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Industry Leaders Form Consortium to Address e-Business Challenges
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2000--Compaq,
Computer Associates, Dell, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, Intel
Corporation, Microsoft Corp., SAP and others today announced the
Business Internet Consortium, a non-profit corporation that will serve
as a think-tank for generating technologies and practices designed to
address growing e-Business implementation challenges. The consortium,
which aims to bring customer and vendor e-Business technology
priorities closer together, will serve as a global industry group to
advocate the e-Business architectural directions, interoperable
building blocks and common procedures that will be the basis for
future e-Business Internet development.
Additional consortium participants include Advanced Visual
Systems, Agency.com, Bull, Cambridge Technology Partners, Commerce
One, CommerceRoute, EMC Corporation, Fourthstage, Fujitsu Siemens,
Intershop, Oculus, SAP System Integration AG, Stratus, The Beast.com,
Unigraphics, Unisys, Webridge, Zaplet and Zefer.
The consortium will be industry's first to solicit direct input
from customers on their e-Business requirements. Leading customers
joining the consortium include Capital One, Charles Schwab and Co.,
Inc., Ford Motor Company, ImageX.com and Reuters.
Workgroups to Address e-Business Challenges
The consortium is now forming special workgroups to address key
e-Business implementation issues facing today's business
decision-makers, I.T. managers and customers. Workgroup topics
include:
- Using XML and other technologies to transform traditional
business practices into e-Business practices.
- Integrating existing business systems with new e-Business
solutions and architectures.
- Improving the exchange of e-Business information over multiple
devices (mobile phones to PCs, etc.)
- Addressing latency / concurrency on Intranets.
- Establishing secure systems that don't require users to
continually log-on to systems.
Results of the working groups will be published in the form of
reference designs and white papers. Additional consortium activities
will include recommending standards and technologies (though the group
will not serve as a standards body), and suggesting the most practical
means for implementing new e-Business practices in large and small
businesses.
Addressing Explosive Growth
The Business Internet Consortium is forming at a time when the
complexity of creating e-Business solutions has never been greater. In
the last 10 years alone, the Internet economy has grown from zero to
over $100 billion. Simultaneously, e-Business has evolved through two
distinct phases: ``brochureware'' on Web sites, and developing
interactive e-Commerce. Now, global e-Business is evolving again as
companies form business-to-business links with their suppliers and
customers, calling for new solutions as e-Business traffic becomes
heavier, more critical and more complex.
For example, analyst firm Gartner Group estimates that the volume
of digitized information in the world will double every year from 2000
through 2005, an increase to thirty times today's volume (September
2000). Successfully managing the implementation of e-Business
practices and information management techniques in this environment
requires an intensive cooperative effort between companies, an
environment that the Business Internet Consortium plans to foster.
More information about the consortium and its initial projects can
be found at www.businessinternetconsortium.org.
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Quote Sheet
Business Internet Consortium
Nov. 29, 2000
Santa Clara, Calif.
Technology Providers
Advanced Visual Systems:
According to Russ Barbour, President and CEO of Advanced Visual
Systems, ``The Business Internet Consortium is certain to bring
clarity, direction, and acceleration to industry-wide issues by
serving as an influential convergence point for matters that would
otherwise not have a venue for focused discussion and action. AVS is
pleased to participate in the consortium and looks forward to making
meaningful contributions to the next generation of e-Business.''
Agency.com:
``This consortium will provide a framework to allow us to focus our
efforts toward actual user needs, while managing the growing
complexities in the architecture and deployment of technical
infrastructures. For those of us who are client-focused, this will be
crucial as Multiple Digital Channel(SM) solutions (Web, wireless and
Interactive TV) begin to play a significant role in the entire
e-Business spectrum AGENCY.COM offers our Global 1000 clients,'' said
Peter Kestenbaum, Vice President of Marketing, AGENCY.COM.
Bull:
``The Business Internet Consortium will help to provide directions
and accelerations to the availability of solutions to customers facing
new kinds of business cases linked to the Internet economy. We at Bull
are happy to join the consortium and to bring contributions as a key
provider of mission-critical systems,'' says Jean-Philippe Chiarella,
Vice President, Open Systems, Bull.
Cambridge Technology Partners:
More information on the company is available at
www.cambridgetechnologypartners.com.
