• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Independent Research Firm Ranks Ariba As a Leader Among eSourcing Solutions Providers; Company Recognized As a Creator and a Leader of the Space, Also As a Provider That Stands Out in Several Areas of Features and Services

Posted on: Monday, 28 November 2005, 09:00 CST

Ariba(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:ARBA), the leading spend management solutions provider, has been ranked as a leading provider of eSourcing solutions by an independent research firm. In a new report, Ariba was recognized as a the creator of and a leader in the eSourcing space and the vendor with the widest range of products and services that help companies become world-class in their sourcing processes. (The Forrester Wave(TM): eSourcing Suites, Q4 2005, Forrester Research, Inc., November 2005)

With the objective to assess the state of the market for eSourcing solutions, the report evaluated 12 vendors across 126 criteria. Ariba received top scores for its robust capabilities in sourcing activity management, market presence, and strategy. The company also received high marks for solution flexibility and ease of integration. According to the report, Ariba "provides the widest and deepest choice of (hosted solution) alternatives, from fully-managed hosted sourcing to self-service shared instance hosting and hosting of licensed software." Ariba's newly released on-demand delivery options and subscription-based pricing further expand these choices.

Ariba also received the highest rating for product and corporate strategy as well as current market presence of its sourcing solutions. The company also was cited for its recent announcement of a hosted, on-demand sourcing service aimed at the small and mid-sized business market, opening up a new growth opportunity.

"Companies differ in the approaches they take to spend management, but they all want the same thing -- savings and efficiencies that improve their competitive advantage and bottom-line results," said Lou Unkeless, senior vice president of marketing, Ariba. "Our sourcing solutions have set the standard for the market. For companies of all sizes, we provide the necessary capability, technology and services at the right level to bring more spend under management faster. That's the only way for businesses to realize the full benefits of spend management."

However, according to the report, "Buying these products and implementing them is not enough. Enterprises have to learn where to look for savings opportunities; what represents a good opportunity; how to determine who an ideal supplier would be; when to source; how to attract potential suppliers; how to balance low price against nonprice factors of quality, reliability, and service, and how to get the best overall value."

The report also states, "Through its consultants on the sourcing process and its category experts, Ariba has the resources to help companies become world-class in their sourcing process." Ariba employs more than 300 sourcing consultants and 400 commodity experts worldwide and leverages their expertise across all of its offerings.

For more information on Ariba's sourcing and spend management solutions and the value they create, please visit www.ariba.com. To access the Forrester report, "eSourcing Suites Scorecard Summary: Ariba, Forrester Research, Inc., November 2005," visit: http://www.ariba.com/learningcenter/view_page.cfm?asset_ID=219. To access the full Forrester report, "The Forrester Wave(TM): eSourcing Suites, Q4 2005," visit: http://www.ariba.com/learningcenter/view_page.cfm?asset_ID=218.

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading provider of Spend Management solutions to help companies realize rapid and sustainable bottom line results. Successful companies around the world in every industry use Ariba Spend Management(TM) software and services. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at 650-390-1000 or at www.ariba.com.

Copyright (C) 1996-2005 Ariba, Inc.

Ariba and the Ariba logo are registered trademarks of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Spend Management, Ariba Spend Management. Find it. Get it. Keep it., Ariba. This is Spend Management, Ariba Solutions Delivery, Ariba Analysis, Ariba Buyer, Ariba Category Management, Ariba Category Procurement, Ariba Contract Compliance, Ariba Contracts, Ariba Contract Management, Ariba Contract Workbench, Ariba Data Enrichment, Ariba eForms, Ariba Sourcing, Ariba Invoice, Ariba Travel & Expense, Ariba Workforce, Ariba Supplier Network, Ariba Supplier Performance Management, Ariba PunchOut, Ariba QuickSource, PO-Flip, Ariba Settlement and Ariba Spend Management Knowledge Base are trademarks or service marks of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Patents pending. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Ariba Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995: Information and announcements in this release involve Ariba's expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future and are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Ariba as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to Ariba's operating and financial results to differ materially from its current expectations include, but are not limited to: delays in development or shipment of new versions of Ariba's products and services; lack of market acceptance of Ariba's existing or future products or services; inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major competitors; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees; difficulties in assimilating acquired companies; long and unpredictable sales cycles and the deferrals of anticipated orders; declining economic conditions; inability to control costs; changes in the company's pricing or compensation policies; significant fluctuations in our stock price; the outcome of and costs associated with pending or potential future regulatory or legal proceedings; the impact of our acquisitions, including the disruption or loss of customer, business partner, supplier or employee relationships; and the level of costs and expenses incurred by Ariba as a result of such transactions. Factors and risks associated with its business, including a number of the factors and risks described above, are discussed in Ariba's Form 10-K filed December 14, 2004 and in its Form 10-Q filed August 9, 2005.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category