The Oracle/PeopleSoft Reality Check
Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic - May 25, 2005

Reality Check

With industry consolidation, we naturally see apprehension on the part of end user companies. The merger between Oracle and PeopleSoft, which was finalized in December after much drama, will be no exception. PeopleSoft, and especially former J.D Edwards users are likely discomforted, in part because of Oracle's harsh comments about PeopleSoft products. While Oracle's stance has since changed, impressions will still linger, and Oracle will have to deliver on its public relations promises. Just as end users are abuzz, so too are vendors who see consolidation as an opportunity to replace existing systems with their products. This brings us to a key question: for both users and vendors, what do the efforts by these "replacement vendors" mean?..