TrendAlert: IT Research Ripe For Change

This TrendAlert analyzes the current state of the IT research industry and its implications for content buyers and information managers. Gartner's acquisition of META Group in December 2004 was only the latest symptom of a segment of the information industry in the midst of profound changes. This analysis documents the current state of the segment, its recent signs of growth recovery, and the challenges it faces in coming months. Among the market disruptions identified are an accelerating rate of acquisitions, the emergence of new disruptive players, and the rise of peer-to-peer networks as an alternative to the prevailing culture of analyst 'experts' in the segment. For buyers and information managers, the current atmosphere presents good opportunities to shake up their mix of services and content, hedge bets with sound vendor management, and extract better deals from vendors.