IBM - Analytics is a very serious priority! How serious? $14B serious!

Actions speaks louder than words -  

- IBM has pent $14 billion on 24 business intelligence-related acquisitions over the past 5 years** (See the graphics below)

- It has 8,000 consultants in Analytics and Optimization service trained on BI***

- IBM earmarks $20B for acquisition through 2015 * 

Analytics is a priority at IBM for following reasons: 

- that spending on BI is growing twice as fast as information technology spending overall

- that 80% of CEOs see information as the source of competitive advantage. (Source: IBM and MIT Sloan Management Reviews)

Here is a latest press release that further reinforces the market's belief that IBM machine is not slowing down the big-data front - 

IBM Ups Big Data Bet with New Software, $100 Million in Research

http://gigaom.com/2011/05/20/ibm-ups-big-data-bet-with-new-software-100-million-in-research/

Source: *,**,*** Public Press Release (IBM Accelerates Business Intelligence Acquisitions, Jeff Moad, Managing Automations, IBM Analyst Day, 2010)