The Canadian Channel Chiefs Council (C4) has undertaken its first research project.
Working with Ryerson University, IDC and nine channel partners as part of the C4 board of directors, the non-profit organization has commissioned a research study that will look at the impact of the cloud distribution model on IT channels in Canada.
The research will probe two views on the cloud distribution model: the view of the solution providers and the view of the channel partners. The nine companies helping fund the effort will also provide the expert opinion on which the paper will be based.
The C4 research team consists of Ryerson MBA student Alex D’Alfonso and IDC analyst Brendan Rouse, under the direction of Dr. Ron Babin. IDC’s Paul Edwards and Ryerson’s Dr. Anthony Francescucci, serve as special advisors.
Canada’s situation is different
“There’s a lot of information about the cloud, but very little that’s Canada-centric,” says Council Chair Fawn Annan. “We felt it was important to spearhead this initiative as it became increasingly clear in conversations the impact of the cloud plays out differently here than south of the border.”
In addition to the industry players, the project is co-funded by a government grant from MITACS.
This research aligns with the C4 mission of facilitating research to understand, develop and exchange best practices.
Accreditation program underway
The Council recently launched its Channel Chiefs accreditation program, Pathways. The program is designed to enhance industry understanding and to provide knowledgeable channel players with a way to distinguish themselves from their competitors.