Commerce One:
``Commerce One is delighted to work with leading companies through
the Business Internet Consortium to foster new ideas for e-Business
and create new opportunities for dialogue with customers,'' said Kevin
Schick, vice president of product marketing for Commerce One. ``As a
leader in bringing the world's business commerce to the World Wide
Web, Commerce One is committed to working with customers and with
other business leaders to address the issues that are crucial in the
growth of global e-Business.''
CommerceRoute:
``As a leading provider of business-to-business commerce and data
integration solutions, CommerceRoute is proud to participate in the
Business Internet Consortium and looks forward to making meaningful
contributions to the future of e-Business,'' said Carlos Mendez,
CommerceRoute's Vice President of Business Development. ``We feel the
consortium is uniquely positioned to bring clarity and direction to
industry-wide issues by serving as an influential convergence point
for focused discussion and action.''
Compaq:
``Compaq is pleased to join with other industry leaders in the
Business Internet Consortium,'' said Ron Eller, Vice President,
Industry Standard Solutions Group Solutions & Strategy, Compaq
Computer Corporation. ``Our insight into customers reveals that
technology is not an end unto itself but a means to inspire businesses
and individuals to reach their full potential. We believe the Business
Internet Consortium will provide a valuable forum for discussion of
industry-wide issues, enabling businesses of all sizes to better
utilize the Internet for business advantage.''
Computer Associates International:
``The time is ripe for a practical e-Business thinktank to emerge,''
said Larry Acord, Director of Strategic Business Alliances for
Computer Associates. ``The extremely rapid evolution of e-Business
technology can be as much of a problem for customers as a blessing,
unless the leading developers of that technology can bring some
coherence to the market through collaboration and cooperation. The
Business Internet Consortium is a great forum for this much-needed
collaboration, and -- as a leading developer of e-Business management
and intelligence solutions -- CA is delighted to participate in this
important industry-wide initiative.''
Dell:
``Dell continues to add the equivalent of a Fortune 500 company to
its business each quarter with approximately $50 million of that
coming through www.dell.com on a daily basis,'' said Karl Chen,
director of worldwide marketing for Dell's Enterprise and Storage
Systems Groups. ``As a member of the Business Internet Consortium, we
plan to offer our expertise on how our customers can build scalable,
reliable infrastructures with industry standard components to support
their e-Businesses.''
EMC:
More information on the company is available at www.emc.com.
Fourthstage:
``Fourthstage Technologies recognizes that as the true advantage of
business via the Internet becomes a reality, services oriented
applications architectures will be a critical component to the future
of e-Business. As a participant in the Business Internet Consortium,
Fourthstage Technologies will focus its efforts on accelerating the
development of these services building blocks for the advancement of
e-Business architecture.''
Fujitsu Siemens Computers:
``Fujitsu Siemens Computers strongly believes that the Business
Internet Consortium will be an important convergence point for
comprehensive discussion and action in the context of new technologies
for e-Business. As the leading European platform provider, we are
pleased to participate in this initiative and we are looking forward
to providing contributions that reflect our strategic focus areas:
mobility and business critical computing,'' said Dr. Bernd Kosch,
Director, Strategic Partner Marketing.
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HWP):
``The Business Internet Consortium is the unified voice of the
suppliers,'' said Eric Buatois, general manager of strategy and
marketing for HP's Software and Solutions Organization. ``HP's active
participation in the Consortium is another proof-point in our
commitment to build a software infrastructure business. We continue to
promote interoperability and open standards as seen in the recent
acquisition of Bluestone Software to fill out HP's software portfolio
with XML-based solutions.''
IBM:
``IBM's participation in the Business Internet Consortium reflects
our commitment to empowering customers through support of
standards-based technology that addresses the interoperability and
integration issues crucial to global e-Business adoption,'' said Marie
L. Wieck, vice president, software strategy, IBM Corp. ``This effort
represents a forum for sharing ideas for solutions to universal
business challenges, and we welcome the support and involvement of
other IT vendors to ensure its success.''
Intel:
``Implementing e-Business solutions worldwide requires a massive
cooperative effort -- the likes of which the industry hasn't witnessed
in the past,'' said Will Swope, vice president, Intel Solutions
Enabling Group. ``Vendors, customers, business decision makers and I.T.
managers must all work together in an open computing model, one that
promotes the use of flexible computing solutions to support future
Internet economy growth. The Business Internet Consortium will embody
this ideal as it serves as a neutral convergence point for the
industry and provides guidance on the technology, procedures and
solutions that will make e-Business pervasive and powerful around the
globe.''
