IT / ERP / Software Consultant - Is Oracle Sapping SAP ...
[pic] Is Oracle Sapping SAP?
by Sandra Noble, President
Noble & Associates Consulting, Inc.
A leech is sucking the life blood out of SAP. Or at least the attempt is being made. What’s causing the blood letting to occur? PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Siebel, Hyperion – aka the new, bigger, more diverse Oracle Corporation.
I got training in SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system years ago when it was on a mainframe platform – version R/2. At that time the Germans who came to the US to teach, emphasized that the name was "S, A, P". They were aware of the negative connotations of the word sap in the United States.
The Players
The letters S, A, P stand for some German words. At this point, knowing what those letters mean, is as irrelevant as knowing what IBM stands for. (By the way, I just learned that SAP was started by former IBMers). SAP was founded in Germany in 1972. It had become greatly successful and respected in the European market before it made any serious inroads in North America.
Oracle Corporation, a US company, leads the way in the home grown variety of enterprise-wide software. At its start in 1977, the focus was on database solutions. It took close to 20 years before a reasonable facsimile of an ERP system was produced.
Both companies started with ERP systems which handled basic business functions such as order entry, accounts receivable, production, inventory, purchasing and accounts payable – all integrated with a financial backbone. Now their offerings have expanded to include ERP off-springs like Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Intelligence, and Supply Chain Management (SCM) to name a few.
The Definitions
At , I looked up definitions for sap. The two definitions I would have given:
1) to undermine; weaken or destroy insidiously - with Synonyms: impair, enfeeble, deplete, exhaust, enervate
2) Slang. a fool; dupe.
But two other definitions surprised me:
1) Fortification. a deep, narrow trench constructed so as to form an approach to a besieged place or an enemy's position
2) Fortification.
a. to approach (a besieged place or an enemy position) by means of deep, narrow trenches protected by gabions or parapets.
b. to dig such trenches in (ground).
Which sap is SAP?
The Challenges:
• SAP corporation is still the leader in the ERP space, but Oracle is gaining ground.
• Turnover in SAP's top ranks is worth noting and watching
• SAP is sticking to old ways of doing things - ways that have been successful in the past.
• They have evolved from mainframe R/2 to client server SAP R/3 and then to enterprise version mySAP. Now, SAP is giving more attention to "software as a service" to try to capture more of the midsize market. Are they committed to operating in that space?
The Approach
Oracle is building approach / attack trenches by acquiring companies that make Oracle a more comprehensive solution provider. Is SAP impaired by this? An April 2007 InformationWeek article talks about SAP's CEO Kagermann and his strategies for the future. SAP did not capture the lead position by being a fool. They cannot and should not be discounted. SAP is still a force to be reckoned with.
Reference:
Amid Challenges, SAP CEO Kagermann Sticks To His Plan
About the Author
Sandra Noble, MBA, CPIM, DCFS, CDP, Six Sigma, is president of Noble & Associates Consulting which specializes in IT Needs Assessments, RFP creation, unbiased software selection assistance and we're the cure for Post Implementation Distress™. We also have full life cycle implementation expertise in SAP, Oracle and other enterprise-wide software solutions. Reducing the STRESS of Software Implementations Worldwide!
Get the *FREE* report,
“8 Tips for Selecting Software” by visiting
Noble Finances, a division of Noble & Associates Consulting, provides accounts receivable financing, equipment & software leasing, and lawsuit funding.
Turn your accounts receivable into immediate CA$H.
If your bank says No, then Yes, you need to explore other alternatives.
Get a FREE report on Business Financing Options, by clicking
Copyright © 2007, Noble & Associates Consulting, Inc.
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- it erp software consultant is oracle sapping sap
- army funds management data reference guide
- enterprise resource planning systems
- enterprise resource planning
- enterprise resource planning featuring hillerick bradsby
- sap business bydesign
- introduction to sap r 3 sd module
- section1 what is erp
- sub enterprise resource planning erp in oil material
- supply chain processes and relationships for electronic