Kenexa

Kenexa was a human-capital-management company whose services covered recruitment, employee assessment, onboarding, engagement research, performance management, leadership development, compensation information, and recruitment-process outsourcing. It began in 1986 as a provider of recruitment services and gradually expanded from consulting and staffing-related work into technology-supported human-resources management. During its first decade, Kenexa developed an automated recruiting-management system and broadened its offering to include employee research and performance management. By 1998, it had acquired fifteen organizations and was presenting a wider on-demand human-capital-management proposition. Between 1998 and 2001, four further acquisitions added employee screening, behavioral assessment, and skills-testing capabilities. This acquisition-led approach allowed Kenexa to combine software, assessment content, research, and advisory services rather than operate solely as a conventional recruitment agency. Kenexa became a public company through an initial public offering in 2005. It then expanded its technology and consulting portfolio through acquisitions including BrassRing, Gantz Wiley Research, Knowledge Workers, Psychometric Services, and Webhire. Further purchases in 2007, including HRC Human Resources Consulting GmbH and StraightSource, supported its European expansion. From 2008 to 2009, the company grew its international footprint to approximately thirty offices across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. It also acquired Quorum International Search and later added the Centre for High Performance Development and Salary.com in 2010. Its portfolio included recruitment-process outsourcing, applicant and candidate-management tools, structured interview resources, employee and candidate assessments, skills testing, employee surveys, leadership and management training, human-resources consulting, and compensation-management services. BrassRing was a particularly important technology component, providing tools for candidate search, hiring strategy, skills management, and outsourced recruitment operations. Kenexa Prove It offered skills assessments for employment candidates, while Kenexa Interview Builder supplied structured interview materials and example questions. IBM announced its acquisition of Kenexa on August 27, 2012, for approximately $1.3 billion. The transaction closed on December 4, 2012, and Kenexa was integrated into IBM as "Kenexa, an IBM Company." Approximately 2,800 Kenexa employees in 21 countries joined IBM as part of the transaction. The Kenexa name consequently became associated with IBM's talent and workforce-management activities rather than continuing as an independent public company. In April 2021, Infinite Computer Solutions announced an agreement to acquire IBM talent-acquisition software assets that included BrassRing on Cloud and related Kenexa/BrassRing assets. This later divestiture further reduced the scope of the Kenexa-branded business within IBM. Kenexa is therefore best understood as a former independent human-resources technology and services brand whose capabilities were successively absorbed into IBM and, for certain talent-acquisition products, transferred to another owner.

Kenexa originated in 1986 as a recruitment-services provider. Its early development followed the broader shift from manual employment administration toward technology-supported talent management. Within its first ten years, the company created an automated recruiting-management system and added employee research and performance-management activities. These moves established the combination of services and software that later defined its business. The company expanded substantially through acquisitions. By 1998, it had purchased fifteen organizations and was offering on-demand human-capital-management services. During the following three years, four more acquisitions extended its capabilities into employee screening, behavioral assessment, and skills testing. The resulting portfolio addressed several stages of the employment lifecycle, from finding and evaluating candidates to managing employees after hiring. Kenexa completed its initial public offering in 2005. After becoming publicly traded, it continued to use acquisitions to add specialist technology, research, and consulting capabilities. Purchases of BrassRing, Gantz Wiley Research, Knowledge Workers, Psychometric Services, and Webhire strengthened its recruitment software, employee-survey research, public-sector consulting, assessment, and hiring-technology operations. BrassRing became a central part of the technology portfolio, offering candidate search, hiring-strategy, skills-management, and recruitment-outsourcing functionality. In 2007, Kenexa acquired HRC Human Resources Consulting GmbH and StraightSource, supporting expansion in Europe. From 2008 through 2009, the company expanded to roughly thirty offices across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. It also acquired Quorum International Search Limited. In 2010, Kenexa added the Centre for High Performance Development and Salary.com. These transactions broadened the company beyond recruiting software into leadership development, management training, compensation information, and human-resources consulting. The company’s named divisions and acquired businesses reflected this breadth. BrassRing supplied recruitment and talent-acquisition applications. The Centre for High Performance Development focused on leadership and management training and human-resources advisory work. Gantz Wiley Research conducted survey analysis and developed the WorkTrends employee-research database, covering subjects such as engagement, leadership, and customer relations. Knowledge Workers provided technology assistance and human-resources consulting, including work for government agencies. Salary.com supplied compensation and human-resources management services, particularly for compensation professionals and talent-management processes. IBM announced the acquisition of Kenexa on August 27, 2012. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.3 billion, closed on December 4, 2012. Kenexa was incorporated into IBM and operated under the description "Kenexa, an IBM Company." Approximately 2,800 Kenexa employees in 21 countries joined IBM. The deal ended Kenexa's existence as an independent public company and placed its recruitment, assessment, engagement, and workforce-management capabilities inside IBM's enterprise software and services portfolio. The later history of the brand was shaped by IBM's reorganization and asset transfers. On April 15, 2021, Infinite Computer Solutions announced an agreement to acquire IBM talent-acquisition software-as-a-service assets, including BrassRing on Cloud and associated Kenexa/BrassRing assets. This transaction indicated that at least some of the technology historically associated with Kenexa had moved outside IBM, while the original Kenexa corporate identity remained absorbed rather than operating as a standalone company.