Intershop:
According to the Senior VP Business Development, Karsten
Schneider, ``The Business Internet Consortium is certain to bring
clarity, direction, and acceleration to industry-wide issues by
serving as an influential convergence point for matters that would
otherwise not have a venue for focused discussion and action.
Intershop is pleased to participate in the consortium and looks
forward to making meaningful contributions to the future of
e-Business.''
Microsoft:
``The next generation of Internet technologies offer tremendous
opportunities for our industry partners and customers to create
businesses that are agile and profitable,'' said Jim Ewel, vice
president of Windows Server Marketing for Microsoft. ``As a founding
sponsor of the Business Internet Consortium, Microsoft is committed to
being a part of this new organization, which is designed to help
overcome the challenges of doing business on the Internet and to
provide direction for future e-Commerce integration and development.''
Oculus Technology Corporation:
``Industry collaboration through the Business Internet Consortium
will accelerate the next generation of e-Business solutions to vastly
improve the efficiencies and capabilities of business today,'' said
Chris Williams, President and CEO of Oculus Technologies Corporation.
``Oculus' secure peer-to-peer integrated application environment is
doing just that by enabling the design and development of better
products at lower costs for a faster time to market. We share in the
goals of the BIC initiative and believe collectively we can better the
future of e-Business.''
SAP:
``The Business Internet Consortium reinforces SAP's approach to
e-Business. With mySAP.com, SAP integrates its extensive business and
industry expertise into a comprehensive platform of e-Business
solutions, services, and technology that is open and flexible,
supporting databases, applications, operating systems, and hardware
from almost every major vendor. With this approach, SAP clearly
recognizes the needs and challenges of business decision-makers and IT
Managers when it comes to implementing e-Business solutions. We are
pleased to be a founding member and to be working with the Business
Internet Consortium to address these challenges,'' said Franz-Josef
Fritz, Vice President, Application Integration, SAP AG.
Stratus:
``The most effective customer-centric solutions for
third-generation e-Commerce will be constructed of compatible building
blocks, from many companies with a shared vision for the future,'' said
David Flawn, VP of Business Development. ``Stratus is pleased to
contribute its expertise in fault-tolerant technology and
mission-critical computing to the effort as a member of the Business
Internet Consortium.''
The Beast.com:
``The Beast.com is proud to be an active participant in the
Business Internet Consortium, said Carl Carrie, president. ''As a
leading provider of e-Commerce enabling solutions for the financial
services, we believe that the timing for this 'thinktank' is critical
for the success of future e-Business initiatives.``
More information is available at www.thebeast.com.
Unigraphics:
``The Business Internet Consortium will serve as an influential
focal point for many industry-wide Internet issues,'' says Chuck
Grindstaff, Vice President of Products and Operations for Unigraphics
Solutions Inc. ``Using the experience gained from our e-engineering,
e-factory and collaborative product commerce initiatives, Unigraphics
Solutions looks forward to participating in the Consortium and
contributing towards the future of e-Business applications for product
development and manufacturing.''
Unisys:
``The Internet is creating opportunities for consumers and
companies at a breathtaking pace. But change is coming so rapidly that
we all too often find ourselves in an online Tower of Babel,'' said
Unisys Chairman and CEO Lawrence A. Weinbach. ``The promise and the
mission of the Business Internet Consortium is to bring customers
together with companies like ours to rationalize the net environment
so we all can accomplish more. That's what we at Unisys strive to do
everyday for our customers, and this initiative will make it easier
for all parties to win at the e-Business game.''
Webridge:
``Webridge is delighted and privileged to help lead the Business
Internet Consortium in driving customer-centric Collaborative Commerce
solutions. Let's start kicking the cobwebs out of old ideas and bring
fresh thinking to creating a new Business Internet Model,'' said Gary
Whitney, Webridge VP of Marketing.
Zaplet:
``Our involvement in the Business Internet Consortium demonstrates
Zaplet, Inc.'s commitment to helping customers enhance business
productivity and commerce by capitalizing on the next generation of
e-Business technologies,'' said Julie Welch, vice president, Marketing
for Zaplet, Inc. ``By uniting leading vendors across the computing
landscape, this effort will facilitate the development of
interoperable technologies and practices to help our customers ensure
the success of their e-Business initiatives.''
Zefer:
``The next generation of Internet applications will be delivered as
a set of services, accessible from a wide variety of devices, and
highly personalized for a particular user and the context within which
they are using the application,'' said Richard Barnwell, CTO, ZEFER.
``As a founding member of the Business Internet Consortium, ZEFER will
help facilitate the creation of this next generation of Internet
applications.''
