc. Basically - Oracle knows the meta model of work, the meta data in work, the activities in work as they are expressed through all the applications and supported processes (Note: this is the wedge issue for Oracle and collaboration - collaboration in-flow of work - just wonder why its not leveraged more vs. Microsoft and IBM)
- More platform and infrastructure discussion and management
- Sun Oracle Database Machine (leverage setup form last night - Oracle's version of an iPod re: integrated hardward/software device - maybe Oracle should call it the Oracle "dataPod" - would make a funny graphic (a person with earbuds plugged into their enterprise data...)
Run through customers, business units, verticals (PeopleSoft, Retail)
Thinking out loud - you would think that a company (i.e., Oracle) with so many business solutions would have a social media solution for their customers that extends the value of the application platforms being delivered... listening to a discussion on the retail challenge - sparked the idea that social media would fit - also, the collaboration angle - when they discuss processes, design, etc - fashion planning I imagine involves creative and community interaction which would be an interesting play for social software (blogs, wikis, social networking). The data analytics might have an interesting spin re: social network analysis and social analytics in general. Processes don't end the the outcome (as being discussed) - they end with customer interaction and the value perceived by the customer from that experience so the social angle is missing as I listen. Seems inward focused, not sure CXO's are thinking with that type of boundary. Get the portal, BI angle but portals are not a new concept in this regard.
Would have been nice for them to talk about the peering between designers - very process focused (typical Oracle) but missing the notion of building community across roles, experts, etc. Expertise location might have been a nice demo here. Processes don't get work done - people do - Oracle needs to weave in the collaborations story much more strongly and not just leave it as a portal value-add due to WebCenter.
Discussion on Trade Promotion (Siebel), gaps in linkages of promotions to supply chain, category management, etc.
"Oracle Siebel controls the customer relationship" on the slide - funny - companies are not in "control" of its relationships.
Demo shows integration between Promotions and analytics and statistical modeling. Once optimizer is finished, bi-directional push back into Siebel,
Value of pre-packaged integrations - wonder if there are open interfaces and protocols for these pre-packaged integrations.
More informative keynote than last night - just very process centric and missed opportunities to weave in the collaboration and social story - albeit a small aspect of Oracle's overall market presence - but a critical theme to not cede to Microsoft, IBM or perhaps even Cisco. Not sure the title "art of the possible" really came through - loved the concept behind the title but theme was not really strongly linked.
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