FTD.de - IT+Telekommunikation - Nachrichten - SAP kanzelt Rivalen Oracle ab
Der deutsche Softwarekonzern SAP wirft dem Wettbewerber Oracle unsportliches Verhalten vor. SAP-Vorstandssprecher Henning Kagermann wehrte sich in einem Gespräch mit FTD und Financial Times zudem gegen den Eindruck, eine Klage von Oracle wegen Verletzung des Urheberrechts zwinge SAP in eine Verteidigungshaltung.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
FT.com / Companies / IT - SAP criticises Oracle for aggressive style
FT.com / Companies / IT - SAP criticises Oracle for aggressive style
SAP criticises Oracle for aggressive style
By Francesco Guerrera and Michael Gassmann in Atlanta
Published: April 25 2007 22:09 | Last updated: April 25 2007 22:09
The chief executive of Germany’s SAP, the world’s biggest maker of business software, has hit out at its arch-rival Oracle, attacking the US group’s aggressive style and criticising its acquisitive strategy.
The comments by Henning Kagermann come a month after Oracle sued the German company, alleging “corporate theft on a grand scale” and will escalate an increasingly bitter war between the two companies.
Mr Kagermann rebuffed suggestions that SAP was too defensive and said it would not follow Oracle’s aggressive tactics, which have included attacks on the company’s performance by Larry Ellison, the US group’s chief executive.
“They ask me why we are not adopting the same style in talking and sometimes not delivering; why should I? [...] We are never defensive, we just have our style,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times.
Mr Kagermann declined to comment on the lawsuit, which centres on the activities of a Texas-based arm of SAP, reiterating the company would “aggressively defend” it in a formal response due out in a few weeks.
The competition between SAP and Oracle has intensified in recent years as the German group made a push into the US market, where it has experienced strong growth. Oracle responded with a $19.5bn takeover spree to expand outside its core database business and into software for large businesses, where SAP remains the market leader.
Mr Kagermann said that organic growth remained SAP’s preferred strategy. He added that Oracle’s acquisitive streak would force the US company to spend time and money integrating products and people.
Mr Kagermann sought to quash recent rumours of a buy-out of SAP, saying he had “no indication of interest from private equity”. He stressed that the company’s three founders were committed to retaining their 32 per cent stake.
He deflected questions over whether he will stay on after his contract expires in 2009.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
SAP criticises Oracle for aggressive style
By Francesco Guerrera and Michael Gassmann in Atlanta
Published: April 25 2007 22:09 | Last updated: April 25 2007 22:09
The chief executive of Germany’s SAP, the world’s biggest maker of business software, has hit out at its arch-rival Oracle, attacking the US group’s aggressive style and criticising its acquisitive strategy.
The comments by Henning Kagermann come a month after Oracle sued the German company, alleging “corporate theft on a grand scale” and will escalate an increasingly bitter war between the two companies.
Mr Kagermann rebuffed suggestions that SAP was too defensive and said it would not follow Oracle’s aggressive tactics, which have included attacks on the company’s performance by Larry Ellison, the US group’s chief executive.
“They ask me why we are not adopting the same style in talking and sometimes not delivering; why should I? [...] We are never defensive, we just have our style,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times.
Mr Kagermann declined to comment on the lawsuit, which centres on the activities of a Texas-based arm of SAP, reiterating the company would “aggressively defend” it in a formal response due out in a few weeks.
The competition between SAP and Oracle has intensified in recent years as the German group made a push into the US market, where it has experienced strong growth. Oracle responded with a $19.5bn takeover spree to expand outside its core database business and into software for large businesses, where SAP remains the market leader.
Mr Kagermann said that organic growth remained SAP’s preferred strategy. He added that Oracle’s acquisitive streak would force the US company to spend time and money integrating products and people.
Mr Kagermann sought to quash recent rumours of a buy-out of SAP, saying he had “no indication of interest from private equity”. He stressed that the company’s three founders were committed to retaining their 32 per cent stake.
He deflected questions over whether he will stay on after his contract expires in 2009.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
SAP United States - SAP and Microsoft Deliver Extended Road Map for Duet™ Software
SAP United States - SAP and Microsoft Deliver Extended Road Map for Duet™ Software
Continued Commitment to Empowering Information Workers with Simplified Access to Key Business Data and Processes Through Microsoft Office
Continued Commitment to Empowering Information Workers with Simplified Access to Key Business Data and Processes Through Microsoft Office
Monday, April 23, 2007
FT.com / Companies / IT - SAP boosted by strong sales growth in the US
FT.com / Companies / IT - SAP boosted by strong sales growth in the US
SAP boosted by strong sales growth in the US
By Gerrit Wiesmann in Frankfurt
Published: April 23 2007 15:27 | Last updated: April 23 2007 15:27
SAP, the world’s biggest maker of software for business, took a first step to restoring investor confidence by announcing strong growth in the first quarter of the year while pledging to face down a lawsuit from a rival.
