Press release:

IBM Redefines Social Business with the Power of Analytics

Fortune 100 Clients Tout Returns on Social Investments

Tab navigation

• News release
• Related XML feeds

• Contact(s) information
• Related resources

ARMONK, N.Y. - 12 Sep 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled new software and services that bring the power of big data analytics into the hands of today's social savvy workforce anytime, anywhere. Now, organizations can apply analytics to their social business initiatives, allowing them to gain actionable insight on information generated on networks and put it to work in real-time.

As part of today's news, IBM is announcing the availability of its industry-leading social software platform, IBM Connections. IBM Connections incorporates sophisticated analytics capabilities, real-time data monitoring, and faster collaborative networks both inside and outside the organization, whether on premises, in the IBM SmartCloud or using a broad range of mobile devices. View the demo today.

In support of today's news, IBM also announced leading companies around the globe, including Bayer MaterialScience, Colgate-Palmolive Company, LeasePlan, Primerica andTeach for America, are using its social software to achieve real returns on their social business investments.

Today's news builds on IBM's leadership in social software and analytics. For three consecutive years, IDC ranked IBM number one in enterprise social software. Today, more than 60 percent of the Fortune 100 have licensed IBM social software to activate their workforce to improve productivity, and gain insight on data to anticipate individual customers needs. IBM's leadership role in analytics has been established through a thoughtful strategy that required the expansion of R&D, acquisition and business initiatives across its hardware software and services portfolio.

The rise of social media is prompting business leaders, from the CMO to the chief HR officer to the CIO, to evaluate how to create opportunities that drive business transformation through the use of social technology, creating real business value. According to Forrester Research, the market opportunity for social enterprise apps is expected to grow at a rate of 61 percent through 2016*.

At the same time, business leaders lack the tools to gain insight into the enormous stream of information and use it in a meaningful way.  According to IBM's CEO Study,  today only 16 percent of CEOs are using social business platforms to connect with customers, but that number is poised to spike to 57 percent within the next three to five years. A recent IBM study of more than 1,700 chief marketing officers reveals 82 percent plan to increase their use of social media over the next three to five years.

"To truly realize the full potential of a social business, leaders need to empower a company's most vital asset - the information being generated from its people," said Alistair Rennie, general manager, social business, IBM. "Now is the time for business leaders to embed social into their key business processes to shift their business from the era of 'liking' to 'leading'."

Global Ecosystem Touting Returns on Social Investments

Today, more than 60 percent of the Fortune 100 have licensed IBM social software. There is strong demand for IBM's social business platform in regulated industries, with 41 percent of Connections 4 beta participants in banking, finance and healthcare institutions. 

For example, Primerica, a leading distributor of financial products in North America, will utilize Connections and WebSphere Portal, to transform how its agents engage with its 2.3 million policy holders on the fly, to provide increased value for its customers. The company plans to use social business software to improve the overall client experience, drive competitive edge and stay on the forefront of innovation in the financial services industry.

LeasePlan, one of the leading vehicle leasing and fleet management companies in the world, is using IBM's social software platform across the organization's 40 subsidiaries, in 30 countries and over 6,000 employees. With nearly 800 communities formed, 400 blogs, and over 800 forums, the platform has become an integral component to business operations for the organization, increasing efficiency, enhancing knowledge retention, increasing innovation, and helping to improve customer care and insight. By socially enabling its business processes with IBM's social platform, the organization is seeing significant improvements in workforce effectiveness.

"By collaborating with IBM we've been able to transform our business processes. Our internal social network allows employees to find experts faster, leading to better customer service, superior workforce effectiveness, and enhanced product and service innovation," said Wim de Gier, Senior Global Project Manager Corporate Strategy and Development, LeasePlan. "It's allowing us to transform our organization into a social business."

To support the burgeoning demand for social business solutions in growth markets, in the fourth quarter of 2012 IBM will open two social business customer support centers to serve IBM's Asia-Pacific and Latin American clients. Located in Manilla, the Philippines, and Sao Paolo, Brazil, these centers will support the rapid adoption of social business tools in these growth markets. The Philippines and Brazil centers join a roster of IBM social business centers in North America, Dublin, Japan, China and India.