• 2021

  BrassRing-related assets announced for sale

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Infinite Computer Solutions announced the acquisition of IBM talent-acquisition SaaS assets including BrassRing on Cloud and related Kenexa/BrassRing assets.

• 2012

  IBM acquisition closes

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  IBM completed its acquisition of Kenexa on December 4, 2012. Kenexa then operated as an IBM business.

• 2010

  Acquisitions of the Centre for High Performance Development and Salary.com

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Kenexa added leadership development, management training, compensation, and human-resources management capabilities through acquisitions.

• 2009

  International office network reaches approximately thirty locations

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Kenexa expanded its presence across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, reaching approximately thirty offices.

• 2007

  European expansion through acquisitions

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisitions of HRC Human Resources Consulting GmbH and StraightSource strengthened Kenexa's European operations.

• 2005

  Initial public offering

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Kenexa completed its initial public offering and continued expanding through acquisitions.

• 2001

  Assessment and screening capabilities broaden

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Four additional acquisitions during the preceding three years added employee screening, behavioral assessment, and skills-testing capabilities.

• 1998

  Expansion through fifteen acquisitions

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  By 1998, Kenexa had acquired fifteen organizations and was offering on-demand human-capital-management services.

• 1986

  Kenexa begins as a recruitment-services provider

  [1]Kenexaen.wikipedia.org

  Kenexa was established as a provider of recruitment services and later expanded into technology-enabled human-capital management.

An integrated human-capital-management provider combining recruitment services, workforce software, assessment content, employee research, and organizational consulting.

• Talent acquisition software · 1999

  BrassRing

  BrassRing was a recruitment and talent-acquisition software business founded in 1999 in Waltham, Massachusetts. Its capabilities included candidate searching, hiring strategy, skills management, and recruitment-process outsourcing applications. BrassRing became one of the most significant technology components associated with Kenexa and was later included among the IBM talent-acquisition assets announced for acquisition by Infinite Computer Solutions in 2021.

• Employment skills assessment

  Kenexa Prove It

  Kenexa Prove It was an assessment product used to evaluate the abilities and job-related skills of employment candidates. It represented Kenexa's focus on structured, technology-supported screening rather than relying only on resumes or unstructured interviews.

• Structured interview tool

  Kenexa Interview Builder

  Kenexa Interview Builder was a structured interview resource containing example questions and interview guidance. It was designed to help organizations standardize candidate interviews and support more consistent hiring decisions.

• Employee survey and workforce research

  WorkTrends

  WorkTrends was an employee-survey research database associated with Gantz Wiley Research, a Kenexa business. It compiled survey information on topics including employee engagement, leadership, and customer relations, providing research material for organizational and workforce analysis.

• Compensation and human-resources management

  Salary.com

  Salary.com was a compensation and human-resources management business acquired by Kenexa in 2010. Its services were aimed primarily at compensation professionals and supported talent-management processes through compensation information and related software-as-a-service capabilities.

• 2021

  IBM talent-acquisition assets are sold to Infinite Computer SolutionsM&A

  Background

  Following Kenexa's integration into IBM, parts of the former Kenexa and BrassRing technology portfolio were included in IBM's talent-acquisition software assets.

  Action taken

  Infinite Computer Solutions announced an agreement to acquire IBM talent-acquisition SaaS products, including BrassRing on Cloud and related Kenexa/BrassRing assets.

  Aftermath

  The transaction further separated selected BrassRing-related technology from IBM and marked a later transfer of assets historically associated with Kenexa.

  Source

• 2012

  Kenexa agrees to IBM acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Kenexa had assembled a broad portfolio spanning recruitment software, employee assessment, engagement research, leadership development, and human-resources consulting. IBM announced a plan to acquire the company as part of its expansion in workforce and talent-management technology.

  Action taken

  IBM announced the acquisition on August 27, 2012, for approximately $1.3 billion. The transaction closed on December 4, 2012, and Kenexa was integrated as an IBM business.

  Aftermath

  Kenexa ceased to operate as an independent public company. Approximately 2,800 employees in 21 countries joined IBM, and the brand became known as Kenexa, an IBM Company.

  Acquisition value. $1.3 billion announced transaction value (2012)

  Source

• 2020.03.02

  Reported2020.03.02

  Kenexa completes D1 funding round[2]肯耐珂萨完成D1轮融资tech.sina.com.cn

  Kenexa announced completion of a D1 funding round worth several hundred million yuan, led by Jinglin Equity Investment.

Read more

1. 1Kenexaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2肯耐珂萨完成D1轮融资tech.sina.com.cn