Spend Management @ Aberdeen: +1 -2

There's been some movement at Aberdeen in the past couple of months. As noted in a previous post on Spend Matters, Aberdeen added a new analyst, Andrew Bartolini, to cover the Spend Management area. Andrew joins Sudy Bharadwaj who has done excellent work covering a range of procurement and sourcing areas in recent months. But the addition of a new analyst in Aberdeen's supply management practice comes with the departure of two other from the supply chain area. John Fontanella -- ex-AMR and universally regarded as one of the top supply chain analysts -- and Jane Biddle are no longer listed on Aberdeen's site, and I've heard from various parties that both have left. The departure of two more heavy hitters and the addition of a new un-branded analyst signals to me that Aberdeen is investing more in standardized research methods rather than a model based on the expertise and brand cache of the individual. This model is certainly a bet. Aberdeen will need to prove that their brand carries clout even without the individually branded experts that they had on staff in the past. In contrast, Gartner has taken what appears to be a safer route by hiring someone with a solid reputation already in the market.

- Jason Busch