Recently, Forrester Consulting completed a thought leadership study called “Trends, Challenges, and Technology Use in a Changing M&A Environment”. Forrester took a look at over 200 M&A professionals to try and understand how strategies were shifting and what the top priorities were for these folks facing a rapidly changing market.

While most survey participants were familiar and comfortable with leveraging technology, specifically virtual data rooms, for key parts of the process — the bottom line is that the perception and approach to M&A has changed fundamentally. The mentality of “growth in perpetuity” is gone, and deals are being viewed with increasing scrutiny. While deals seem to be back on the rise, companies are seeking to buy only what’s necessary and only at the right price. In other words, no one’s going to tolerate a mediocre acquisition — they have to be strategic and have clear immediate value for the company.

Like so many other people from my generation, I grew up watching movies and sci-fi programs that dramatized futuristic technologies. I was always intrigued by the magical user interfaces that were available on a wristwatch or part of a room’s wall that securely brought up any information one requires to facilitate decision making. Being that Star Wars was my favorite galaxy far, far away, I often thought about how cool it would be to have my own C-3PO, to provide me with information whenever I needed it, on demand.

There are many business processes where the secure sharing of information across enterprises is required. Examples of these processes include strategic transactions, such as acquiring or divesting an organization, setting up sites for pharmaceutics clinical trials, managing contractor bids to develop an oil exploration project, and syndicating debt between multiple parties across the globe.

It is always rewarding for a company and its solutions to be declared  a “market leader” in industry reports. Two important practices that have the potential to culminate in achieving this kind of recognition are listening to customers and delivering what customers desire. If executed properly, these practices will lead to significant sales, satisfied customers and, ultimately, affirmation from industry analysts. 

Gartner recently announced their picks for the top 10 technology trends of 2010. These trends signify the strategic technologies with potential to have significant impact on the enterprise in the next three years. Top among these technologies is cloud computing, a technology delivery and consumption model for IT resources and services that is enabled by the internet, with "Software as a Service" as one of the major components of this new paradigm.