ISBM Enters Alliance With Stage-Gate Inc.

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (November 26, 2007) – The Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM) at Penn State's Smeal College of Business has recently entered into an alliance agreement with Stage-Gate Inc. The alliance will enable the two organizations to work more closely together to conduct high quality research and develop best practices and methods in the specialty field of product innovation for organizations with a focus on business-to-business markets.

For more than two decades, Robert G. Cooper, president of Stage-Gate Inc., ISBM distinguished fellow, and creator of the world's most widely implemented new product development process, Stage-Gate®, has been delivering best-practice consultation and custom training to ISBM member firms.

"Helping our member firms achieve profitable growth through innovation in product and services is an area of major focus for the institute," said Ralph Oliva, executive director of the ISBM. "By formalizing the relationship with Stage-Gate Inc., we see opportunity to increase the value we deliver to our member firms as they respond to the ever-increasing complexities of growth in business markets.

"Through this alliance, we will actively engage with Cooper and Edgett in joint seminars, research projects, and best practice sharing to enhance our delivery of leading-edge thinking in innovation for our member community," continued Oliva. 

The first jointly hosted public seminar being offered as a result of the alliance is scheduled for March 18 and 19, 2008, in Clearwater, Fla. 

"The seminar topic, 'Developing a Product Innovation Strategy and Deciding Your New Products Portfolio,' was selected for its timely importance to ISBM member firms," noted Michelle Jones, executive vice president of Stage-Gate Inc. "The two-day program features Dr. Cooper as the seminar leader, and its content and material is tailored to address the specific needs of innovation executives leading business-to-business organizations."

To register for this event visit www.stage-gate.com or call 905-304-8797.

About the Institute for the Study of Business Markets
The Institute for the Study of Business Markets, headquartered in Penn State's Smeal College of Business, is the largest global, real-time knowledge-creating network addressing the needs of business-to-business marketers, salespeople, and senior managers across all industries. The ISBM has assembled a network of more than 100 field researchers from leading universities and institutes around the world.

The foundation of the ISBM is a three-tiered, integrated platform—research, education, and networking and interchange. ISBM research spans the entire practice of business-to-business markets and delivers expert knowledge that can be applied to all dimensions of the marketing and sales cycle. From executive to practitioner, member firms benefit from research-driven new knowledge, professional development programs, and best-practice tools and techniques to achieve excellence within their marketing and sales teams.

Since 1983, the ISBM has been serving all industries—chemical, industrial, manufacturing, information technology, and beyond.

For more information on the ISBM, visit www.isbm.org.

About Stage-Gate Inc.
Stage-Gate Inc. (SGI) has a proven track record of helping companies improve their product innovation processes and capabilities. A widely recognized and trusted brand, Stage-Gate Inc. accelerates client success with a unique offering of products, highly regarded consulting services, award-winning research papers, best-selling books, and first-rate seminars.

Founded and led by internationally recognized thought leaders Robert Cooper and Scott Edgett, Stage-Gate Inc.'s products and services are grounded in the world's most comprehensive library of research and best practices on the topic of new product innovation. Organizations and individuals access SGI products and services through Stage-Gate Inc.'s Professional Services, official Stage-Gate Alliance Members, stage-gate.com, and parent company Product Development Institute, prod-dev.com.  Clients include more than 5,000 companies of all sizes across all industries, as well as numerous government entities, educational institutions, and professional business event organizers.

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REPORTERS & EDITORS: For more information, please contact Wyatt DuBois in the Smeal College of Business Media Relations Office at 814-863-3798 or wed112@psu.edu.

Penn State's Smeal College of Business offers highly ranked undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, Ph.D., and executive education opportunities to more than 5,500 students at all levels. Featuring academic departments of accounting, finance, marketing, insurance and real estate, management, and supply chain and information systems, the college is also home to major research centers such as the Center for Supply Chain Research, the Institute for the Study of Business Markets, the Center for Digital Transformation, the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Global Business Studies, and the Center for the Management of Technological and Organizational Change.

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