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Buying & Selling eContent Session "After the Deal is Done" Introductory remarks by |
Thank you...As the CEO of SLA...I have the very good fortune of working with members who represent the very best of the information profession. These are librarians and info pros who are smart...dedicated.... experienced... and tech savvy.
They know what is going on in the information industry today and they understand that eContent will play an ever increasing and fundamental role in their professional responsibilities. I am pleased to have three outstanding members of SLA to my immediate left.
Carol Ginsburg is a Senior Consultant at BST America...Carol is going to talk today about the ever-important contract process.
Next to her is Anne Lonergan...Manager, Strategy, Research & Innovation at Deloitte Services. Anne will discuss employing innovative technology at the enterprise level.
And next to Anne is Barbara Hirsh...Director, Information Resources, NERA Economic Consulting who will talk about the use of content in smaller-sized organizations.
Each one of our panelists brings a unique perspective to the profession and our discussion today which has a suggestively ominous title..."After the Deal is Done."
It almost begs for a "Duh duh duh duhhhh...at the end of it.
And... it reminds me of the Jimmy Buffet song... "Fruitcakes"...in which he says of relationships...."We all got 'em...we all want 'em...what are we gonna do with 'em?"
Building and sustaining business relationships are essential to what you do and...to a large extent...determine whether you and your company will be successful. Today we are going to examine the critical relationship between those of you who provide necessary and valuable content...and those of you who buy it ...SLA members.
Specifically...we are going to look at ways we can improve this ongoing working relationship in ways that will benefit those of you on both sides of this commercial equation.
One of the prerogatives of moderating a panel like this one is...you get to say pretty much whatever you want for about ten minutes to get things started. So...in this spirit...I would like to talk about the importance of partnership between buyers and sellers of eContent.
With the 2008 political season already dominating most of the headlines these days...I would like to begin with a political analogy. In some ways...buyers and sellers of eContent are like Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress.
When they are in the same room...they are typically respectful...gracious...and affable TO one another. When they are apart...however...they often say things ABOUT each other that can sometimes lead to bad feelings -- especially when there are television news cameras anywhere in sight.
Yet...despite the way they sometimes go at each other tooth and nail...and look at things in entirely different ways...they do share a common goal...the good of the country.
And for that reason...it is in their best interest...and the best interest of the United States...for them to find ways to work together and produce real results for those they represent.
I would not suggest for a moment that buyers and sellers of online content are like Republicans and Democrats ...(Pause)... but I would say they sometimes have different...if not competing...interests.
And still...both buyers and sellers have an enormous stake in the future of information and the technology that will deliver it.
Those of you on the content side are the innovators in the rapidly evolving information technology marketplace. You are continually seeking new and inventive ways to make content more exciting and meaningful through the application of leading-edge software applications.
It is your job to anticipate the future and to provide the next generations of products and services that will meet the changing needs of your customers. In other words...SLA members.
And because my members work for corporations... research laboratories... consultancies...non-profits... universities and governments...they rely on the most current and reliable information and data available from you.
I fully understand that sellers care about meeting the critical information needs of their customers. You want to provide the best products and services to meet their needs.
And...you want your companies and your customers to be successful. Not surprisingly...those who buy or license your content want the same things.
Why...then...does it not make sense for buyers and sellers to become partners in this enterprise? I am suggesting a real change in approach toward the development of the next generation of information products and services.
We have been talking a lot at this conference about the growing influence of social networking tools and the implications for Business 2.0. Perhaps it would be wise of us to take a lesson on collaboration from social networking
Collaboration is a fundamental element of this social phenomenon... and we should apply it to the relationship between content developers and users. In my view...this type of partnership must begin long, long before the deal is done...not after it is done.
As customers...info pros can help sellers develop or adapt highly targeted... efficient...and effective offerings for the future marketplace. They know what they want and what their organizations need...and they would like to tell you.
For that reason...I suggest you include SLA members in your brainstorming and incorporate them in your Beta tests. I promise... they will not be shy about telling you what they really think.
Let them help you build a better...even more successful offering. As partners...I believe you will find they are extremely vigilant in protecting your intellectual property and licensing rights. And...they can be your strongest advocates inside their organizations for your products and services.
In my way of thinking...this is a classic "win-win" ...or as that fellow in the radio commercials likes to say, "This is the biggest no brainer in the history of earth."
As I invite our first speaker to the podium...I have asked each of them to tell us briefly about themselves. Also as a way to give you a little clue about what they plan to discuss and their perspectives... we have asked each panelist to think of a well-known song that best represents the theme of their presentation...and to tell us what it is at the beginning of their remarks.
Please welcome our first panelist ....Carol Ginsberg of BST America. Carol.
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