The stock traded 2.5 per cent higher at €37 per share late on Friday after the German company said sales of software and related services hit €1.52bn early 2007, a 15 per cent rise when adjusted for currency effects.
Henning Kagermann, chief executive, said strong sales growth in the US helped push SAP’s market share to 25.1 per cent, up 0.6 points from late last year, and again vowed to raise software sales by 12-14 per cent 2007.
The Walldorf-based group that started with programmes to help big businesses manage inventories or customer details twice last year missed quarterly growth targets, raising fears it was failing to lure smaller companies.
SAP in February said profitability would suffer 2007 as it earmarked €400m over two years for a new web-based software service for small companies – a segment being contested by US rivals such as Oracle and Microsoft, too.
The German company’s share price fell by more than one fifth from €42 at the start of the year, a slide compounded by a lawsuit filed by arch-rival Oracle alleging SAP had stolen software ideas from its computer systems.
Mr Kagermann said SAP would “aggressively defend” itself against claims a subsidiary misused Oracle customer gateways. “We have no intention to settle,” he said when asked if SAP might see a quick resolution.
At the same time, he brushed off the recent departure of chief software developer and possible successor, Shai Agassi. He noted US success was the work of sales boss Léo Apotheker, now deputy chief executive.
Investors seemed so cheered by positive news and robust words from Walldorf that they appeared largely to forgive first effects of the investment programme for the “AS1” project announced two months ago.
Building computer centres to “host” customer data took €20m off earnings last quarter, SAP said. Operating income still rose 6 per cent to €433m as total sales climbed 6.1 per cent to €2.2bn, just shy of forecasts.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
SAP boosted by strong sales growth in the US
By Gerrit Wiesmann in Frankfurt
Published: April 23 2007 15:27 | Last updated: April 23 2007 15:27
SAP, the world’s biggest maker of software for business, took a first step to restoring investor confidence by announcing strong growth in the first quarter of the year while pledging to face down a lawsuit from a rival.
The stock traded 2.5 per cent higher at €37 per share late on Friday after the German company said sales of software and related services hit €1.52bn early 2007, a 15 per cent rise when adjusted for currency effects.
Henning Kagermann, chief executive, said strong sales growth in the US helped push SAP’s market share to 25.1 per cent, up 0.6 points from late last year, and again vowed to raise software sales by 12-14 per cent 2007.
The Walldorf-based group that started with programmes to help big businesses manage inventories or customer details twice last year missed quarterly growth targets, raising fears it was failing to lure smaller companies.
SAP in February said profitability would suffer 2007 as it earmarked €400m over two years for a new web-based software service for small companies – a segment being contested by US rivals such as Oracle and Microsoft, too.
The German company’s share price fell by more than one fifth from €42 at the start of the year, a slide compounded by a lawsuit filed by arch-rival Oracle alleging SAP had stolen software ideas from its computer systems.
Mr Kagermann said SAP would “aggressively defend” itself against claims a subsidiary misused Oracle customer gateways. “We have no intention to settle,” he said when asked if SAP might see a quick resolution.
At the same time, he brushed off the recent departure of chief software developer and possible successor, Shai Agassi. He noted US success was the work of sales boss Léo Apotheker, now deputy chief executive.
Investors seemed so cheered by positive news and robust words from Walldorf that they appeared largely to forgive first effects of the investment programme for the “AS1” project announced two months ago.
Building computer centres to “host” customer data took €20m off earnings last quarter, SAP said. Operating income still rose 6 per cent to €433m as total sales climbed 6.1 per cent to €2.2bn, just shy of forecasts.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
SAP Surprises; Salesforce’s Naked Platform; JDA Takes on i2 and Manhattan | AMR Research
SAP Surprises; Salesforce’s Naked Platform; JDA Takes on i2 and Manhattan | AMR Research
SAP Surprises; Salesforce’s Naked Platform; JDA Takes on i2 and Manhattan
by Bruce Richardson
Coming into this week’s earning announcement, I fully expected SAP to announce lower than expected revenue and earnings. Here were my reasons:
- The company had had a relatively weak fourth quarter.
- Unlike past quarters, there was no pre-announcement of results.
- In late March, the company was hit with a lawsuit by Oracle and the sudden resignation of Shai Agassi, one of its top executives.
- Most of our current client conversations focus on dealing with the cost and time of upgrades versus the benefits of must-have new products.
- SAP had scheduled the earnings call for a Friday, and it had never done this before. Were executives hoping to get the bad news out quickly and then offset it with more positive news at SAPPHIRE, which starts today?
