Gartner, Inc. is the leading provider of research and analysis on the information technology industry. Our principal business segments include Research, Consulting, Executive Programs and Events. Gartner clients include CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, and technology investors, who all depend on Gartner insights to make better-informed decisions about the impact of technology on their operations, markets and strategies.
The independence and objectivity of our research and advice are hallmarks of the Gartner brand. We founded the technology research and advisory industry on these principles in 1979. With more than 60,000 clients, representing 10,000 distinct organizations worldwide, we remain the clear market leader. Client trust in our rigorous standards to safeguard independence and objectivity is the basis of our business.
KEY QUESTIONS
Here are some key questions about our Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity.
Protecting the Gartner Brand
The management and analysts of Gartner Research independently establish research methodologies, monitor research quality, and set the research agenda, free of external influence or interference. Gartner maintains Principles of Ethical Conduct that describe our core values and the boundaries that Gartner associates who develop and publish research or deliver consulting products are required to observe. Much of that guidance is reflected in this document.
Gartner positions are developed through a collaborative process by the research teams which cover particular topics. Each piece of Gartner research is subject to a rigorous peer-review process by members of the worldwide analyst community and review by Research management is required prior to publication. This process is designed to surface any inconsistencies in research methodology, data collection and conclusions, as well as to fully use Gartner collective expertise on any research topic. Review our research methodologies in more detail at Research Methodologies.
No. Research analysts are not allowed to own stock or have any other type of personal investment in companies or sectors they cover, nor are their managers. Members of Gartner executive operating committee are prohibited from owning stock in any technology company. Gartner research analysts, Gartner executives and other Gartner associates are not permitted to be board members of any company in the IT industry that is within the scope of Gartner research coverage.
No. Gartner research is produced independently by Gartner analysts without the influence, review, or approval of our investors, shareholders, or directors.
Gartner associates may not accept gratuitous payments, services, gifts or entertainment from any former, current or potential client or supplier, except gifts and entertainment of nominal value only such as business lunches, flowers or advertising novelties, provided that the same are customarily offered to others having a similar relationship with such client or supplier. For Research analysts and management, this specifically includes gifts from any information technology or service provider and includes activities such as golf outings, sporting event tickets, and the like.
Similarly, associates may not offer gratuitous payments, services, gifts or entertainment, except gifts and entertainment of nominal value that are customarily offered to others having a similar relationship with Gartner, to clients, prospective clients, suppliers or any other person/entity directly or indirectly related to the business of Gartner.
Vendor Issues
No. Research analysts cover vendors that, based on the analysts' judgment, are significant players in the markets Gartner covers. A vendor's status as a Gartner client or non-client is not a factor in this decision.
Vendors communicate information about their products and services to research analysts through meetings with analysts known as "vendor briefings." Vendors that request vendor briefings typically are seeking coverage by research analysts of their specific products and services. Gartner manages the vendor briefing process to match specific technology companies with the most appropriate research analysts, as well as to ensure that a specific vendor�s scale and scope are appropriate for Gartner research studies. Vendors may obtain access to research analysts through vendor briefings or other mutually agreed contacts, regardless of whether or not they are Gartner clients.
Vendors are sometimes permitted to review research prior to publication to assure that it is factually accurate in its description of the vendors' products or services. The length of time for this review varies from four hours to one week, based on the length of the research study. Also, an enterprise user that is the subject of a case study typically is permitted to review research before it is published.
Gartner maintains a formal process for interacting with vendors that question the fairness or accuracy of any research program. Members of the Gartner Ombudsman�s Office thoroughly investigate all such claims. The Office of the Ombudsman reports to the General Counsel of Gartner to retain its independence from business units. To contact the Office of the Ombudsman, please call +1 203 316 3334 or e-mail ombudsman@gartner.com Review our escalation guidelines for technology and service providers at HTTP Research Escalation Process.
All Gartner research is copyrighted and subject to the Gartner quotes policy. Any external use of quotes or excerpts from Gartner research must be approved in advance by Gartner Quote Requests (contact quote.requests@gartner.com). Gartner research may not be used to endorse a technology company, product or service, or to criticize a vendor's competitor. All quotes and excerpts must be taken from published research that is less than 12 months old and may not contain company-specific references. In addition, enterprises may purchase the right to re-use published Gartner Research via the Gartner Custom Newsletter or Reprints programs (to contact, call +1 203 316 6500 or e-mail reprints@gartner.com). Review our policies on quote use in more detail at Gartner, Inc. Copyright and Quote Policy.
No. Influence over research content or the amount of research coverage focused on any vendor, sector or topic is not, and has never been, for sale by Gartner. Vendors purchase Gartner services to obtain knowledge and market insights they cannot obtain elsewhere. In addition, they purchase exhibit space at Gartner conferences to reach highly qualified audiences they cannot reach through other channels.
No. Gartner choices of technology solutions are strictly confidential. Technology companies whose products or services Gartner has chosen may not advertise or otherwise disclose their relationship with Gartner.
Consulting Engagements
Gartner may be engaged by a vendor to assess and interpret either a market segment or services provided by that company to a specific customer or group of customers. These studies are completed using standard Gartner assessment tools, methodologies or data-gathering techniques, and include interpretation of the results by Gartner. These studies are conducted by Gartner Consulting business unit.
Gartner neither uses nor incorporates the results of individual client-commissioned studies for publication in our subscription research services.
Gartner may be engaged by a technology company to perform a market study or assessment. In cases where the study is completed using standard Gartner tools and methodologies (for example, Cost Benchmarks created via our DECM software tool), external use of the study may be granted under certain conditions and guidelines. In cases where the study is completed using custom Gartner Consulting resources and methodologies, external use of the results by the vendor is generally prohibited.
Studies commissioned collectively by multiple vendor clients, in which teams of competing clients work together to create industry studies or standards for publication, may be released publicly, citing the Gartner role. Work for non-profit agencies may also be disclosed if based on prior agreement. Studies performed for a government client that is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) may be released as required, with restrictions as specified by the FOIA.
No. Gartner performs no technology implementation for clients whatsoever. Gartner takes research positions on which technologies and services will succeed or fail, but we have no intrinsic interest in seeing one solution succeed over another.
