IBM Named An IDC MarketScape Leader For Business Consulting For U.S. Smarter Cities Projects

ARMONK, N.Y., Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that it has been named a leader for business consulting in Smart Cities projects in the IDC MarketScape: U.S. Business Consulting Services for Smart Cities 2013 Vendor Analysis (doc #242453, August 2013).

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With deep expertise in helping cities, IBM has worked with thousands of cities globally to help transform their systems and provide better service to citizens.

According to the IDC report, IBM's ability to help clients achieve this new agenda is supported by comprehensive IT consulting services and industry-specific IT and business solutions, such as business analytics and Big Data, social business, smarter commerce, IBM's Intelligent Operations Center for Smarter Cities platform, and IBM's enterprise application and application management services.

"Clients consider IBM the most capable of all firms at challenging corporate culture, delivering value-creating innovation, and providing functional or technical insights and competence," said Cushing Anderson, program vice president, Project Based Services - Consulting, HR and Learning, IDC. "IBM is also seen as the most capable in its ability to help clients expand into new markets or geographies, drive innovation through their organizations, and improve their operational efficiency."

"IBM continues to be recognized as a leader in the Smarter Cities market, and this latest report from IDC validates our strategy," said Michael J Dixon, PhD, general manager, IBM Smarter Cities. "Around the world, innovative city leaders are embracing IBM technology to improve outcomes and drive sustainable economic growth and enhanced quality of life for citizens."

Mass urbanization, innovations, and new intelligence are changing the look of cities and challenging the next generation of leaders with new opportunities in public safety, healthcare, transportation, water and energy.

IDC forecasts spending on business consulting services by U.S. local governments to be $1.1 billion in 2014. In a 2012 U.S. survey, 21% of local government respondents and 33% of state respondents said they would use business consulting services to help research, implement, and/or deploy smart technology solutions for their organization.

The IDC MarketScape is a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the characteristics that explain a vendor's success in the marketplace and help anticipate its ascendancy.

To learn more about the IDC MarketScape: U.S. Business Consulting Services for Smart Cities 2013 Vendor Analysis, please visit: http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=242453 

About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a transparent foundation to allow companies to independently compare the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

About IBM
For more information on IBM Smarter Cities, visit www.ibm.com/press/smartercities.

Contact
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SOURCE IBM