Dumb question: what is SAP

[TheFaQQer]

The history of BAAN is very interesting. At one point it was a serious competitor to SAP. Then creative accounting (a la Enron) and bad management led to its demise. It's programming/database language is still one of the best I've seen, conceptually - and much better than ABAP.

At my Oracle brainwashing, I was told that BAAN died because Oracle were so great that they just crumbled in the face of a better product.

Do you mean that that's not true??

(I recall the presentation including the phrase "we said BAAN-voyage to them..." It's the way they tell them.)

[TheFaQQer]

Which is why SAP is as ubiquitous in large companies, as microsoft is in the home.

I think that Mr Ellison would disagree with that particular analogy.

[TheFaQQer]

there is no other choice but SAP ne c'est pas ?

Milan.

Finger on the pulse, and accurate as ever, Milan.

[oracleslave]

At my Oracle brainwashing, I was told that BAAN died because Oracle were so great that they just crumbled in the face of a better product.

I think I was subject to the same thing

[oracleslave]

I think that Mr Ellison would disagree with that particular analogy.

He definitely would. Saw him at open world earlier this year, loved the arrogance

[Bob Dalek]

He definitely would. Saw him at open world earlier this year, loved the arrogance

He looks like Chuck Norris, only waxier and with perhaps a dash of Grecian 2000 and a nip-n-tuck, or two.

[NotAllThere]

I think that Mr Ellison would disagree with that particular analogy.

The vast majority of SAP installations have Oracle as their db server, so in that sense there is more Oracle about, because there are many oracle installations that don't run SAP. But when it comes to running your business, oracle isn't in first place.

[NotAllThere]

The business runs the business - I find it hilarious when IT/ERP people suggest the business should be changed according to an ERP configuration.

So do I. But it hasn't stopped SAP making that part of their business model and doing so very successfully.

[TykeMerc]

The business runs the business - I find it hilarious when IT/ERP people suggest the business should be changed according to an ERP configuration.

It might work in single country/jurisdiction setups - when you have multiple jurisdictions, languages, markets, sales chanels, culture, etc, etc. - just falls on its arse

That's complete and utter tripe I'm afraid.

Having worked extensively with (not for) IFS and to a lesser extent SAP and Lawsons their staff are far from just being IT people. In fact apart from the obvious coders and tech support their staffs are business experts with real world experience in their industries who work with the client to analyse and optimise the requirements, processes and application, the actual IT technical work is about 30% of the projects.
A vanilla Supply Chain module for example will have been constructed around what are regarded as best in class business processes, the modules are then intended to be configured to suit the clients specific business needs. If the client chucks out the carefully designed ERP model in favour of retaining old inefficient or just plain broken processes (I've seen all 3) then the ERP can be bespoked to fit, but the end result is inevitably a failure to realise the long term cost savings which could be achieved and were the justification for the whole project in the first place.

IT solutions should be an instrument to drive Business improvements otherwise there's no point installing them.

[oracleslave]

That's complete and utter tripe I'm afraid.

Having worked extensively with (not for) IFS and to a lesser extent SAP and Lawsons their staff are far from just being IT people. In fact apart from the obvious coders and tech support their staffs are business experts with real world experience in their industries who work with the client to analyse and optimise the requirements, processes and application, the actual IT technical work is about 30% of the projects.
A vanilla Supply Chain module for example will have been constructed around what are regarded as best in class business processes, the modules are then intended to be configured to suit the clients specific business needs. If the client chucks out the carefully designed ERP model in favour of retaining old inefficient or just plain broken processes (I've seen all 3) then the ERP can be bespoked to fit, but the end result is inevitably a failure to realise the long term cost savings which could be achieved and were the justification for the whole project in the first place.

IT solutions should be an instrument to drive Business improvements otherwise there's no point installing them.

To a large extent...I concur.