SAP Surprises; Salesforce’s Naked Platform; JDA Takes on i2 and Manhattan
by Bruce Richardson
Coming into this week’s earning announcement, I fully expected SAP to announce lower than expected revenue and earnings. Here were my reasons:
- The company had had a relatively weak fourth quarter.
- Unlike past quarters, there was no pre-announcement of results.
- In late March, the company was hit with a lawsuit by Oracle and the sudden resignation of Shai Agassi, one of its top executives.
- Most of our current client conversations focus on dealing with the cost and time of upgrades versus the benefits of must-have new products.
- SAP had scheduled the earnings call for a Friday, and it had never done this before. Were executives hoping to get the bad news out quickly and then offset it with more positive news at SAPPHIRE, which starts today?
FT.com / Home UK / UK - Licence sales bolster SAP
FT.com / Home UK / UK - Licence sales bolster SAP
Licence sales bolster SAP
FRANKFURT, April 20 (Reuters) – Germany’s SAP met analysts’ forecasts for sales of new software licences but missed expectations for earnings after a difficult first quarter in which it lost a top manager and faced a lawsuit from a rival.
The world’s biggest maker of business software said on Friday licence sales, which tie customers into lucrative maintenance and service deals, rose 10 per cent to €564m ($767m), in line with a Reuters poll.
Licence sales were driven by 11 per cent growth in the Americas, allaying fears of weakness in the world’s biggest software market raised by IBM this week and reassuring investors spooked by two profit warnings last year.
Operating income rose 6 per cent to €433m, missing the poll average of €448m, although SAP said it had spent only €10m-€20m in the quarter of the €300m-€400m it plans to spend on developing new software.
SAP traded up 1.1 per cent on Instinet and up 0.4 percent at brokerage Lang & Schwarz ahead of the 0700 GMT market open in Frankfurt. The shares have recently been trading close to an all-time low in terms of earnings multiples.
”In light of what happened in Q4, I’d say this is a positive result. Being in line is good. They made a 20-per cent operating margin which was fractionally below expectations but I think they’ll be forgiven that,” said WestLB analyst Jonathan Crozier. ”I’d say this is exactly the kind of in-line quarter the company needed to start rebuilding confidence.”
SAP is fighting an increasingly bitter battle against US database specialist Oracle, which has been buying up peers to compete more directly with SAP and last month said it was suing its German rival for stealing its software.
The company was also forced to reshuffle its top management at the end of March after the unexpected departure of software development expert Shai Agassi, its top product strategist.
SAP, whose software helps companies manage their finances, personnel and operations, said business was strong across all regions and said its market share for the year to March 31 was 25.1 per cent, up from 24.5 per cent a quarter earlier.
”On a constant currency basis, we achieved a strong increase in software and software related service revenues and reported double digit growth rates in each region,” Henning Kagermann, chief executive, said in a statement.
Software and software-related service revenues, which SAP says will become the key figure to watch as it starts to sell software over the internet and by subscription, rose 9 per cent or 15 per cent at constant currencies to €1.52bn.
SAP stuck to its target of raising these software-related revenues by 12-14 per cent, adjusted for currency fluctuations, over the full year. The first-quarter result was in line with market consensus.
Total sales rose 6 per cent to €2.17bn, missing market expectations, and net profit rose 10 per cent to €310m. The operating margin, which SAP says will dip to 26-27 per cent this year, was 20.0 per cent.
Shares in SAP are more expensive than Oracle stock, due to SAP’s generally strong execution of an organic growth strategy. They currently trade at 20 times 2008 earnings, according to Reuters data, well below their historical average of about 29 times earnings and only a slight premium to Oracle’s 17 times, after the company missed targets twice last year
© Reuters Limited Click for restrictions
Licence sales bolster SAP
FRANKFURT, April 20 (Reuters) – Germany’s SAP met analysts’ forecasts for sales of new software licences but missed expectations for earnings after a difficult first quarter in which it lost a top manager and faced a lawsuit from a rival.
The world’s biggest maker of business software said on Friday licence sales, which tie customers into lucrative maintenance and service deals, rose 10 per cent to €564m ($767m), in line with a Reuters poll.
Licence sales were driven by 11 per cent growth in the Americas, allaying fears of weakness in the world’s biggest software market raised by IBM this week and reassuring investors spooked by two profit warnings last year.
Operating income rose 6 per cent to €433m, missing the poll average of €448m, although SAP said it had spent only €10m-€20m in the quarter of the €300m-€400m it plans to spend on developing new software.
SAP traded up 1.1 per cent on Instinet and up 0.4 percent at brokerage Lang & Schwarz ahead of the 0700 GMT market open in Frankfurt. The shares have recently been trading close to an all-time low in terms of earnings multiples.
