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Technology Stocks : Vantive Corporation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Shege Dambanza who wrote (1628)	3/3/1998 7:46:00 AM
From: investorgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3033

Melissa, I also wonder about your statements. Do you know the Informix story? Informix takes over Illustra, the product plans are laid to merge the product, and then everything falls apart. Execution is everything. Merging the products will not be easy. Customers will also find that the Scopus product they buy today MAY (I emphasize the MAY) not be compatible with the combined product they have to upgrade to in the future. This will distract the customers and the sales force. Smart Vantive and Clarify reps will start spreading this FUD immediately. I also find it interesting that the CFO of Siebel was also the CFO of Informix and the deal is structured in the same manner financially. That structure didn't work out very well for the Illustra people. The cultures of Scopus and Siebel are very different. While it is true that people want to work for Siebel, that doesn't mean that Scopus people will want to. Tom has certain rules that makes it seem like people are working for EDS. Scopus sales reps will certainly be distracted. Now is the opportunity that Vantive and Clarify have been looking for. IMHO

To: Shege Dambanza who wrote (1628)	3/3/1998 8:55:00 AM
From: Melissa McAuliffe	Respond to of 3033

Shege, I'm not sure what there is to wonder about. I am simply offering a perspective with which some may agree...and then again others may not. That is the purpose of these threads after all. And you're right. Of course plans are easy and come down to a matter of execution. That's where you have to determine whether or not you think the executors are capable of execution. In this particular case my personal opinion is that they are more than capable and believe this was a well thought out strategic acquisition. SEBL strikes me as a company in which execution is key. Very focused on the mission whatever it might be. In this case making sure this is a successful acquisition. If people want to call that autocratic then so be it. I call it focused and think that is what will result in success. It seems to have worked up to this point. Look at two highly successful companies which have grown through acquisition of competing and/or complementary product lines. CSCO and PSFT. Perfect examples of outstanding execution. So it can be done. Illustra...a perfect example of poor execution. But look who was running the company at the time. With respect to everyone wanting to work for sebl..ok I'll admit it. I can't speak for "everyone". But from what I hear sebl isn't having any difficulty whatsoever recruiting people so what would you conclude? This reminds me very much of PSFT when everyone wanted to work there too. And that was absolutely true at the time. And that I do know with absolute certainty. People were beating the doors down. At least anyone who was any good and wanted to go with the new leader. But... what is so different about me stating that everyone wants to work for sebl vs. Steve Farber stating that all the orcl reps want to work for vntv? I gusss I'm missing something here. All I can say is that salespeople want three things: good products, good corporate support and the ability to make tons of money. So why wouldn't everyone want to work there? If they don't they are either blind or a fool. Melissa