Before you dive into the detailed sections of this redbook, it is important to point out the business performance management (BPM) initiative is currently in its infancy and is changing rapidly. For example, there are many other terms being used to describe this area of interest. They are used at many seminars and conferences around the world. But there is indeed a lot of confusion and the definitions given are not always clear or consistent. Some terms sound similar, but are very different. Some may even have the same acronym, but mean something very different. As examples, you may have heard terms such as business activity monitoring, corporate process management, business activity management, and business process management. With those terms come acronyms such as BAM, BPM, and CPM. Though they sometimes sound similar, they do not necessarily have the same meaning, and certainly not the same solution capabilities. This redbook is intended to provide you with an introduction to BPM, its relationship to business intelligence, and an overview of the current IBM BPM solution and product capabilities. However, as an industry leader, IBM continues to evolve its BPM solution and supporting product set. As always, contact your IBM representative to be sure you have all the details on the latest functions and features of the IBM solution.