Last month Kenexa invited a group of analysts and industry influencers to PA for a roundup and briefing of what they are up to. I\u2019ll personally say that I\u2019m not particularly interested in most of what other analysts are interested in: I can\u2019t speak the language of financials, don\u2019t really care about the volume of sales and how that correlates to profitability, etc. I\u2019m more of a business user, I care about the levels of functionality, how good the service is, and what integration they have to make process and analytics better. All of that should translate to profits if they can market and sell product.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll admit that I was impressed and impassioned by their stated vision (which I can\u2019t find on their website).<\/p>\n
At Kenexa, we believe that when people are in jobs they love, they are not only more productive employees, they are also better parents, friends, partners and neighbors. Our work is to make this happen for everyone. It\u2019s our passion\u2014our purpose\u2014and it\u2019s how we serve humanity worldwide every day.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It\u2019s the idea that if you can improve the engagement of a person in general (enjoyment and fulfillment in life, work, relationships\u2026) that they contribute to a better world, not just to a better workplace. Their CEO, Rudy Karsan, was the embodiment of this vision, evoking confidence as well as great faith in his honest approach to his business.<\/p>\n
As we got into the business and products of Kenexa, a few things became apparent. First, they have the breadth and depth to compete in the talent market. Sales have been good for them, and they have made some good acquisitions like Brassring that have brought them good market share. Second, they are late with new functionality and new UI. While there is reason to be optimistic that they will remain one of the top 2-3 vendors in the space, they will need to execute development at the pace that their competitors are.<\/p>\n
Kenexa is approaching the release of their 2X platform which will combine various modular offerings in their current suite into a completely rewritten platform and interface in a Web 2.0 delivery model. Unfortunately, they are anywhere between 6 to 12 months late for delivering a Web 2.0 platform. They are also rewriting the functionality which is probably a good thing. Rather than simply porting functionality over to a new UI, reengineering the back end means that eventually end to end processes will be smoother than other competitors who have simply slapped a new face on old product, still having the remains of old integration problems. Included in this is a new web services and SOA.<\/p>\n
Regardless of any tardiness and functional breadth issues witn 2X, Kenexa is a vendor to beat in the space, one of probably 3 in the top end of the market. They have great product, and seem to be accelerating their development time frames. If they can deliver product to their vision of how they serve humanity and the world, I\u2019ll be excited to see their continued success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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