KMWorld's 100 Companies that Matter in Knowledge Management 2005
By Hugh McKellarKMWorld editor in chief
The Faces of Knowledge Management
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ach year we get a chance to recognize the companies we believe best exemplify the ideals of true knowledge management—the ones whose products and services continue to fundamentally transform the way organizations operate. As I outlined on page 1 of our previous issue, we assemble an informal committee to keep their eyes on companies that show promise for inclusion. We chat and e-mail, all the while sharing the success stories we hear about. And beginning in December, we start honing our list down from more than 1,000 to 100.
Everyone involved in the process has his or her prejudices, of course, but we set those aside (for the most part) and assemble what you see here—100 companies whose products and services best meet the needs of our readership. I’m sure not all of you are familiar with each company, but I’d wager you’re knowledgeable about a good majority of them. And I promise that each of you can find a solution to critical business problems through the products and services of at least one of these companies.
I've described in the past the criteria behind the selection process, so there’s no need to plow that ground again. I will say, though, that one quality unites each of the companies here: They listen to their customers. Long gone are the days of developing elegant software in a vacuum and expecting the world to beat a path to the door. Decision makers and users are far more savvy than even a year ago, and these companies honestly realize that without their customers they would be nothing.
The process for assembling next year’s list has already begun, and we welcome input from you, our customers.
We urge you to spend some time on the Web sites of this year’s list of 100 Companies That Matter in Knowledge Management.
And in our special View From the Top section, you can read the stories of many of the companies listed. There, CEOs and other top officials talk about how their solutions help customers achieve their business goals.
At the risk of being repetitive, just as in previous years, the list was conceived as a way to identify some of the organizations leading the way in the knowledge economy. It was compiled to encourage the broader discussion of knowledge management. Criteria for inclusion varied, but all companies have things in common. Each has either helped to create a market, redefine one or enhance one, and they all share one thing媣elocity of innovation. Any list such as ours is a work in progress, and so it is with this one. We're always on the lookout for groundbreaking solutions or elegant modifications to existing ones. As we move through 2005, we'll likely add a few companies and make any necessary changes due to mergers or acquisitions. The companies listed will be linked to their home pages, and we encourage you to spend time on their sites to get to know them and their solutions better. Throughout the year, the organizations and products we find most interesting will be showcased on our site and in our magazine. We should emphasize again that the list is really a marker in time for the evolving and expanding knowledge management universe. We invite discussion and encourage you to contact us regarding KM tools and services you find especially valuable. Vendors: Ask your customers to tell us how your solutions have benefited their business. Analysts, consultants and integrators: Give us a heads-up when you discover especially interesting software and emerging trends. Remember, the purpose of the list is to generate interest and discussion about knowledge management tools and services — it's not an award program. Send your comments to: kmcompanies@kmworld.com.
Access InnovationsAdobeAltovaAnacubisAppian CorporationArbortextAstoria SoftwareATG/PrimusAtomzAttensity CorporationAutonomyAXS-OneBottomline/Create!formButterworth-HeinemannCaptivaClearForestClearStory SystemsConnotateConveraCopernic Technologies/CoveoCymfonyDay SoftwareDST TechnologiesEasyAskEktronEMC/Documentum/LEGATOempolisEndecaEntopiaEntrievaePeopleExact SoftwareFactivaFast Search & TransferFileNetFirst Consulting GroupGEACGlobal 360GoogleHummingbirdHyperwaveIBM/LotusInfodataInnodata-IsogenInSystems TechnologiesIntegrifyIntelligenxiaIntelliseekIntellisophicInterwovenInxight Software, Inc.iPhraseISYS Search SoftwareIxiaSoftKANA SoftwareKnova (formerly Kanisa/ServiceWare)KnowNowKofaxLexisNexisLiberty IMSMark LogicMDY Advanced TechnologiesMetastormMobiusMondosoftMorphixNew Idea EngineeringNexidiaNoetix CorporationNorthern LightnSteinOpen Text CorpOracle/PeopleSoftPegasystemsPercussion SoftwarePlumtreeRecommind, IncRedDot Solutions CorpSane SolutionsSASSemagixSER Solutions, Inc.SiteScape, Inc.SopheonStellentSupportSoftTacitTeragramThomson Elite (West)TIBCOTower SoftwareTraction SoftwareTripleHop Technologies, Inc.UltimusValeo Intellectual PropertyVerity, Inc.VignetteVivisimoYourAmigoZylabConsultants, analysts and integrators that make a difference:AccentureBasexBearing PointCSCDelphi GroupDoculabs Forrester Research/GIGAFujitsu Consulting Gartner/MetaGroupIBM Global ServicesIDCOvumPerot SystemsPricewaterhouseCoopersThe 451 GroupZenSar
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