People drive business success. Human imagination creates the ideas that move business forward. Human conversations and human effort shape those ideas into products and services for the market. The unique ability of people to listen, respond, persuade, and think for themselves enables companies to sell effectively, serve their customers, and work together with their business partners in rich, satisfying ways that create lasting, high-value relationships.

In an era where some see technology as a force that promises to make people subservient to highly structured or automated processes, Microsoft sees a better way to unlock the potential of every person. Systems can only create efficiency: It is people who create value. And the more people can do in their roles, the more value they can create. When Microsoft looks ahead, we see a world where organizations succeed by empowering people to harness information, expertise and the possibilities of complex networks with tools that give them insight, reach and opportunities.

We believe that organizations which put people at the center of processes and information are better positioned to meet the challenges of a fast-changing, globally integrated and interconnected world because they have invested in the most agile, resilient and creative asset available to them. Microsoft can help organizations realize the benefits of becoming a People-Ready Business with software that uniquely strengthens the capabilities and connections of people to create value in their roles.

Software isn’t just a tool for experts, and understanding the business advantages of the right software solution isn't just the purview of IT professionals. Software touches processes central to the business such as operations, customer acquisition and retention, supply and partner management, and product and service development. The overall orientation of the software strategy-either system-centric or people-centric-can determine the kind of competitive advantage and future flexibility the business will realize as a result of its investment.

Research shows that companies which invest in software as a strategic asset for their people perform better. It also stands to reason that business solutions engineered to meet customer needs and anticipate changes in the social, economic and political drivers of the world deliver more value to organizations than software developed by whim or committee. Microsoft believes software that enables people to discover information and patterns in that information; helps them make better information decisions; facilitates effective collaboration with colleagues, customers and partners; and promotes decisive actions based on well-informed insights is the key to meeting the challenges of the new world of work and overcoming its challenges. A People-Ready Business supports its people with strong values, ongoing education, and rationalized business practices, so its people-enabled with right technology and information-are empowered to transform those challenges into opportunities.

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