Cambridge Technology Partners and Fulcrum to deliver KM solutions

Fulcrum (Ottawa, Ontario) and Cambridge Technology Partners (CTP, Cambridge, MA) are joining forces to offer knowledge management solutions and services. CTP will use Fulcrum's Knowledge Network to recommend and build KM systems and applications for its customers. CTP is also using the product for its own internal use; the system will be used by CTP's 3,200 employees worldwide. By partnering with an established knowledge retrieval outfit like Fulcrum, CTP takes another step forward as one of the first integrators to fully embrace knowledge management as one of its core offerings. Fulcrum gets to tap CTP's vertical expertise in customer service and financial applications, and experience with building integrated solutions using search & retrieval, groupware, document management and workflow technologies.

What does this mean in the bigger picture? According to the Delphi Group (Boston), it sets a KM example for other systems integrators and application developers to follow. "Development of a solution requires not only technology, but an assessment and appropriate level of adjustment in corporate culture, infrastructure, and processes." The Fulcrum/CTP deal illustrates that technology providers alone will not be able to deliver the KM message. At the moment, this combination of technology and cultural offerings "can only come from working with a total solution provider, not a technology provider.