Hah! No, it really doesn't.
What it does need are similar capabilities to help companies manage the complexity of integration, even when integrating using standards based service models and API's.
In a very interesting Information Week report on ERP, writer Doug Henschen makes some really interesting points that I believe is a "must read" for companies using API's as a core part of their application/IT strategy and vendors who sell to those companies.
In a section titled "the integration imperative" Doug shares a Starbucks use case. Many who look at that use case would think of it as a mobile application, or even an example of social technologies used for business. Underlying all of that are a few key things, without which such innovation would be impossible:
1. Be willing to deploy pretty good, not perfect, apps. Gen Y and Millenials are used to things mostly working, and getting them faster. As a solution provider, having a solid infrastructure and a good understanding of your data and API will let you be nimble and have short release cycles.
2. API's are a core feature requirements. This report states that 64% of respondents cited easy integration as the most important thing they look for in enterprise apps. That's a huge difference to the secondmost cited quality which came in at 38%. Implied in this, if you are a vendor, is that you deliver an API that people can use easily for complete use cases. Said in "MBA terms" - you need a "whole product offering" around the API. Not just a REST interface.
3. Develop a way to listen and respond to the user community. The report shares an example from Guess, but I'm going to share a personal one. I was once in a Kinko's getting business cards printed, and the guy helping me was clearly having a hard time with his software. Within a few minutes, I was behind the counter, pointing and clicking with him, asking him how IT decided what the software should do, how it was deployed, what's wrong with it, etc. The people that use this stuff actually know something. Now, you don't want to just deliver "faster horses" but you do want to interpret their insights and add value based on your deeper technical understanding of the possibilities. (PS That's a reference to Henry Ford who said something like "had he listened to cusotmers, he wouldn't have created the car but built faster horses.)
It goes without saying that OpusGrid can help with the three key requirements above. Whether you are a small company looking ot use other API's, a cusotmer using services inside your internal integration infrastructure (dare I call that a "private cloud"?), or a vendor trying to make sure you're deliver a whole product around your API's.
Why not check out The Right API, or drop us a line?