While database vendors work their rounds in the SMB market segment, business intelligence/analytic applications is increasing as companies improve their customer retention. Middleware remains key to pursue SOA benefits. Furthermore, the developers are fast becoming a major marketing force in building mindshare and eventual customer buy-in. IDC's Asia/Pacific Application Tools Software service delivers the buying intentions of end-user organizations with regards to software tools. Its research architecture consists of regular surveys rolled out across major countries in Asia/Pacific to identify spending priorities, decision factors, and future plans. This service aims to be the essential source of information and guidance to help application tools players maximize the effectiveness of their marketing investments.

This service covers the following segments of the Application Tools Software market:

• Information and data management software
• Business intelligence and analytic applications
• Application server and integration server software
• Content management software

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• End-user spending priorities
• Future investment plans
• Purchase decision factors and vendor preference
• Adoption trends
• Market size and forecast
• Competitive analysis

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. What will the spending priorities be in the next immediate future?
2. What are the major decision factors behind the priority spending?
3. What are some of the key challenges during implementation?
4. What are the latest industry trends, and where are the market opportunities for middleware and analytics software?
5. Who are the top vendors in the region and what are their value propositions?

IDC's Asia/Pacific Application Tools Software service explores how software tools players are performing and being perceived by end users. By understanding the spending priorities of these end users, software tools vendors are able to plan their marketing messages and product enhancements more effectively. Vendors assessed include:

BEA Software, BMC Software, Borland, Business Objects, Cognos, Computer Associates, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Macromedia, Microsoft, Oracle, Progress Software, SAS Institute, Sun Microsystems, Sybase, TIBCO, Software AG, etc.

Throughout the year, this service will offer insight into the latest trends impacting the market. Potential studies include:

Application Tools Software Forecast and Analysis

Business Analytics Forecast and Analysis

Business Intelligence & Analytics Software Vendors: Mindshare Perspective

Competitive Analysis of Top 10 Information Management and Intelligence Software Vendors

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC account manager.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10 years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.