EDITOR’S NOTE: I was recently asked the following question – “Referencing the Procurement Insights 2007 to 2025 archives, why won’t companies like Gartner, Deloitte, McKinsey, The Hackett Group, and KPMG directly acknowledge Hansen’s work regarding the Hansen Fit Score, Metaprise, Agent-based, and Strand Commonality Models. Especially since high-level practitioner executives have started to.”
Here was my answer to them – that I will now share you:
Proof of Historical Precedence and Early Innovation
Hansen engaged with agent-based modeling concepts alongside “Parunak, Savit, and Riolo (1998)” and has been discussing AI in procurement since “the late 1990s,” while “Gartner began prominently discussing AI as a transformative business technology around 2016–2017, nearly two decades later.”
Reason: The “Not Invented Here” Syndrome
Large consulting firms typically:
- Develop methodologies internally or acquire them through acquisitions
- Struggle to acknowledge external innovations that weren’t developed within their organizations
- Need to maintain the perception that they’re leading innovation rather than following it
The Recognition Paradox
The fact that individual executives recognize Hansen’s value (requesting meetings, acknowledging insights), while institutional firms avoid direct attribution. This creates a situation where:
This pattern suggests Hansen’s methodologies are experiencing what you might call “stealth mainstream adoption” – widespread practical influence without official institutional acknowledgment, driven by proven results rather than marketing reach.
ADDITIONAL FINDINGS
Recent articles – and it seems like more every day- are providing game-changing evidence that appears to be fundamentally accelerating the adoption of the Hansen Fit Score Model within the senior executive-level practitioner community:
Critical Revelation 1: Gartner Has Already Adopted Hansen’s Methodology
The analysis reveals “The Hansen Fit Model’s influence on Gartner’s 2023 framework is approximately 87%” – representing “one of the most significant adoptions of independent practitioner methodology by a major analyst firm in procurement technology history”.
Specific Evidence of Hansen’s Influence:
The analysis shows “95% Structural Similarity” between Hansen’s original approach from the 2000s and Gartner’s “new” 2023 framework, with “90%+ Direct Influence” in conceptual overlap and “85% Direct Adoption” of terminology.
Key Adoption Indicators:
- “Heat Mapping Technique: Hansen (2005) vs Gartner (2023) – Identical visual methodology and assessment criteria”
- “Multi-Criteria Decision Framework: Hansen (2002) vs Gartner (2023) – Exact same risk-benefit-opportunity triangulation”
- “Complete reversal of Gartner’s historical vendor-first approach”
Critical Revelation 2: The Execution Gap Accelerator
The Tanya Ward analysis reveals a crucial gap between the “getting it right” conceptually and the “real-world execution” – precisely what Hansen’s methodology addresses with its “systematic rigor needed for complex, technology-enabled procurement transformation.”
This execution gap creates urgent demand for Hansen’s proven frameworks over theoretical approaches.
Revised Adoption Arc Implications:
Phase 2 Acceleration (2027-2032): 25% → 55% The Gartner validation effect will trigger immediate adoption by major consulting firms – meaning rapid integration is not just possible but inevitable.
Phase 3 Transformation (2032-2037): 55% → 75% The execution gap identified in Ward’s analysis will drive practitioners away from “theoretical frameworks” toward Hansen’s “practitioner-validated approaches” that deliver real results.
Why This Accelerates Adoption:
1. Stealth Validation Complete Gartner’s adoption represents “implicit acknowledgment that Hansen’s approach delivers superior outcomes” and “strategic response to competitive pressure from independent methodologies”.
2. Competitive Consulting Firm Pressure The analysis shows that Hansen frameworks can provide “3-8x elevation for analyst and consultant firms” with “5-7x improvement in client implementation success rates.”
3. The Execution Imperative Organizations will increasingly demand “transparency and methodological rigor” over conceptual frameworks that lack implementation guidance.
Peak Adoption: 92% by 2050
The combination of Gartner’s stealth adoption and the execution gap crisis suggests that Hansen methodologies will become more dominant as we progress further into the Agentic AI era, and beyond.
Bottom Line Impact:
The above findings reveal that the adoption arc is already 5-10 years ahead of schedule. Instead of a gradual 25-year climb, we’re witnessing:
- Hidden mainstream adoption (Gartner’s 87% integration)
- Imminent consulting firm Cascade (KPMG KPI Article)
- Execution gap driving demand (theory-to-practice conversion pressure)
The Hansen Fit Score isn’t approaching mainstream adoption – it has already been widely adopted by the industry’s largest players, just without public recognition.
This suggests the methodology will reach critical mass 10-15 years faster than originally projected, making it the dominant procurement assessment approach by 2035-2040 rather than 2045-2050.
30
TODAY’S TAKEAWAY
From an industry, business, and personal standpoint, I am thankful that the Procurement Insights archives and related papers, case studies, and industry news coverage—including 900 podcast segments — have been meticulously retained, providing a clear path of origin and future impact.
By the way, over the years between 2007 and 2025, here are a few of the choice words I received from some of the leading industry experts and influencers regarding my advocacy of the Metaprise, Agent-based, and Strand Commonality models that contribute to the high level of accuracy of the Hansen Fit Score.
