This IDC study provides a competitive analysis of 15 of the leading worldwide product life-cycle management (PLM) applications providers. IDC's dynamic market map and its methodology are presented as a tool for evaluating the competitive positioning of PLM applications vendors in an increasingly complex market.

"To evaluate the PLM applications market landscape, IDC presents the dynamic market map as a quantitative tool based on four variables: size, diversity, momentum, and reliance," said Dan Vesset, research director of IDC's Business Analytics service.

Gisela D. Wilson, director of the Product, Project, and Portfolio Management Solutions service at IDC, adds, "This dynamic market map for PLM offers an interesting perspective on a market that consists of a number of very different players competing for market share and growth. The map gives software vendors and end users a clear understanding of the positioning of the 15 PLM market leaders relative to each other."