IBM's growing business partner network of more than 39,000 business partners are bringing new, cutting-edge capabilities to IBM's social platform every day in areas including gamification, video, compliance, project management and mobility. For example, Actianceprovides leading compliance capabilities to thousands of organizations globally, SugarCRMhelps sellers use social networking and analytics for effective selling, and Bunchball provides gamification capabilities to IBM Connections.

IBM Connections, a cornerstone of IBM's social platform

Available on premises, in the cloud, and on a broad range of mobile devices, IBM Connections integrates activity streams, calendaring, wikis, blogs, a new email capability, and more, and flags relevant data for action. It allows for instant collaboration with one simple click and the ability to build social, secure communities both inside and outside the organization to increase customer loyalty and speed business results. The new Connections mail capability provides simplified access to email within the context of the social networking environment.

Now, organizations can integrate and analyze massive amounts of data generated from people, devices and sensors and more easily align these insights to business processes to make faster, more accurate business decisions. By gaining deeper insights in customer and market trends and employees' sentiment, businesses can uncover critical patterns to not only react swiftly to market shifts, but predict the effect of future actions.

"I am thoroughly enjoying the ability to engage with a variety of employees through micro-blogging," said Patrick Thomas, CEO, Bayer MaterialScience. "I can get information out quickly, but even more importantly I can encourage two way communication and stimulate an open communication culture by breaking through barriers."

The new capabilities empower employees from every line of business, such as marketing, human resources and development to gain actionable insight into the information being generated in their social networks. 

For example, the Connections landing page features a single location that allows users to view and interact with content from any third party solution through a social interface, right alongside their company's content, including email and calendar. The embedded experience of the news feed, also known as an activity stream, allows employees from any department inside an organization to explore structured and unstructured data such as Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, weather data, videos, log files, SAP applications, electronically sign documents, and quickly act on the data as part of their everyday work experience.

To learn more about IBM's social business initiative, participate in a simulcast on September 13, 2012 at  1 PM ET at bit.ly/Pn9sqd or sign-up to attend IBM's Connect conference in January 2013.

For more information, please visit www.ibm.com/press/socialbusiness.

*Source: Social Enterprise Apps Redefine Collaboration," Forrester Research, Inc., November 30, 2011.

Press release:

IBM to Acquire Kenexa To Bolster Social Business Initiatives

Tab navigation

• News release
• Related XML feeds

• Contact(s) information

ARMONK, N.Y. - 27 Aug 2012:  IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Kenexa Corporation (NYSE: KNXA) today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for IBM to acquire Kenexa, a publicly held company headquartered in Wayne, Pa., in a cash transaction at a price of $46 per share, or at a net price of approximately $1.3 billion.

The acquisition bolsters IBM's leadership in helping clients embrace social business capabilities while gaining actionable insights from the enormous streams of information generated from social networks every day.

Kenexa, a leading provider of recruiting and talent management solutions, brings a unique combination of Cloud-based technology and consulting services that integrates both people and processes, providing solutions to engage a smarter, more effective workforce across their most critical business functions.

Kenexa complements IBM's strategy of bringing relevant data and expertise into the hands of business leaders within every functional department, from sales and marketing to product development and human resources. As a result of this synergy, clients will be able to attract and develop the right skills to build the right teams, for the right projects, the first time.

The adoption of social business technology is supporting the growth of big data and the need for analytics in the enterprise. A recent global IBM study revealed that 57 percent of CEOs identified social business as a top priority and more than 73 percent are making significant investments to draw insights into available data.

The survey also reveals that 70 percent cite human capital as the single biggest contributor to sustained economic value. The combined strengths of IBM and Kenexa are key differentiators at a time when organizations of all sizes are looking to increase workforce efficiencies and gain more insight from their business information.  

Social media has pervaded the lives of consumers, helping them connect with each other in new ways. However, a shift is occurring in the enterprise as business leaders look for ways to generate real value through the use of social technologies to evolve their front-line business operations. According to Forrester Research, the market opportunity for social enterprise apps is expected to grow at a rate of 61 percent through 2016.*

"Every company, across every business operation, is looking to tap into the power of social networking to transform the way they work, collaborate and out innovate their competitors," said Alistair Rennie, general manager, social business, IBM. "IBM is uniquely positioned to help clients generate real returns from their social business investments, while helping them gain intelligence into the data being generated in these networks to be more competitive in their markets."