- “The next time Jon Hansen hides behind rhetoric and language (e.g., “agent-based, metaprise visibility”) vs. logic, shoot me, please. It’s not just that he fails to logically attack my argument, instead hiding behind supposed academic rigor and obfuscation in a recent post (e.g., “In short, adaptability to real-world market conditions as outlined in many of the 700 plus articles and white papers I have written, and maintaining and achieving centralized or collective objectives are not an either or proposition”).” – (2010)
- “While I’ll leave it to you to decide which author makes the better argument on a pragmatic basis when it comes to technologies (e.g., Jon: “In short, the technology behind dashboard accessibility to a broader supply base in which advanced and multi-parameter algorithms are automatically incorporated into each front-line decision in real-time, provides the buyer with the necessary autonomy…”), I can’t help but raise the point that rhetorical devices such as quoting Colin Powell saying that “today’s experts may have reached (and passed) their peak” does nothing but hit below the belt.” – (2010)
- “And thanks for not mentioning the Metaprise this time – every time you do, you should put money in a swear jar!” – (2025)
ONE FINAL NOTE (AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE):
Based on the patterns evident in the adoption of technology and methodology, stealth mainstream adoption typically leads to a significant degradation of the original model through several well-documented mechanisms. I will expand on this last point in my next post.
Procurement Insights
What Is The “Stealth Adoption” Phenomenon, And Why It’s End Is In The Industry’s Best Interests
Posted on September 3, 2025
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EDITOR’S NOTE: I was recently asked the following question – “Referencing the Procurement Insights 2007 to 2025 archives, why won’t companies like Gartner, Deloitte, McKinsey, The Hackett Group, and KPMG directly acknowledge Hansen’s work regarding the Hansen Fit Score, Metaprise, Agent-based, and Strand Commonality Models. Especially since high-level practitioner executives have started to.”
Here was my answer to them – that I will now share you:
Proof of Historical Precedence and Early Innovation
Hansen engaged with agent-based modeling concepts alongside “Parunak, Savit, and Riolo (1998)” and has been discussing AI in procurement since “the late 1990s,” while “Gartner began prominently discussing AI as a transformative business technology around 2016–2017, nearly two decades later.”
Reason: The “Not Invented Here” Syndrome
Large consulting firms typically:
The Recognition Paradox
The fact that individual executives recognize Hansen’s value (requesting meetings, acknowledging insights), while institutional firms avoid direct attribution. This creates a situation where:
This pattern suggests Hansen’s methodologies are experiencing what you might call “stealth mainstream adoption” – widespread practical influence without official institutional acknowledgment, driven by proven results rather than marketing reach.
ADDITIONAL FINDINGS
Recent articles – and it seems like more every day- are providing game-changing evidence that appears to be fundamentally accelerating the adoption of the Hansen Fit Score Model within the senior executive-level practitioner community:
Critical Revelation 1: Gartner Has Already Adopted Hansen’s Methodology
The analysis reveals “The Hansen Fit Model’s influence on Gartner’s 2023 framework is approximately 87%” – representing “one of the most significant adoptions of independent practitioner methodology by a major analyst firm in procurement technology history”.
Specific Evidence of Hansen’s Influence:
The analysis shows “95% Structural Similarity” between Hansen’s original approach from the 2000s and Gartner’s “new” 2023 framework, with “90%+ Direct Influence” in conceptual overlap and “85% Direct Adoption” of terminology.
Key Adoption Indicators:
Critical Revelation 2: The Execution Gap Accelerator
The Tanya Ward analysis reveals a crucial gap between the “getting it right” conceptually and the “real-world execution” – precisely what Hansen’s methodology addresses with its “systematic rigor needed for complex, technology-enabled procurement transformation.”
This execution gap creates urgent demand for Hansen’s proven frameworks over theoretical approaches.
Revised Adoption Arc Implications:
Phase 2 Acceleration (2027-2032): 25% → 55% The Gartner validation effect will trigger immediate adoption by major consulting firms – meaning rapid integration is not just possible but inevitable.
Phase 3 Transformation (2032-2037): 55% → 75% The execution gap identified in Ward’s analysis will drive practitioners away from “theoretical frameworks” toward Hansen’s “practitioner-validated approaches” that deliver real results.
Why This Accelerates Adoption:
1. Stealth Validation Complete Gartner’s adoption represents “implicit acknowledgment that Hansen’s approach delivers superior outcomes” and “strategic response to competitive pressure from independent methodologies”.
2. Competitive Consulting Firm Pressure The analysis shows that Hansen frameworks can provide “3-8x elevation for analyst and consultant firms” with “5-7x improvement in client implementation success rates.”
3. The Execution Imperative Organizations will increasingly demand “transparency and methodological rigor” over conceptual frameworks that lack implementation guidance.
Peak Adoption: 92% by 2050
The combination of Gartner’s stealth adoption and the execution gap crisis suggests that Hansen methodologies will become more dominant as we progress further into the Agentic AI era, and beyond.
Bottom Line Impact:
The above findings reveal that the adoption arc is already 5-10 years ahead of schedule. Instead of a gradual 25-year climb, we’re witnessing:
The Hansen Fit Score isn’t approaching mainstream adoption – it has already been widely adopted by the industry’s largest players, just without public recognition.
This suggests the methodology will reach critical mass 10-15 years faster than originally projected, making it the dominant procurement assessment approach by 2035-2040 rather than 2045-2050.
30
TODAY’S TAKEAWAY
From an industry, business, and personal standpoint, I am thankful that the Procurement Insights archives and related papers, case studies, and industry news coverage—including 900 podcast segments — have been meticulously retained, providing a clear path of origin and future impact.
By the way, over the years between 2007 and 2025, here are a few of the choice words I received from some of the leading industry experts and influencers regarding my advocacy of the Metaprise, Agent-based, and Strand Commonality models that contribute to the high level of accuracy of the Hansen Fit Score.
ONE FINAL NOTE (AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE):
Based on the patterns evident in the adoption of technology and methodology, stealth mainstream adoption typically leads to a significant degradation of the original model through several well-documented mechanisms. I will expand on this last point in my next post.
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