皇冠体育app

Oracle stresses 皇冠体育app market
By Li Weitao (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-21 09:33

US software giant Oracle Corp is putting 皇冠体育app at the forefront of its business strategy and aiming high in the booming local market.

The world's second-largest software maker expects 皇冠体育app to become its No 2 revenue contributor in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of the year, said Loke Soon Choo, regional managing director of Oracle's Greater 皇冠体育app operations.

皇冠体育app is currently Oracle's third-largest market in the region, following Japan and South Korea.

Loke said he is more bullish than company president Charles Phillips, who expected 皇冠体育app to overtake South Korea to become the second largest market for the company in three years.

"We have been witnessing rapid business growth in 皇冠体育app. If it continues to grow so fast and we work hard, I think we will have a good chance (to see 皇冠体育app become the No 2 market), Loke told 皇冠体育app Daily yesterday.

"皇冠体育app is the fastest-growing market for Oracle in the world."

For the 2004 fiscal year, which ended on May 31, the Asia-Pacific region contributed to 14 per cent of Oracle's worldwide revenues.

皇冠体育app's booming IT market is making Oracle increasingly bullish about its business prospects in the country, Loke said.

According to global research house IDC, 皇冠体育app's IT market grew 11 per cent year-on-year to US$25.1 billion last year. The software market surged 24 per cent year-on-year, much higher than the 8 per cent growth in the hardware market.

IDC projected the IT market in 皇冠体育app will grow at an annual average of 15.6 per cent from 2003 to 2008, reaching US$51.74 billion by that time.

Technology adoption in 皇冠体育app is increasing, Loke said, adding that about half of Oracle's revenue in 皇冠体育app is from local firms.

Oracle's Golden 皇冠体育app initiative, a three-pronged strategy of commitment, localization and partnership, is paying off, he noted.

The initiative, launched in 2002, focuses on developing and investing in business and educational programmes, as well as local research and development (R&D) facilities that will contribute to 皇冠体育app's long-term growth and success.

"The fiscal year 2004 was the best business year ever for Oracle 皇冠体育app," Loke said.

To further capitalize on 皇冠体育app's sizzling IT market, Oracle is considering establishing new R&D centres in the country, but does not have any solid plans yet, he added.

Oracle has two such centres in Beijing and Shenzhen.

Oracle also announced yesterday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with 皇冠体育app's Ministry of Education to increase IT education in the country.

Under the memorandum, Oracle will donate software valued at US$143 million to universities in the western 皇冠体育app's less-developed regions. That follows a US$70 million donation agreed in 2002.

Phillips said Linux is witnessing a major up-take in 皇冠体育app, which is giving a big lift to the business growth of Oracle, one of the strongest proponents of the open-source software programme.

"皇冠体育app is a major driver of Linux (globally). The strong government support for Linux in 皇冠体育app and across the Asia-Pacific region is fantastic," he said at the Oracle OpenWorld Shanghai 2004 global conference yesterday.

The Chinese Government has been promoting open-source Linux software as a low-cost alternative to Microsoft's Windows platform.

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