"The customer is the big winner in all this because the combination of our two organizations will deliver more business outcomes than ever before," said Rudy Karsan, chief executive officer, Kenexa. "Together, Kenexa and IBM will be unmatched in the industry, offering solutions that extend from strategy to the technology platform to the delivery of services for clients."

Today, Kenexa supports more than 8,900 customers across a variety of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, retail and consumer, including more than half of the Fortune 500.

With Kenexa's world-class front-office process solutions, IBM will be able to offer strategic consulting, a social technology platform, and expertise on a global scale to help clients enable a smarter workforce and gain a competitive advantage in any market. By creating a smarter workforce, employees can resolve problems before they arise to improve customer service, drive innovation to bring products and services to market faster, and increase sales by building new skills -- linking the right experts to the right clients.

The Kenexa acquisition will complement IBM's social business and HR business servicesleadership. More than 60 percent of Fortune 100 companies have licensed IBM's solutions for social business. Through its combination of social software, analytics, content management, and deep industry expertise, IBM is uniquely positioned to help organizations capture information, create insights and generate interactions that translate into real business value.

With operations in 21 countries worldwide, Kenexa has approximately 2,800 employees. Consistent with its strategy, IBM plans to continue to support Kenexa clients and enhance Kenexa technologies while allowing these organizations to take advantage of the broader IBM portfolio.

IBM expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2012, subject to Kenexa shareholder and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

About IBM
For more information visit www.ibm.com.

*Source: Social Enterprise Apps Redefine Collaboration," Forrester Research, Inc., November 30, 2011.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this communication regarding the proposed transaction between IBM and Kenexa, the expected timetable for completing the transaction, benefits and synergies of the transaction, future opportunities for the combined company and products and any other statements regarding IBM and Kenexa's future expectations, beliefs, goals, or prospects constitute forward-looking statements made within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and (collectively, forward-looking statements). Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions) should also be considered forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including the parties' ability to consummate the transaction; the conditions to the completion of the transaction, including the receipt of shareholder approval, court approval or the regulatory approvals required for the transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule; the parties' ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the transaction; the possibility that the parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in the arrangement within the expected time-frames or at all and to successfully integrate Kenexa's operations into those of IBM; such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the transaction; the retention of certain key employees of Kenexa may be difficult; IBM and Kenexa are subject to intense competition and increased competition is expected in the future; fluctuations in foreign currencies could result in transaction losses and increased expenses; the volatility of the international marketplace; and the other factors described in IBM's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and in its most recent quarterly report filed with the SEC, and Kenexa's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and in its most recent quarterly report filed with the SEC. IBM and Kenexa assume no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed acquisition of Kenexa by IBM. In connection with the proposed acquisition, Kenexa intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including Kenexa's proxy statement in preliminary and definitive form. SHAREHOLDERS OF KENEXA ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING KENEXA'S DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents free of charge at the SEC's web site, http://www.sec.gov. Documents will also be available for free from Kenexa by contacting Kenexa Investor Relations at (866) 888-8121 or Kenexa IR InvestorRelations@kenexa.com. Such documents are not currently available.

Participants in Solicitation

IBM and its directors and executive officers, and Kenexa and its directors and executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Kenexa common shares in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of IBM is set forth in the proxy statement for IBM's 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 12, 2012. Information about the directors and executive officers of Kenexa is set forth in the proxy statement for Kenexa's 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 3, 2012. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interest of such participants by reading the definitive proxy statement regarding the acquisition when it becomes available.

Tampa Educators, Students to Benefit From New Microsoft Digital Education Initiative With City, Hillsborough County Public Schools

Press release:

Tampa Educators, Students to Benefit From New Microsoft Digital Education Initiative With City, Hillsborough County Public Schools

Aug. 10, 2012

Tampa Mayor Buckhorn designates Aug. 11 “Back to School With Microsoft” Day; technology training for 500 educators to support student success.

inShare

TAMPA, Fla. — Aug. 10, 2012 — With the goal of preparing local students for the opportunities of tomorrow’s economy, Microsoft Corp. is working with the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) to implement a strategic digital education initiative across the region. On Saturday, Aug. 11, a “Back to School With Microsoft” event will kick off the activities to train more than 500 local educators as part of the effort to modernize in-classroom teaching with Microsoft technologies, boost students’ technology skills, and emphasize the value of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning in preparation for 21st century careers. 