Customers
Capital One:
More information on the company is available at
www.capitalone.com.
Charles Schwab:
``Technology is central to our ability to execute our business and
deliver the best possible service to our customers. Schwab uses
technology to deliver a full service investing experience to millions
of customers through a network of 373 branch offices and five customer
service centers, email and wireless trading services, speech
recognition and touch-tone telephone technologies, and of course one
of the largest e-Commerce sites on the Web,'' said Neal Goldstein,
Senior Vice President, Architecture and Planning for Charles Schwab &
Co., Inc. ``Having a neutral clearinghouse like the Business Internet
Consortium where we can work collaboratively with leading vendors on
critical issues and establish new solutions that will drive e-Commerce
will prove invaluable to our customers.'' Regulatory compliance:
1000-11051.
Ford Motor Company:
More information on the company is available at www.ford.com.
ImageX.com:
More information on the company is available at www.imagex.com.
Reuters:
According to Mike Sayers, Reuters Chief Technology Officer, ``The
goals of the Business Internet Consortium are consistent with the
vision of Reuters, which is to make financial markets really work on
the Internet for our customers. Reuters has always delivered its news
and financial products utilizing the leading edge technologies of the
day. By participating in the consortium, Reuters can help shape the
e-Business technologies and strategies that will affect our clients in
the future. The consortium will add a level of clarity to the future
of e-Business by proposing best practices, standards and architectural
direction. Reuters looks forward to being a contributor to this much
needed effort.''
More information on the company is available at www.reuters.com.
Note to Editors: Third party marks and brands are property of
their respective holders.
Contact:
for Advanced Visual Systems
Christina Ward, 505/843-6873
media@musetech.com
www.avs.com
or
AGENCY.COM
Lee Foley Race, 212/358-2676
lrace@agency.com
www.agency.com
or
Bull
Paul Miller, +33 1 30 80 70 91
p.miller@frcl.bull.com
www.bull.com
or
Commerce One
Julie Clark, 925/520-5970
julie.clark@commerceone.com
www.commerceone.com
or
Schwartz Communications (for CommerceRoute)
Christopher Rivers or Ronald Campbell, 415/512-0770
www.commerceroute.com
or
Compaq
Theresa Parenteau, 281/518-8342
theresa.parenteau@compaq.com
www.compaq.com
or
Computer Associates International
Alexandra Levit, 631/342-2836
alexandra.levit@ca.com
www.ca.com
or
for Dell
Bruce Eric Anderson, 512/723-0975
www.dell.com
or
Fourthstage
Sherri Dosen, 602/776-0883
www.fourthstage.com
or
Fujitsu Siemens
Dr. Herbert Schweikl, ++49-89-636-41932
herbert.schweikl@fujitsu-siemens.com
www.fujitsu-siemens.com
or
HP
Nam LaMore, 408/447-8782
nam_lamore@hp.com
www.hp.com
or
IBM
Michael Rowinski, 212/745-6509
rowinski@us.ibm.com
www.software.ibm.com
or
Intel
Seth Walker, 503/264-2190
seth.walker@intel.com
www.intel.com/pressroom
or
Intershop
Claudia Mangel, +49-0-40-23709-431 or +49-0-40-23709-112
www.intershop.com
or
Microsoft
Whitney Whiton, 425/703-9962
whitneyw@microsoft.com
www.microsoft.com
or
Schwartz Communications (for Oculus)
Jonathan Rodgers, 781/684-0770
jrodgers@schwartz-pr.com
or
SAP
Laurie Doyle Kelly, 49 6227 7 63116
Laurie.Doyle.Kelly@SAP.com.
www.sap.com
or
Stratus
Ken Donoghue, 978/461-7269
ken_donoghue@stratus.com
www.stratus.com
or
Unigraphics
Jim Phelan, 314/344-5290
www.ugsolutions.com
or
Unisys
Martin Krempasky, 215/986-4788
martin.krempasky@unisys.com
www.unisys.com
or
Webridge
Wendy Abeel, 503/601-4527
wendy.abeel@webridge.com
www.webridge.com
or
Outcast (for Zaplet)
Lynne Krilich, 415/392-8282
lynne@outcastpr.com
www.zaplet.com
or
ZEFER
Sara Buda, 617/245-6014
sbuda@zefer.com
www.zefer.com
or
Charles Schwab
John Sommerfield, 415/667-3933
john.sommerfield@schwab.com
www.schwab.com
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