Next Master Class in Human Capital Management to Examine Challenges and Opportunities in HCM Marketplace

Experts Jeanne Achille, John Sumser and William Tincup Bring Exclusive Course Exploring Vibrant HCM Sector to Chicago


CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Aug 27, 2014) -  A one-day executive event, "The Master Class in HCM: Understanding the Marketplace, its Evolution, and its Future," will take place at the Gleacher Center at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business on Tuesday, September 16, 2014. Following its launch in July, this second-ever Master Class in HCM is designed to provide company leaders, marketing executives and investors with an intense overview of the complex human capital management marketplace.

As the HCM market has very unique subcultures, buying cycles, technical priorities and ecosystems, it can require a large learning curve for those who arrive without a clear understanding of the market. And for marketers, investors, salespeople, executives and technology professionals -- whether experienced in or new to the category -- they will find that the world of HCM isn't what they expected. Yet, without a solid understanding of its landscape and its realities and opportunities, it will be difficult to be competitive and achieve success in this complex arena.

The Master Class in HCM was designed to equip attendees, whether marketers, product developers, product owners, investors or executives, with a clear understanding of the HCM market, its dynamics, what's been tried before and what has been proven to work. Rather than focusing on skills development, marketing techniques or personal development, the course provides attendees with a comprehensive look at the expansive, and at times counterintuitive, HCM industry landscape. Attendees will also come away with a better understanding of product trends, key players in social media, the analyst community and the biggest areas to watch in regard to investors and M&A.

The event will be presented by three luminaries in the HCM space: Jeanne Achille, CEO of The Devon Group and widely considered the world's leading HR public relations expert; John Sumser, CEO and founder of HRExaminer.com magazine and principal analyst for HRxAnalysts, a firm specializing in the HCM technology industry; and William Tincup, SPHR, CEO of HR consultancy Tincup & Co. and one of the country's leading thinkers on social media application for HR. They will lead a comprehensive agenda of sessions that explore the HCM marketplace from all angles, including:

  • Map of the HCM Marketplace, addressing the history, verticals, point solutions, platforms, suites and apps that comprise the current HCM landscape.
  • Trends to Watch, which will provide insight into topics like data portability, speed to application, Insights as a Service (IaaS) and Big (HR) Data.
  • The HR Buyer, on who HCM buyers are and what they care about, as well as the silos inherent in HR and their relative importance.
  • Competitive Landscape, which will offer best practices in identifying vulnerabilities and achieving competitive advantage.

"The HCM market is rife with ambiguity, stemming from a crowded vendor landscape. As a result, it can be challenging for individuals to understand the systems and solutions that can deliver greatest benefit and HR process efficiencies," said Achille. "John, William and I developed The Master Class in HCM to dispel the mysteries surrounding the market and to provide attendees with the insight to make the right HCM decisions that result in competitive advantage."

Sumser commented, "Investors in the HR category include StarVest, SAP Ventures, Polaris Partners, DFJ, Gotham Ventures, Greylock Partners, Symphony Technology Group and Accel-KKR among many others. There's a reason why these firms have identified HR solutions as growth opportunities and we're going to help attendees understand how to maximize their PR and marketing programs."

William Tincup shared, "Unlike other opportunities to learn from the masters, this intense session isn't underwritten by the vendors trying to sell services to the attendees. It'll only be appropriate for those with the grit and critical thinking skills to understand the magnitude of the possibilities, and what's needed to drive marketing results."

Additional information about "The Master Class in HCM: Understanding the Marketplace, its Evolution, and its Future," including registration details, can be accessed at: http://events.hrexaminer.com/