IBM tackles product lifecycle management

IBM has teamed up with three software suppliers to tackle the complex problem of product lifecycle management - the process of developing a product and taking it to market.

Big Blue will integrate some of its products with those of customer relationship management (CRM) maker Siebel Systems, French engineering software developer Dassault Systemes and ebusiness platform supplier i2 Technologies to sell to companies of all sizes.

The combined product will link product lifecycle management capabilities to CRM, supply chain management and enterprise resource planning facilities.

The alliance extends IBM's existing agreements with two of the partners. IBM and Dassault have worked together since early 1998 in the product development management market, and Big Blue jointly sells and support Siebel's software.

Siebel chief executive Paul Wahl said: "This alliance will allow companies to improve their top-line revenue growth and bottom-line profitability as it will dramatically simplify the integration of key business processes around product data."

Martin Jetter, IBM's general manager of product lifecycle management, said companies need to respond to a range of internal and external forces to remain competitive. "Companies must compete through product innovation, in addition to operational efficiency and customer intimacy," he said.

Separately, IBM plans to invest $500m (£333m) to develop products and services aimed at helping European internet businesses achieve profitability more quickly. As part of the service, Big Blue will provide consultancy services and open European centres to help software developers prepare their software for the growing application software provider.