White Papers Buy? Build? Why Not Both? | Page 2

INTRODUCTION
A recent survey and report by analyst firm ComTech Advisory1 suggests that
a majority of users of E/CTRM software might consider building custom software to meet their business requirements. In fact, around 70% of the survey’s
respondents suggested they would consider such an option. As ComTech noted in the report, about 35% of the respondents were representatives of the
top tier of the industry who have extremely complex, global, multi-commodity
supply chain operations to manage. Nonetheless, given the maturing market
for commercial E/CTRM solutions, the idea that anyone would chose to build
a solution is perhaps surprising. ComTech concluded that especially in todays’
business environment of rising costs and diminished profits, a more appropriate solution might be to build around a commercially available solution.
This white paper examines the pros and cons of build versus buy while also
examining other approaches that in the end may offer a cost effective, yet superior solution. It looks at the Brady cloud offering in particular as a potential
starting point for a hybrid solution and examines why a hybrid solution may
make commercial and functional sense.

1

E/CTRM Software – To Buy or to Build, That is The Question, ComTech Advisory Research Report, 2016

© Commodity Technology Advisory LLC, 2016, All Rights Reserved.