12:00 - 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time

After some tough years of low to no growth, times are looking up for the software industry. IDC forecasts the industry will achieve a worldwide compound annual growth rate of 7.8% from 2005 through 2010. But, the image of stable top-line industry growth belies the significant market challenges and business model shifts occurring today. In the absence of a clear path to high growth markets, many vendors are seeking business model advantage so they can thrive in lower-growth markets and/or mitigate risk as they seek higher growth opportunity. But how?

In this telebriefing, IDC's Software Business Strategies analysts will talk about some of the more important business trends and issues that they believe will impact software companies in 2007. Questions to be addressed in this telebriefing include:

• Will Software as a Service Marketplaces take hold, or are they a solution in search of a problem?
• What's the next evolutionary step in developing partner-to-partner networks?
• What are some potential Open Source acquisition paths for commercial vendors?

IDC's Software Business Strategies (SBS) group specializes in research on the key business model and business execution issues facing software vendors today. Analysts in the SBS group focus on: sales channels, alliances, software as a service, software pricing and licensing, intellectual property, and open source business models.

Session Speakers:

• Stephen Graham, Group Vice President, Global Software Business Strategies
• Darren Bibby, Senior Analyst, Global Software Sales Channels
• Amy Konary, Program Director, Software Pricing, Licensing, and Delivery
• Matt Lawton, Program Director, Software Business Strategies
• Erin Traudt, Research Analyst, Software as a Service

If you do not subscribe to IDC's services and would like to participate, please contact Michael Shirer at [email protected] or 508-988-7892.

Audio replays of this telebriefing are available to all registered participants the day after the event.