”In light of what happened in Q4, I’d say this is a positive result. Being in line is good. They made a 20-per cent operating margin which was fractionally below expectations but I think they’ll be forgiven that,” said WestLB analyst Jonathan Crozier. ”I’d say this is exactly the kind of in-line quarter the company needed to start rebuilding confidence.”
SAP is fighting an increasingly bitter battle against US database specialist Oracle, which has been buying up peers to compete more directly with SAP and last month said it was suing its German rival for stealing its software.
The company was also forced to reshuffle its top management at the end of March after the unexpected departure of software development expert Shai Agassi, its top product strategist.
SAP, whose software helps companies manage their finances, personnel and operations, said business was strong across all regions and said its market share for the year to March 31 was 25.1 per cent, up from 24.5 per cent a quarter earlier.
”On a constant currency basis, we achieved a strong increase in software and software related service revenues and reported double digit growth rates in each region,” Henning Kagermann, chief executive, said in a statement.
Software and software-related service revenues, which SAP says will become the key figure to watch as it starts to sell software over the internet and by subscription, rose 9 per cent or 15 per cent at constant currencies to €1.52bn.
SAP stuck to its target of raising these software-related revenues by 12-14 per cent, adjusted for currency fluctuations, over the full year. The first-quarter result was in line with market consensus.
Total sales rose 6 per cent to €2.17bn, missing market expectations, and net profit rose 10 per cent to €310m. The operating margin, which SAP says will dip to 26-27 per cent this year, was 20.0 per cent.
Shares in SAP are more expensive than Oracle stock, due to SAP’s generally strong execution of an organic growth strategy. They currently trade at 20 times 2008 earnings, according to Reuters data, well below their historical average of about 29 times earnings and only a slight premium to Oracle’s 17 times, after the company missed targets twice last year
© Reuters Limited Click for restrictions
Thursday, April 19, 2007
FT.com / Companies / IT - Software sages of Newcastle
FT.com / Companies / IT - Software sages of Newcastle
Software sages of Newcastle
By Chris Tighe
Published: April 19 2007 03:00 | Last updated: April 19 2007 03:00
Ambitious young accountant arrives for life-changing job interview at small software company, and finds the boss has forgotten the meeting and gone to lunch.
Had Paul Walker been more pompous, and his forgetful interviewer David Goldman less charming, their reconvened meeting might never have happened. As a consequence, millions of businesspeople worldwide would today carry out their work somewhat differently.
Fortunately, Mr Walker's enthusiasm for the job - "Software sounded a bit more sexy than being in a firm of chartered accountants" - outweighed his consternation at the shabby industrial estate location of Mr Goldman's main business, a printer's.
Fortunately too for north-east England's economy, Mr Goldman was not only an entrepreneur but a judge of character. He assembledand inspired a team that transformed his Newcastle start-up, Sage Systems, into a FTSE 100 company.
Today, Mr Walker is chief executive of the Sage Group, the FTSE 100's only technology stock, and earns a basic salary of £700,000 a year, plus the same in bonuses for hitting annual targets. He travels globally for Sage but his home is just a stone's throw from the head office. "I can leave the house at 8am and be here for 8.15 - it's a big plus," he says, speaking at the company's headquarters.
Sage, still headquartered in Newcastle but in stunning new premises, now employs 13,000 people in 19 countries, and last year made pre-tax profit of £221m on turnover of £936m. Its marketcapitalisation is around £3.38bn.
From grotty industrial unit to purpose-built £70m HQ, where blue skies shimmer through the glass roof and massive boardroom doors glide back like a stage set: if economic development officers dream, it is surely of transformations like this. It parallels the journey the region's economy has taken from traditional industries to, increasingly, white collar activities.
The company's contribution to its home area has been substantial, through the wealth generated, the jobs created and the kudos of having spawned and retained a FTSE 100 company (see below).
Today, Sage sits alongside Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and Intuit as one of the world's top five suppliers of business management software and support to small and medium sized businesses.
It has 5.2m customers worldwide; every day, 30,000 people call it for help with business transactions. Products range from back office applications - one in four people in the UK arepaid using Sage Payroll - to front office activities suchas payment processing.
Yet of the big Newcastle HQ's 1,350 head count, just 21, plus five PAs, make up the group executive team; the rest work for Sage's UK and Ireland business.
Sage is heavily committed to decentralisation. It has four regional managers, who have great autonomy, covering the UK and Ireland, North America, mainland Europe and Asia, and South Africa and Australia.
"One of our key strategies continues to be that, while we are a global business, having local personnel, local autonomy, is our big differentiation," Mr Walker says. "The products in France are French; they aren't UKproducts shoehorned into French."
The devolved structure gives Sage a more entrepreneurial flavour, he says. "I have a team of entrepreneurs helping to run the business rather than people carrying out procedures from the centre." But, he adds: "Ultimately, the auth-ority rests with me".