“As one of the largest school districts in the nation, Hillsborough County is taking a leading role in extending high-tech skills training and new educational tools to its community of teachers and students,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Gerard Robinson. “This strategic relationship with Microsoft will help us equip future generations with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in tomorrow’s economy as we roll out Microsoft IT Academy Program offerings to more than 214 schools throughout our state.”

This collaboration with the City of Tampa and HCPS is part of Microsoft’s efforts to help prepare youth for the jobs of tomorrow. In the current economy, science and technology continue to drive innovation while creating jobs, yet a growing number of today’s students face an opportunity divide — a growing gap between those who have the access, skills and opportunities to be successful and those who do not.

Florida’s First Districtwide IT Academy

HCPS is participating in Florida’s pilot implementation of the Microsoft IT Academy Program,which provides a complete IT education solution that bridges the world of education with the world of work. Together with Microsoft and the Florida Department of Education, HCPS will roll out the IT Academy Program across its 27 high schools and 18 middle schools as a STEM-focused elective for students in the upcoming 2012–2013 school year. 

“The Microsoft IT Academy fits perfectly with our goal of preparing our students for careers in the 21st century,” said MaryEllen Elia, Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent. “This is a wonderful partnership that will benefit our teachers and our students, and I’m grateful to Microsoft and the City of Tampa for their commitment.”

Beginning with the Aug. 11 “Back to School With Microsoft” technology showcase, more than 500 HCPS teachers in attendance will have access to 60 professional development sessions that show how Microsoft technologies can be used to support education goals and interactive learning in the classroom. Development sessions range from using Kinect for Xbox 360 in education to supporting rapid e-learning.

With the IT Academy training, educators get professional development so they can stay abreast of the latest Microsoft technologies and easily integrate these technologies into their existing curriculum and lesson plans to meet the individual learning needs of their students. Educators can build their own success, as well as earn certifications ranging from becoming a Microsoft Innovative Educator to the ITA certifications that dive more deeply in specific Microsoft technologies taught through the IT Academy courses. 

Through the IT Academy Program, students will have access to hundreds of Web-based e-learning courses and receive hands-on experience with the latest Microsoft software and programs, giving them an edge to gaining job-ready skills and industry credentials while still in school. 

Shaping Tampa’s Future

Microsoft is committed to the Tampa Bay region, particularly to support efforts that will help youth realize new opportunities. Through Microsoft’s long-term work with the people and organizations of the Tampa Bay region, a number of training, education and community programs are surfacing, which include these:

• A pilot program that will feature the use of Kinect consoles in a dozen HCPS classrooms which will establish the use of interactive, gesture-based learning.
• The DigiGirlz education program will provide local middle and high school girls with the opportunity to learn about careers in technology, connect with Microsoft employees, and participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops. Over the past 12 years, DigiGirlz has reached 19,000 girls in more than 20 states and 17 countries.
• Kodu programming and game-development technology will be incorporated into the HCPS curriculum, helping students develop IT skills by creating games on the PC and Xbox using the simple, visual programming language designed for use by children.

“We’re thrilled to work with the City of Tampa and HCPS to bring the best technologies to area educators to help students realize their full potential,” said Marietta Davis, general manager for Microsoft’s Southeast District. “This is yet another important partnership we’ve formed as part of our commitment to help create positive and lasting impacts in the metropolitan areas in which we live and work. In the Tampa region, our commitment starts with schools and students.”

In addition to Microsoft’s work with Tampa on these education and community outreach initiatives, Microsoft has also worked with the city on a variety of other programs aimed at making a real impact in the region. Notably, Microsoft recently teamed up with the Tampa Police Department on a jointly funded public safety initiative aimed at modernizing the department’s systems used for crime analysis, reporting and reduction, which included an investment in Microsoft SharePoint and SQL Server technologies. 

Microsoft has also joined the board of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a public-private organization supporting economic growth and development in the region, and recently made a $25,000 commitment to the organization and its programs.

Youth Engagement at National Political Conventions

Microsoft is also working with National Journal and The Atlantic to host a “Conversations With the Next Generation” town hall on Wednesday, Aug. 29, at The Improv Theater in Ybor. The one-of-a-kind event will feature political leaders, policy experts and journalists who will engage in a dialogue with younger Americans and students about the critical issues they face. 

