Business Intelligence (BI)

Reston, Va. -- For the holiday season-to-date, $26.6 billion has been spent online, up 13% versus the corresponding days last year, according to comScore. The firm predicts that Green Monday (Monday, December 10, 2012) is likely to be one of the heaviest online spending days of the season and a headliner for what is expected to the busiest online spending week on record.

Menlo park, Calif. -- Technology executives expect information technology hiring to increase in first quarter 2013, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report.

In the latest quarterly survey, 17% of chief information officers (CIOs) said they plan to expand their IT departments, and 8% expect cutbacks, for a net 9% projected increase in hiring activity. This is up six points from the previous quarter's projections. Seventy-five percent of CIOs plan to maintain their current staffing levels.

Framingham, Mass. -- The omnichannel retail experience figures prominently in IDC Retail Insights’ Top 10 Predictions for the Retail Industry 2013. A hallmark of IDC’s offering for three decades, the annual report provides IDC's outlook on the IT market, across industries, in the coming year.

More than 500 people are expected to attend the Northwest Arkansas Retail Link User Group’s annual holiday luncheon featuring key Walmart executives as guest speakers.

"The Future of Retail Link," is the title of a presentation to be given by Chris Lamb, a project manager with Walmart’s massive Information Systems Division. Matt Kistler, SVP of merchandise execution with Walmart U.S. also is scheduled to speak.

Redlands, Calif. -- Esri announced Wednesday that the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. has licensed Esri GIS technology and data to provide localized shopping trends data toward supporting the grocer’s commitment to growing its market presence across the Northeast.

STAMFORD, Conn. — Pitney Bowes is helping high-end leathergoods retailer Dooney & Bourke extend its reach in the global online market.

Dooney & Bourke will use Pitney Bowes’s e-commerce software and international shipping services to offer international buyers the ability to receive a guaranteed, fully-landed cost quote that includes importation fees during the online checkout process. Displaying fully-landed costs upfront helps ensure there are no surprises for buyers with additional fees at the time of delivery.

SmartWatch is the name of a new risk-monitoring tool LexisNexis created to help supply chain management professionals keep tabs on potentially disruptive events.

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM announced Tuesday the closing of its acquisition of Kenexa, a provider of recruiting and talent management solutions, for approximately $1.3 billion.

IBM said that Kenexa complements its strategy of bringing relevant data and expertise into the hands of business leaders within every functional department, from sales and marketing to product development and human resources.