He is friendly, down to earth and, by FTSE 100 standards, informal. At lunchtime, he saunters down-stairs with Paul Harrison, the finance director, to queue for a snack at Chill, one of the HQ's food outlets, run by a local entrepreneur. Mr Walker looks less smartly dressed than some of the nervous recruits touring the building.
The genesis of Sage's remarkable growth story was Mr Goldman's inkling in 1981 that computers could help automate his printing business's estimating.
Well before universities were seen as a resource for growing businesses, he and Paul Muller, an ex-Nasa mathematician who had moved to Tyneside, paid Newcastle University students to develop softwarefor estimating and basic accounting.
The next step was selling software to other companies. One of the students, Graham Wylie, joined Sage after graduating and became UK managing director; he left in 2003 with a shareholding of more than £100m.
Sage moved to better premises and won £320,000 venture capital backing but the company nearly went bust in 1985. Then came, says Mr Walker, "a defining moment". Mr Goldman spotted the potential of the new Amstrad computer as a software platform. Sage took off and floated in 1989.
Growth has been helped by 104 acquisitions since 1982. A devolved structure helps assimilate such acquisitions. But, as Sage grows, potential predators, whether industry rivals or private equity, will inevitably evaluate whether decentralisation spells strength or weakness.
The belief in being close to local markets, however, is unshakeable. "We mustn't centralise to the extent we start to generalise," MrHarrison says. There is in Sage "this intense desire to preserve entrepreneurial spirit".
Mr Goldman, who diedin 1999, would have understood this. "A lovely man - my mentor," Mr Walker says.
Mr Goldman, sage indeed, spotted the transforming power of software. Sage grew from that vision. Ten years from now, Mr Walker anticipates, transactions will be seamless, with less human intervention. But he cautions: "Thinking about the future, you have to leave behind today."
Spin-off benefits to home region
*TSG. Founded by north-east miner's son Graham Wylie, who left Sage with £100m in 2003. Newcastle headquarters,
12 offices across the UK and 440 employees. Claims to be the UK's fastest growing medium-sized IT company. Provides and supports IT services for SMEs. Forecast 2007 turnover of £38m. Also has leisure and retail interests and a stable of race horses in County Durham, trained by Howard Jones.
*Tom's Companies. Founded by Tom Maxfield, Sage sales director who left in 1998. County Durham HQ; top-class hotels/spas and restaurant in the north-east and Lake District, including Seaham Hall and Serenity Spa. His facilities have helped improve the region's image, offer top facilities and attract high spenders. Maxfield has said he is worth £40m-£50m.
*Substantial endowment by David Goldman's family to Newcastle University. This funds, at its business school, the David Goldman Chair of Business Innovation, a visiting professorship, research and annual young business person's award.
*A £6m contribution to the Sage Gateshead Music Centre, the UK's biggest single contribution to the arts by a private sector company. A landmark £70m Norman Foster building; part of Newcastle/ Gateshead's cultural resurgence.
*Prestigious FTSE100 headquarters located in Newcastle; 1,350 direct jobs, including higher level R&D and managerial/executive, contributing salaries, aspiration and expertise to local economy. Sage uses, wherever possible, local suppliers.
*Building private sector strength: Paul Walker chairs Newcastle Science City and the Entrepreneurs' Forum. These aim to strengthen, respectively, the area's science and entrepreneurial bases.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Software sages of Newcastle
By Chris Tighe
Published: April 19 2007 03:00 | Last updated: April 19 2007 03:00
Ambitious young accountant arrives for life-changing job interview at small software company, and finds the boss has forgotten the meeting and gone to lunch.
Had Paul Walker been more pompous, and his forgetful interviewer David Goldman less charming, their reconvened meeting might never have happened. As a consequence, millions of businesspeople worldwide would today carry out their work somewhat differently.
Fortunately, Mr Walker's enthusiasm for the job - "Software sounded a bit more sexy than being in a firm of chartered accountants" - outweighed his consternation at the shabby industrial estate location of Mr Goldman's main business, a printer's.
Fortunately too for north-east England's economy, Mr Goldman was not only an entrepreneur but a judge of character. He assembledand inspired a team that transformed his Newcastle start-up, Sage Systems, into a FTSE 100 company.
Today, Mr Walker is chief executive of the Sage Group, the FTSE 100's only technology stock, and earns a basic salary of £700,000 a year, plus the same in bonuses for hitting annual targets. He travels globally for Sage but his home is just a stone's throw from the head office. "I can leave the house at 8am and be here for 8.15 - it's a big plus," he says, speaking at the company's headquarters.
