Top 5 Enterprise Applications Trends Of 2014

Here's a yearend toast to the top headlines in cloud, mobile, integrated marketing, embedded analytics, and software license management in 2014.

In real estate, it's location, location, location. In enterprise applications, like CRM, human resources apps, marketing automation, and even ERP, it's now cloud, cloud, cloud.

OK, a few other topics did matter in 2014, like mobile apps, integrated marketing, embedded analytics, and a fresh look at software licensing. But all these trends are closely intertwined with the cloud movement. Mobile apps interface with cloud-based services. Marketing apps, now mashed up with sales and service, are invariably delivered via the cloud. Cloud-based calls to data and analytic services will bring contextual intelligence to apps. And the movement to per-user subscriptions in the cloud is triggering many companies to consider what on-premises applications they have installed, which ones they're actually using, and which ones they can retire as part of a software spend analysis.

Here, then, is a closer look at the enterprise application trends and headlines that grabbed our attention in 2014.

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Doug Henschen is Executive Editor of InformationWeek, where he covers the intersection of enterprise applications with information management, business intelligence, big data and analytics. He previously served as editor in chief of Intelligent Enterprise, editor in chief of ... View Full Bio