[Toronto, CANADA] – Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) formed a business alliance with IBM Canada Ltd., Microsoft Canada Co., and Oracle Corporation Canada Inc. in which alliance members work together showcasing HBC’s integration of technology solutions as an electronic retail leader in North America.
This model enables HBC to pursue its e-business goals under competitive terms while streamlining planning, evaluation, acquisition and implementation activities. IBM, Microsoft and Oracle will deliver the technology solutions required as “preferred suppliers” within HBC’s defined “footprint” of technology applications.
“This all started when HBC underwent a strategic assessment of the technology requirements to ensure our ability to compete and win in the emerging e-enabled world. We then went out and established an innovative arrangement with three global leaders that are committed to providing their products and expertise to establish HBC as an enterprise wide e-enabled showcase,” said George Heller, president and chief executive officer, HBC.
“The Internet and e-business will be the prevailing paradigm in which business will be conducted in the future,” says Bill Bergen, president of Oracle Corporation Canada Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario. “Electronic service delivery provides businesses a medium with which to build compelling, Web-based, self-service solutions with enormous opportunities for increasing revenue, saving money and adding value.”
The selected vendors will match their core competencies and leading technologies to HBC’s strategic IT initiatives and system renovation plans according to a technology footprint that identifies the solutions to be provided by each alliance member. It is intended that the initiatives to be implemented under the alliance mandate will be addressed by the end of 2002.
Hudson’s Bay Company, established in 1670, is Canada’s largest department store retailer and oldest corporation.