Sage, still headquartered in Newcastle but in stunning new premises, now employs 13,000 people in 19 countries, and last year made pre-tax profit of £221m on turnover of £936m. Its marketcapitalisation is around £3.38bn.
From grotty industrial unit to purpose-built £70m HQ, where blue skies shimmer through the glass roof and massive boardroom doors glide back like a stage set: if economic development officers dream, it is surely of transformations like this. It parallels the journey the region's economy has taken from traditional industries to, increasingly, white collar activities.
The company's contribution to its home area has been substantial, through the wealth generated, the jobs created and the kudos of having spawned and retained a FTSE 100 company (see below).
Today, Sage sits alongside Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and Intuit as one of the world's top five suppliers of business management software and support to small and medium sized businesses.
It has 5.2m customers worldwide; every day, 30,000 people call it for help with business transactions. Products range from back office applications - one in four people in the UK arepaid using Sage Payroll - to front office activities suchas payment processing.
Yet of the big Newcastle HQ's 1,350 head count, just 21, plus five PAs, make up the group executive team; the rest work for Sage's UK and Ireland business.
Sage is heavily committed to decentralisation. It has four regional managers, who have great autonomy, covering the UK and Ireland, North America, mainland Europe and Asia, and South Africa and Australia.
"One of our key strategies continues to be that, while we are a global business, having local personnel, local autonomy, is our big differentiation," Mr Walker says. "The products in France are French; they aren't UKproducts shoehorned into French."
The devolved structure gives Sage a more entrepreneurial flavour, he says. "I have a team of entrepreneurs helping to run the business rather than people carrying out procedures from the centre." But, he adds: "Ultimately, the auth-ority rests with me".
He is friendly, down to earth and, by FTSE 100 standards, informal. At lunchtime, he saunters down-stairs with Paul Harrison, the finance director, to queue for a snack at Chill, one of the HQ's food outlets, run by a local entrepreneur. Mr Walker looks less smartly dressed than some of the nervous recruits touring the building.
The genesis of Sage's remarkable growth story was Mr Goldman's inkling in 1981 that computers could help automate his printing business's estimating.
Well before universities were seen as a resource for growing businesses, he and Paul Muller, an ex-Nasa mathematician who had moved to Tyneside, paid Newcastle University students to develop softwarefor estimating and basic accounting.
The next step was selling software to other companies. One of the students, Graham Wylie, joined Sage after graduating and became UK managing director; he left in 2003 with a shareholding of more than £100m.
Sage moved to better premises and won £320,000 venture capital backing but the company nearly went bust in 1985. Then came, says Mr Walker, "a defining moment". Mr Goldman spotted the potential of the new Amstrad computer as a software platform. Sage took off and floated in 1989.
Growth has been helped by 104 acquisitions since 1982. A devolved structure helps assimilate such acquisitions. But, as Sage grows, potential predators, whether industry rivals or private equity, will inevitably evaluate whether decentralisation spells strength or weakness.
The belief in being close to local markets, however, is unshakeable. "We mustn't centralise to the extent we start to generalise," MrHarrison says. There is in Sage "this intense desire to preserve entrepreneurial spirit".
Mr Goldman, who diedin 1999, would have understood this. "A lovely man - my mentor," Mr Walker says.
Mr Goldman, sage indeed, spotted the transforming power of software. Sage grew from that vision. Ten years from now, Mr Walker anticipates, transactions will be seamless, with less human intervention. But he cautions: "Thinking about the future, you have to leave behind today."
Spin-off benefits to home region
*TSG. Founded by north-east miner's son Graham Wylie, who left Sage with £100m in 2003. Newcastle headquarters,
12 offices across the UK and 440 employees. Claims to be the UK's fastest growing medium-sized IT company. Provides and supports IT services for SMEs. Forecast 2007 turnover of £38m. Also has leisure and retail interests and a stable of race horses in County Durham, trained by Howard Jones.
*Tom's Companies. Founded by Tom Maxfield, Sage sales director who left in 1998. County Durham HQ; top-class hotels/spas and restaurant in the north-east and Lake District, including Seaham Hall and Serenity Spa. His facilities have helped improve the region's image, offer top facilities and attract high spenders. Maxfield has said he is worth £40m-£50m.
*Substantial endowment by David Goldman's family to Newcastle University. This funds, at its business school, the David Goldman Chair of Business Innovation, a visiting professorship, research and annual young business person's award.
*A £6m contribution to the Sage Gateshead Music Centre, the UK's biggest single contribution to the arts by a private sector company. A landmark £70m Norman Foster building; part of Newcastle/ Gateshead's cultural resurgence.
*Prestigious FTSE100 headquarters located in Newcastle; 1,350 direct jobs, including higher level R&D and managerial/executive, contributing salaries, aspiration and expertise to local economy. Sage uses, wherever possible, local suppliers.
