IDC's SaaS and Cloud Software research examines the opportunity, customer demand criteria, and business success characteristics for the creation of SaaS and cloud services and the delivery of SaaS. This service identifies the operational strategies for building and selling all types of service-enabled software along with optimal go-to-market and management strategies. Analysis of the disruptive forces impacting customer demand and vendor business models is also provided, along with the software and services view of the cloud, with more specific detail and data than is found in IDC's Cloud Services: Global Overview program. New software-related constructs from the world of cloud, such as application marketplaces, are also a core part of this program's research.

• SaaS-enablement strategies for packaged software ISVs
• Customer adoption trends and preferences, drivers, and inhibitors
• SaaS provider issues, including projected opportunity and business/delivery model strategies
• Market optimization strategies such as SaaS enablement, third-party hosting, and partnering methods
• Global SaaS opportunity forecast and analysis
• SaaS adoption drivers, inhibitors, and customer preferences
• The transition from traditional software creation and distribution to cloud-based platforms and marketplaces
• Partner and channel strategies for SaaS providers
• SaaS provider software, service, and operational strategies

• Worldwide SaaS Delivery Model Forecasts
• SaaS Competitive Analysis of Top Vendors
• SaaS Adoption Strategies
• Business Models for Cloud Software
• Enterprise Applications Marketplaces
• The Economics of Delivering SaaS and Cloud Software

In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct research on specific topics or emerging market segments via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment.

1. Where do SaaS and cloud intersect? How can vendors and customers prosper from a better understanding of how SaaS providers can be cloud service providers?
2. What are best practices in sales, marketing, business operations, R&D, billing, infrastructure operations, branding, and so forth for traditional software vendors to service enable their traditional software and become "hybrid" vendors?
3. How can software vendors and ecosystem players use SaaS to help meet the needs of customers?
4. What are the dominant and emerging service creation models for SaaS in the market today? How do these providers utilize a cloud infrastructure?
5. What are the use cases for SaaS providers to source and consume other lower-level infrastructure services and higher-level BP services to serve their customers?
6. What SaaS channel strategies are emerging? Are there any challenges to SaaS channel agreements?

IDC's SaaS and Cloud Software research analyzes the strategies, positioning, and future directions of major providers delivering or helping to accelerate the adoption of SaaS. A representative list of these providers may include:

Accenture, ACS, Adobe, ADP, Akamai Technologies, Amazon.com, Apptix, Ariba, AT&T, Autodesk, Avaya, Axentis, Blackboard, BMC, Business Objects, CaseCentral, CA Technologies, CenturyLink, Cisco, Citrix Online, CollabNet, Compuware, Concur, CSC, Dell, Digital Insight, Digital River, Dimension Data, EMC, Fujitsu, Google Enterprise, HP, IBM, Intacct, Intel, Intralinks, Intraware, Intuit, Jamcracker, Ketera, Kintexa, Lawson, Macrovision, McAfee, Microsoft, NaviSite, NetSuite, Nokia, OpSource, Oracle, Parallels, Peopleclick, Progress Software, Qualys, Rackspace, Sage, salesforce.com, SAP, Savvis, Service-Now, Sprint, SPS Commerce, SuccessFactors, SugarCRM, Sun, Symantec, Taleo, UltimateSoftware, Verio, Verizon, VMware, Vocus, Workday, Workscape, Workstream, XyEnterprise, and Zoho.

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Whether you are a technology buyer or provider, IDC Insights' research translates today's global end-user requirements and trends into business opportunities for your organization. With dedicated businesses targeting energy, financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail, IDC provides unmatched integration of global technology and vertical industry expertise to deliver industry-specific customer intelligence that gives clients a powerful business advantage.

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