SEATTLE -- At last week’s Microsoft Business Intelligence Conference, a survey by Capgemini, one of the world’s leaders in Consulting, Technology and Outsourcing services, found that six in ten respondents (61%) believe business intelligence (BI) will be their #1 I.T. priority over the next 3 years, compared to less than one in three (32%) who are betting on service-oriented architecture. The five-question survey of participants was conducted onsite last week at the inaugural conference in Seattle, Washington.

An additional two-thirds of respondents (63%) say BI investment is a “major growth area” or “big bet” for their organization today, compared to one-quarter (26%) who are “just starting the BI journey.” However, four in ten (42%) see their organization at the more mature “insight” (established forward-looking view) or “intelligence” (embed continuous improvement) levels of BI acceptance, compared to 36 percent who are still starting out in “data” mode (building the foundation).

“This survey confirms that Business Intelligence is a mission critical priority for organizations; using timely data could mean finding the next big marketplace, while using data late could chart an organization on a path to obsolescence,” said Ron Tolido, Chief Technology Officer. “We have launched a global Intelligent Enterprise initiative with Microsoft to train 2,000 people with advanced Microsoft BI skills by the end of the year and ultimately help organizations use this abundance of information to make the choices that differentiate leaders and laggards.”

Here are some additional findings from the survey:

Nearly half (48%) say transparent reporting & compliance management is the most desirable business outcome from the existing BI efforts inside their organization;
The top 3 areas of Corporate Performance Management BI inside organizations today are performance management (30%), information architecture (21%) and management & strategy (16%).
Three-quarters of respondents (74%) hailed from the US, with smaller percentages from Canada (7%), Europe (7%) and Central/South America (7%).
Nearly half (48%) of respondents were CXOs, while the rest were functional members of their organization (sales, marketing, procurement, etc.)
One-quarter (23%) were from companies with more than $10 billion in annual revenue, while 30 percent work for companies with less than $100 million.
About Capgemini

Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of Consulting, Technology and Outsourcing services, enables its clients to transform and perform through technologies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working, which it calls the Collaborative Business Experience. Capgemini reported 2006 global revenues of EUR 7.7 billion and employs more than 75,000 people worldwide. More information is available at www.capgemini.com.