*Building private sector strength: Paul Walker chairs Newcastle Science City and the Entrepreneurs' Forum. These aim to strengthen, respectively, the area's science and entrepreneurial bases.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
FTD.de - IT+Telekommunikation - Nachrichten - Gerüchte drücken SAP-Aktie
FTD.de - IT+Telekommunikation - Nachrichten - Gerüchte drücken SAP-Aktie
Gerüchte um eine angeblich bevorstehende Gewinnwarnung des Walldorfer Softwarekonzerns SAP haben dessen Aktienkurs unter Druck gesetzt. Eine vorzeitige Veröffentlichung der Zwischenbilanz für die ersten drei Monate des Geschäftsjahres sei Händlern zufolge denkbar.
Gerüchte um eine angeblich bevorstehende Gewinnwarnung des Walldorfer Softwarekonzerns SAP haben dessen Aktienkurs unter Druck gesetzt. Eine vorzeitige Veröffentlichung der Zwischenbilanz für die ersten drei Monate des Geschäftsjahres sei Händlern zufolge denkbar.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
SAP's 'Perfect Plant' Initiative Close but Not Perfect Yet
SAP's 'Perfect Plant' Initiative Close but Not Perfect Yet
SAP's initiative emphasizes integration of plant operations and asset management. This will enable manufacturers and asset-centric enterprises like utilities to focus on improving their operating units' performance.
SAP's initiative emphasizes integration of plant operations and asset management. This will enable manufacturers and asset-centric enterprises like utilities to focus on improving their operating units' performance.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Gartner: SAP richtet Strategie neu aus - Nachrichten - computerwoche.de
Gartner: SAP richtet Strategie neu aus - Nachrichten - computerwoche.de
Gartner: SAP richtet Strategie neu aus05.04.2007 um 14:18 Uhr
Der Weggang von Kronprinz Shai Agassi verdeutlicht SAPs Strategiewechsel, meinen die Analysten von Gartner. Künftig werde der Softwarekonzern mit mehreren parallel geführten Produkten eine mehrgleisige Geschäftsstrategie fahren.
Über sechs Jahre lang sei Agassi der Visionär und Treiber des internen Wandels bei SAP gewesen, ziehen die Marktforscher von Gartner eine Bilanz der Ära Agassi. Ein Satz gemeinsamer, austauschbarer Techniken und Services, die sich anpassen ließen, um in verschiedenen Märkten angeboten und von einem Partner-Ökosystem erweitert zu werden, seien das Kennzeichen des Ex-SAP-Vorstands gewesen. Zentrale Bausteine seien die Middleware-Plattform rund um "Netweaver" und ein Portfolio aus Enterprise Services.
Gartner zufolge hat sich im vergangenen Jahr die SAP-Strategie jedoch geändert. Der Konzern werde sich künftig darauf konzentrieren, ein Produktportfolio statt eines Einzelprodukts mit einer fokussierten Strategie zu entwickeln. Netweaver werde jedoch die technische Basis bleiben. Die Anwender sollten in ihre Planungen mit einbeziehen, dass Mysap nicht mehr das einzige Produkt der SAP sei, sondern zunehmend von neuen Angeboten für verschiedene Märkte flankiert werde. Als Beispiel nennen die Analysten SAPs erneute Avancen in Richtung Mittelstand (siehe auch: SAP macht ernst im Mittelstand). Gartner geht davon aus, dass SAP erste Produktinitiativen noch im Laufe des Jahres ankündigen wird.
"Wir sind der Meinung, dass der strategische Wechsel zusammen mit den Streitigkeiten um die Nachfolge an der unternehmensspitze Agassi dazu bewogen haben, SAP zu verlassen", heißt es in einer Analyse der Marktforscher (siehe auch: Neues SAP-Mittelstandsprodukt "A1S" setzte Agassi unter Druck und SAP-Personalie: Agassis Aufgaben werden aufgeteilt) Seine Rolle als Treiber für den Wandel sei nicht mehr gefragt gewesen, da sich die neue SAP-Strategie zunehmend gefestigt habe. Die jüngsten Entwicklungen würden SAP in eine eher konservative Richtung lenken. Gartner geht davon aus, dass die Rolle des Visionärs einem anderen Vorstandsmitglied zufallen wird. Wer die Rolle ausfüllen werde, sei jedoch noch nicht abzusehen. Die Marktforschergehen davon aus, dass nach den anstehenden Kundenveranstaltungen "Sapphire" in Atlanta und Wien mehr Klarheit herrschen wird. (ba)
Gartner: SAP richtet Strategie neu aus05.04.2007 um 14:18 Uhr
Der Weggang von Kronprinz Shai Agassi verdeutlicht SAPs Strategiewechsel, meinen die Analysten von Gartner. Künftig werde der Softwarekonzern mit mehreren parallel geführten Produkten eine mehrgleisige Geschäftsstrategie fahren.
