Channel partners are now critical advisors to small and medium sized companies. Vendors are paying close attention to channels, since they have direct influence on the purchase decisions of end users. In this session, Alice will present the changing channel fabric in Asia, share some end-user results on channel preferences, and discuss strategies that will help vendors in better managing their channel/partner network more effectively.

The continuing growth of IT spending among SMBs (small and mid-sized companies) has generated serious investment by major technology companies. From IBM and HP to SAP and EMC, different companies are moving beyond simple sales reorganization to bake SMB planning in to product and marketing strategy as well. But the SMB market poses a variety of challenges because of its diversity. Join Emerson in a discussion of the nature of the SMB opportunity regionally with a look at local differences and opportunities. And learn about new attitude segmentation that identifies the trailblazing "SMB 2.0" segment, forward-looking companies that are integrating technology into their operations in new and innovative ways.