This paper outlines a corporate-wide system that seamlessly and intelligently caters to all business functions and in which each component draws from a single centralised source. By detailing one aspect of it - the research management system - this paper hopes
to demonstrate the level of sophistication and all-encompassing nature we are coming to expect from our software suppliers. The paper discusses the advantages of this system, the process we went through to get there and our frustrations with and experiences of commercial software systems. Finally, the paper argues that commercial market research systems need to be designed for greater extensibility and considers ways forward to achieve this.