Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications

    SAPs Kagermann Lays Out Recovery Road Map

    Written by

    Dennis Callaghan
    Published June 17, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      ORLANDO, Fla.—SAP AG CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board Henning Kagermann said during his opening keynote at the companys Sapphire 03 conference here Tuesday that economic recovery will depend on companies abilities to effectively consolidate their IT operations and adapt to changing technologies.

      Not surprisingly, Kagermann positioned new SAP technologies like NetWeaver and Xapps at the center of these required changes.

      Kagermann pointed out that this is the second straight year the theme of economic uncertainty has dominated Sapphire keynotes.

      “I felt that times would be better,” he acknowledged. “That if wed wait a few months, everything would be better. But I was all wrong. It went worse.

      “Consumers lost confidence, and so much of the wealth built up by investors for years was lost in one year.”

      Economic uncertainty has in turn prompted companies to cut costs, which has meant reduced investments in IT budgets. Kagermann said such uncertainty has become a new economic reality that companies will have to adapt to.

      “If you want to have success, you need growth, and if you want growth, you need innovation,” he said. “Today nearly every innovation is enabled by IT.”

      Kagermann argued that business systems have become “oversophisticated” and need to instead do a better job of executing established business practices.

      While he spoke of the need for consolidation, Kagermann acknowledged that customers have a choice of applications today—he made no mention of recent moves by Oracle Corp. and PeopleSoft Inc. to consolidate the enterprise applications space—and that SAPs NetWeaver is the way to go to connect those applications, as opposed to third-party enterprise application integration software.

      “You hope at the end of the day, EAI tools help you meet the challenge of integration, but theyre just adding another layer of complexity on top of what you already have,” he said.

      Page Two

      One technology area SAP is focusing on that will help companies gain new efficiencies from their business practices is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology integrated with SAPs supply chain applications, adding electronic product codes to products and shipments that will make them easier to track.

      “Not many technologies have no tradeoff, but this seems to be one,” said Kagermann, pointing out that RFID will improve collaboration, business insights, efficiency, security and cost savings.

      “We have a pilot project now that will be ready earlier than anybody else to give you competitive advantage,” he said.

      “Innovation is next, not the next budget killer.”

      Another innovation at SAP is a new portal interface across its applications that is role- and pattern-based, customizable to the individual needs of each user. The interface is already in SAPs CRM suite but will become standard across all SAP applications, Kagermann said.

      Kagermann rambled on about the promise of the Adaptive Computing Infrastructure that SAP technologies like NetWeaver and Xapps support, which facilitate better business process integration between disparate applications. But ultimately, he laid responsibility at the feet of enterprises to drive innovation and strengthen the economy.

      “If you help us address the people factor, if you have an openness and willingness to adapt and listen, if you take some of the savings achieved and put them back into growth, then we wont be waiting for a recovery, well be creating the recovery,” he said.

      Dennis Callaghan
      Dennis Callaghan

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×