Report: IBM Global Business Services Ranked #1 in Thought Leadership

ARMONK, N.Y., March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that it once again has been named the industry's premier engine of thought leadership in a White Space Report by Source Information Services (Source), a leading provider of research about the management consulting market.

According to the latest White Space report, IBM leads all other major global consulting firms for the quality of its thought leadership. The White Space rankings are based on four evaluation criteria - Resilience, Differentiation, Appeal, and Prompting Action. –

IBM's thought leadership is published primarily by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in the company's consulting unit, IBM Global Business Services. This is the third consecutive leading ranking for IBM. The report highlights the relevance and quality of IBM's thought leadership reports, noting that IBM reports will "focus on a relevant and timely issue, be built on robust research, be written in concise style." IBM also received high praise for providing readers with next steps, ultimately prompting action.

"We've seen that consultancies with an inspiring vision for what thought leadership could be are producing the highest quality of content," said Fiona Czerniawska, co-founder of Source Information Services and White Space. "IBM tops the list again for the third straight report, showing that the Institute for Business Value, like many of the top five firms in the rankings, is benefiting from driving a centralised approach to management, quality and control."

The IBM IBV leverages global experts to discover emerging trends, business innovations and success patterns. For example, IBM recently examined the impact Millennials are having on today's workplace. The first of two millennial-focused studies, "Myths, Exaggerations and Uncomfortable Truths" debunks common myths and exposes uncomfortable truths about the generation. Millennials, as digital natives, bring value to the workplace, but, surprising to many, have much in common with their older colleagues. The study makes several recommendations for today's business leaders who need to begin planning for Millennials' growing influence at work, including using workforce analytics to understand employees as individuals, rather than relying on generational stereotypes. A second Millennial study out this week, "To Buy or Not to Buy: How Millennials are Reshaping B2B Marketing" focuses on how Millennials are changing B2B marketing as they move into decision making roles at work, calling for marketers to revamp their strategies in order to better connect with Millennials.

"We seek to examine trends that lead to significant business change. The studies of Millennials in the workplace are a great example. We've outlined key recommendations to help companies successfully harness the talents of Millennials, as well as employees of all generations," said Peter Korsten, partner and vice president, global leader thought leadership and eminence, IBM Global Business Services. "By conducting global research through in-depth -- and often face-to-face -- interviews we're able to understand industry transformation and provide counsel to improve business performance."

IBM-produced thought leadership leads all firms in both "resilience of content to instill confidence in materials" based on its methodology and analysis, as well as "prompting action" via clearly articulated courses of action. This recognition of IBM's thought leadership is a result of IBM's ongoing commitment to provide its clients with insight on issues of industry dynamics and business transformation.

For more information on the Source Information Services White Space Quality Report, visit http://www.sourceforconsulting.com/whitespace/ (subscription required).

About IBM Global Business Services
For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/services/gbs.

About IBM Institute for Business Value
For more information, http://www.ibm.com/iibv 
Download the IBM IBV app from iTunes and Android Market

About Source for Consulting
Source is the leading provider of research about the management consulting market in Europe and the Middle East, with a growing footprint in the US, China, Brazil, Australia and Africa. Founded by Fiona Czerniawska and Joy Burnford in 2007, and with offices in London and Dubai, Source serves both consulting firms and their clients with expert analysis, research and reporting.

About White Space
White Space is a subscriber-based web service which provides detailed analysis of the thought leadership of around 30 leading global consulting firms. This analysis is updated regularly, giving up-to-date market intelligence on the state of the thought leadership market.

Contact Information
Suzanne Aronowitz
IBM
617.693.1811
[email protected]

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