Notable Tampa participants include Superintendent Elia and youth leaders such as Brian Goff, student body president, University of South Florida-Tampa. National participants include Chelsea Clinton, George P. Bush and Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill. Microsoft will also sponsor a sister event at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

These conversations are part of Microsoft’s commitment to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential. Microsoft’s citizenship mission is to globally serve the needs of communities and fulfill its responsibilities to the public. Microsoft programs have a focus on helping youth and young adults around the world obtain the skills they need, and connect them to greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship. Microsoft has the unique ability, through technology and partnerships, to make education and learning more accessible and more engaging for these young people.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Waste Mgt. Named to Ethisphere's 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies

Waste Management Named to Ethisphere’s 2012 World’s Most Ethical Companies for the Fifth Consecutive Year

Award recognizes exceptional ethical leadership across continents and industries

HOUSTON – March 16, 2012 – Waste Management (NYSE: WM) has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, the leading business ethics think-tank, as one of the 2012 World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies. This is the fifth year the company has been honored for promoting the highest of ethical standards. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, WM secured a spot on the list by implementing and maintaining business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to the company’s success, benefit the community and raise the bar for ethical standards within the industry. 

“It is an honor to be recognized by Ethisphere for our strong corporate culture that values ethics, diversity and sustainability,” said David Steiner, chief executive officer and president of WM. “As an industry leader we strive to operate in a way that contributes to the success of our business and the communities we serve. I believe it is our responsibility to make positive change for the environment and for society.” 

This is the sixth year Ethisphere has published the WME rankings. Ethisphere reviewed hundreds of companies and evaluated a record number of applications utilizing its propriety methodology through in-depth research and multi-step analysis, naming the companies that surpassed their industry peers to this year’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list. The 2012 list features companies in more than three dozen industries, including 40 companies headquartered outside the United States. 

The methodology for the WME ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers. 

“A strong ethical foundation is a competitive advantage, and WM recognizes the important role corporate responsibility plays in improving its bottom line,” said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. “As more and more organizations strive for this honor each year, WM’s inclusion as a World’s Most Ethical Company for 2012 demonstrates its industry-leading commitment to ethics and dedication to integrity.” 

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2012 World’s Most Ethical Companies at http://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical-companies-rankings/.

About Ethisphere Institute

The research-based Ethisphere^® Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World’s Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures that include: Ethics Inside^® Certification, Compliance Leader Verification™ and Anti-Corruption Program Verification™. The Institute’s premier membership group, the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance™, is a business ethics forum that includes more than 100 leading corporations, universities and institutions that collectively leverage their experience, expertise and innovative ways to address emerging compliance challenges. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found atwww.ethisphere.com. 

About Waste Management

Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also one of the largest residential recyclers and a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com.

A Renewed Multilateral Effort to Protect East European Banks

Excerpt from an article in

The New York Times

Thursday, March 15, 2012

A Renewed Multilateral Effort to Protect East European Banks

By JACK EWING FRANKFURT — A group of officials and bankers who helped prevent Eastern Europe from being thrown into the financial crisis in 2009 has reconvened, seeking to avoid a credit squeeze and economic downturn caused by problems at parent banks in Western Europe.

The International Monetary Fund, European Commission, World Bank and other institutions this week formally revived an effort known as the Vienna Initiative, which three years ago succeeded in preventing panicked West European banks from draining capital from their subsidiaries in Eastern Europe.

Vienna Initiative 2.0, as it has been named, is concentrating on ensuring that national regulators do not work at cross purposes, inadvertently provoking a flight of capital as banks respond to pressure to reduce risk.

The first Vienna Initiative “was based on voluntary commitment by banks,” said Otilia Simkova, an analyst at the consulting firm Eurasia Group in London. “Now it seems everything is focusing on regulators.”

Banks in the euro area supply 80 percent of the foreign lending in emerging Europe, which includes countries like Poland and Hungary as well as Turkey. That means problems among euro area banks can quickly spread east.

In fact, West European banks drained $35 billion from the region in the third quarter of 2011, according to figures published this week by the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland.

A shortage of credit would undercut economic growth at a time when countries like Romania are still recovering from the last crisis.