Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home IT Management
    • IT Management

    Accenture

    By
    John Moore
    -
    May 7, 2001
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Old reliable has done it again. While many other IT services companies flopped in 2000, Accenture—the consultancy formerly known as Andersen Consulting—returned to its accustomed double-digit growth rate.

      The company recently reported annual revenue of $10.3 billion, which represents a 10 percent increase over 1999 sales and a 14 percent boost if one excludes the impact of currency translations. Accentures current growth pace may not be as impressive as the 20 percent-plus expansion of boom-years past, but against the backdrop of the companys subpar performance in 1999 (8 percent growth) and the continuing dot-com consulting debacle, the companys 2000 numbers look better by the minute.

      “They never took their eyes off business development,” says Rauline Ochs, VP of worldwide partner initiatives at BEA Systems. “My hat is off to these people.”

      BEA linked up with Accenture last summer and has since expanded its alliance with the company. In teaming with Accenture, BEA pursues deals—both localized projects and repeatable solutions—with global scope. Ochs says BEA has teamed with Accentures media and entertainment vertical practice in Southern California. In addition, BEA collaborates with Accentures EasyTax solution, an online system for tax payment and tracking first developed for Ireland and subsequently installed in Washington, D.C., among other government customers.

      Other product vendors have come to the conclusion that big—and stable—is beautiful. Vignette, for example, has made Accenture one of its top partners as it focuses on building relationships with “global systems integrators.” Other Accenture allies include BroadVision, Commerce One and Nokia.

      Nearly all of Accentures partners cite the consultancys vertical-market emphasis as a huge plus. Accentures 2000 revenue report sheds some light on where the vertical-market action is.

      Accentures products division (consumer goods, automotive, pharmaceutical) led the company with a 21 percent growth rate. Communications and high tech expanded 18 percent, while financial services and government grew more modestly at 3 percent each. Accentures resources (energy and utilities) global market unit, however, was flat.

      While fundamentally strong, Accentures execution is not flawless. The company, for example, opened a batch of “Dot-com Launch Centres” in the height of the Web craze. Accenture has since relabeled those facilities “Business Launch Centres.” Another issue is timing of the companys much-anticipated initial public offering. Under current market conditions, it is uncertain when the big event will happen.

      Corporate image is still another concern. Accenture faces the task of rebranding a company known for a decade as Andersen Consulting and dispelling any lingering impressions that the company is associated with accounting firm Arthur Andersen. Accenture formally broke free of its accounting ties last year following a bitter arbitration case.

      To help establish its new name, Accenture has committed $175 million to an advertising campaign.

      But as it addresses external considerations, Accenture hasnt neglected its internal processes. The company has invested in Novients service-process optimization software, which professional-services firms implement to boost utilization rates and better manage engagements. Halsey Wise, Novients CEO, says the Ac-centure deal, which covers 70,000-plus Accenture consultants, is the largest software sale of its kind.

      The industrys fortunes change, but some things endure. Accenture is still big. Its still vertically oriented. Its still a technology consultancy—one thats about to launch an IPO. Its still a trifle arrogant (requests for information for this profile went unanswered). The only thing its not is Andersen.

      John Moore
      John writes the Contract Watch column and his own column for the Channel Insider.John has covered the information-technology industry for 15 years, focusing on government issues, systems integrators, resellers and channel activities. Prior to working with Channel Insider, he was an editor at Smart Partner, and a department editor at Federal Computer Week, a newspaper covering federal information technology. At Federal Computer Week, John covered federal contractors and compiled the publication's annual ranking of the market's top 25 integrators. John also was a senior editor in the Washington, D.C., bureau of Computer Systems News.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×