Our monthly ‘Advisor Spotlight’ webinar, this Thursday, will discuss Yankee Group. You can register online as usual.

Yankee Group is one of the firms that has changed the most in recent years. Previously known as a niche player in the telecoms market, the firm has broadened its focus into “anywhere” business, where businesses and consumers are connected by a network. It’s producing very impressive basis ‘anywhere’ research. That allows Chief Strategy Officer Berge Ayvazian to help Yankee analysts to win some thought leadership positions on cross-technology topics like customer care, virtualisation and web advertising.

The emphasis on data-driven consumer research allows them to offer strong services for operators and vendors concerned with online business-to-consumer markets. In the process, they are winning business previously reserved for Forrester and IDC.

In the call we will discuss the firm’s reach, goals, strategies, financing and issues. And there are issues! For example, moving into less familiar territory has produced some issues for Yankee along the way. The firm has recently pulled a report on Second Life, in which the firm had argued that the inability of Second Life to push from the PC onto mobile devices was limiting its growth. While the analysis seems reasonable, some cited issues with the quantitative work: Yankee Group’s good work hidden under cloud of crap stats is one comment.

Perhaps they should be listening more closely to founder Howard Anderson?

To join the discussion, please register today (subscribers to the AR Intranet get free seats at the webinar). The webinar will be held on Thursday, October 18 [at 8 am Pacific, 11 am Eastern, 4 pm UK, 5 pm Central European time and 6 pm Finland/Israel time].