Cognos continues to refine the approach to corporate performance management in the region

Derek Morrison, Regional General Manager, Cognos Middle East suggested that the pace of change calls into question many of the established practices that the Gulf Region has adopted in recent years.

New implementations in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait indicate the direction being taken by Cognos. These major projects follow on from announcements of substantial Q1 and Q2 of profits this year.

"Against the backdrop of the world's tallest tower, it is clear that business today is pushing innovation and creativity to the fore. This makes business intelligence a core element in and a contributing factor to the much larger scenario set by a competitive environment," said Morrison.

Whereas business intelligence allows firms to evaluate past and present accomplishments, in ways which turn raw data into information, it has been primarily concerned with the past. In contrast, corporate performance management (CPM) can harvest BI in ways which maximize the smooth running of companies and facilitate a goal-oriented shift in corporate conduct.

Parallel to changes in the company's orientation, Cognos Middle East has overseen strategic shifts both in its partnerships and training strategies. These themes are expected to come to the fore during GITEX Technology Week 2007, one of the world's top three ICT exhibitions.

In training, the shift in emphasis from BI to CPM has meant developing teams of domain experts in both disciplines. Following the arrival of Derek Morrison in the EMEA region in September 2006, the Cognos staff has been increased fivefold and assumed greater direct responsibility for a wide range of innovative product and service deliveries.

Providing this depth of expertise is of particular benefit to the SMB sector, where employee headcount makes it wise to specialize in tightly defined software and systems. For Cognos, this depth of specialization - including BI competency - is reinforced using the Cognos Innovation Center, a globally available source of online tuition, innovative product blue prints, training and staff development.

Morrison is bullish about the opportunities presented by regional economic development. "Planning for the future will provide our customers with unmatched direct local presence, strong customer service focus and in-depth market knowledge," he said. "Our ambition is to help these businesses plan for the future themselves."