SAP data management

Predicting the next move in the predictive analytics software market

This week’s big news was IBM’s SPSS acquisition. We’ve been assured by SAP that it won’t affect its partnership with SPSS. SAP BusinessObjects sells predictive analytics through an OEM agreement for the SPSS PASW Modeler.

“IBM’s a great partner,” SAP exec Bill McDermott said in an interview. “There’s no reason we wouldn’t continue to work with SPSS in those areas.”

Plus, in a statement released after the SPSS acquisition, SAP said it sells a number of predictive and statistical analytic tools, including Analysis Process Designer integrated in SAP Business Warehouse and CRM applications. It also pointed to its recent acquisition of SAF AG, which is helping retail customers improve forecasting and replenishment.

“I think SAP has the lead,” McDermott said. “Others are acquiring to play catch-up.”

But analysts like Forrester Research’s James Kobielus think that for SAP’s analytics stack to be “primo,” like IBM’s, SAP still has to acquire or develop its own predictive analytics software. Information Builders, MicroStrategy and even Microsoft will likely be looking to do the same, according to an article by my colleague Jeff Kelly on SearchDataManagement.com.

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