VAR500 Roundup: Deloitte On Cloud Computing, Accenture Makes A Deal, CDW On Hiring

From Hiring Predictions To Acquisitions

The week ending May 14 brought a report that solution providers expect a jump in orders this year -- but plan caution in hiring practices. Another IT consultant released a report encouraging jumping on the cloud computing bandwagon. In addition, a VAR500 top five consultant acquired a company to expand its market offerings, while another integrator sold a unit and reported healthy first-quarter earnings.

Curious to see who did what?

Deloitte's Report Promotes Cloud Computing

Deloitte's Center for the Edge research arm, led by Co-Chairman John Hagel (pictured) and Independent Co-Chairman John Seely Brown, has identified a series of technology "disruptions" related to cloud computing. The findings are detailed in a new paper, Cloud Computing — Storms on the Horizon. The authors note that providers of cloud computing that offera compelling "shaping view" to motivate other participants will have the potential to become leaders in the field, and reap the rewards by leveraging their own efforts through the initiatives of many others. Deloitte was #10 on the 2009 VAR500.

RCM Sales Are Up

RCM Technologies' first-quarter revenue increased 5.1 percent to reach $46.7 million, up from $46.7 million for the same period a year ago. In March 2010 RCM (2009 VAR500 rank: 207) closed its Oracle business unit located in southern California. The closed business unit sold Oracle software applications and provided implementation, hosting and maintenance services for the suite of Oracle and related software applications. ’Led by strength in the engineering business segment, the 2010 first-quarter financial results were highlighted by a $2.3 million increase in operating income from continuing operations over the same period a year ago. Revenues for the engineering group rose impressively in the first quarter as compared to the comparable period last year," Leon Kopyt, chairman and CEO of RCM, said in a statement. "The Information Technology and Commercial segments remained steady in the first quarter as markets appear to have stabilized across most of our sectors. We continue to view these signs of potential recovery with cautious optimism and believe that a forecasted increase in capital and operational spending should eventually accelerate demand for our services.’

CDW IT Monitor: No Job Growth Yet In IT

Although many IT professionals believe economic growth is coming in the form of increased spending by customers, they aren't boosting hiring just yet.

According to the CDW IT Monitor, 22 percent of all IT decision makers expect to hire additional IT staff in the next six months. That's roughly the same level since December 2009. Increased staffing expectations are even lower (six percent) for small businesses, a four percentage point drop since this past February.

’While the IT job market isn’t improving, we are encouraged by the fact that it is no longer declining. These numbers seem generally consistent with what we’ve seen in the overall U.S. unemployment picture through the first several months of this year,’ said Thomas E. Richards, CDW (2009 VAR500 rank: 17) president and chief operating officer, in a statement. ’We are hopeful that slowly but surely, IT departments will be looking to re-staff as 2010 progresses and IT decision makers feel even more confident about the extent of the recovery.’

Deal Expands Accenture Interactive's Offerings

Accenture (2009 VAR500 rank: 3) has agreed to buy assets from CadenceQuest, which specializes in customer data and analytics for the retail sector.

The planned acquisition of the retail sector software assets of CadenceQuest, would expand the suite of digital, marketing analytics, retail marketing and merchandising solutions and platforms offered by Accenture Interactive, which was launched in September 2009.

’Bringing these assets into the Accenture Interactive fold will expand our services and help our clients develop a clearer understanding of their customers’ preferences by applying the advanced marketing analytics capabilities that are the linchpin to a company’s ability to satisfy customers and grow their business," said Tim Breene, Accenture senior managing director of strategic initiatives and chief executive of Accenture Interactive.

Want to catch up on other VAR500 happenings? Here's last week's roundup.