Über sechs Jahre lang sei Agassi der Visionär und Treiber des internen Wandels bei SAP gewesen, ziehen die Marktforscher von Gartner eine Bilanz der Ära Agassi. Ein Satz gemeinsamer, austauschbarer Techniken und Services, die sich anpassen ließen, um in verschiedenen Märkten angeboten und von einem Partner-Ökosystem erweitert zu werden, seien das Kennzeichen des Ex-SAP-Vorstands gewesen. Zentrale Bausteine seien die Middleware-Plattform rund um "Netweaver" und ein Portfolio aus Enterprise Services.
Gartner zufolge hat sich im vergangenen Jahr die SAP-Strategie jedoch geändert. Der Konzern werde sich künftig darauf konzentrieren, ein Produktportfolio statt eines Einzelprodukts mit einer fokussierten Strategie zu entwickeln. Netweaver werde jedoch die technische Basis bleiben. Die Anwender sollten in ihre Planungen mit einbeziehen, dass Mysap nicht mehr das einzige Produkt der SAP sei, sondern zunehmend von neuen Angeboten für verschiedene Märkte flankiert werde. Als Beispiel nennen die Analysten SAPs erneute Avancen in Richtung Mittelstand (siehe auch: SAP macht ernst im Mittelstand). Gartner geht davon aus, dass SAP erste Produktinitiativen noch im Laufe des Jahres ankündigen wird.
"Wir sind der Meinung, dass der strategische Wechsel zusammen mit den Streitigkeiten um die Nachfolge an der unternehmensspitze Agassi dazu bewogen haben, SAP zu verlassen", heißt es in einer Analyse der Marktforscher (siehe auch: Neues SAP-Mittelstandsprodukt "A1S" setzte Agassi unter Druck und SAP-Personalie: Agassis Aufgaben werden aufgeteilt) Seine Rolle als Treiber für den Wandel sei nicht mehr gefragt gewesen, da sich die neue SAP-Strategie zunehmend gefestigt habe. Die jüngsten Entwicklungen würden SAP in eine eher konservative Richtung lenken. Gartner geht davon aus, dass die Rolle des Visionärs einem anderen Vorstandsmitglied zufallen wird. Wer die Rolle ausfüllen werde, sei jedoch noch nicht abzusehen. Die Marktforschergehen davon aus, dass nach den anstehenden Kundenveranstaltungen "Sapphire" in Atlanta und Wien mehr Klarheit herrschen wird. (ba)
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Alles über Netweaver: Was die Plattform wirklich bietet - Knowledge-Center - Enterprise Resource Planning - computerwoche.de
Alles über Netweaver: Was die Plattform wirklich bietet - Knowledge-Center - Enterprise Resource Planning - computerwoche.de
SAPs Netweaver ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt für die Enterprise Service-oriented Architecture (E-SOA). Vielen Anwendern ist jedoch nach wie vor nicht klar, welche Möglichkeiten die Integrationsplattform bietet.
SAPs Netweaver ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt für die Enterprise Service-oriented Architecture (E-SOA). Vielen Anwendern ist jedoch nach wie vor nicht klar, welche Möglichkeiten die Integrationsplattform bietet.
CW-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver" - Knowledge-Center - Enterprise Resource Planning - computerwoche.de
CW-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver" - Knowledge-Center - Enterprise Resource Planning - computerwoche.de
CW-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver"03.04.2007 um 14:44 Uhr
Noch wissen viele SAP-Anwender nicht genau, was Netweaver leistet. Zudem fragen sie sich, welche Rolle die Integrationsplattform in ihrer IT-Strategie spielen soll. Antworten darauf liefert der Computerwoche-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver".
Derzeit nehmen einige SAP-Kunden eine Migration von R/3 auf Mysap ERP 2005 vor oder planen ein solches Vorhaben. Welche Bedeutung Netweaver dabei hat und wie die Plattform mit der ERP-Lösung zusammenspielt, darüber informiert der Beitrag "Was die Plattform wirklich bietet".
Nach Ansicht der SAP lassen sich mit Hilfe von Netweaver unter anderem die IT-Betriebskosten reduzieren. Den Beweis dafür zu liefern ist jedoch schwierig, allenfalls Erfahrungswerte können Hinweise liefern, auf welche Art Firmen mittels Portal- und Integrationstechnik Geld sparen können. Allerdings muss hier immer ein Zeitraum von zwei Jahren beobachtet werden, meinen die Autoren des Fachbeitrags "Ersparnis oder zusätzliche Kosten?".
Bevor Firmen sich für eine IT-Plattform - sei es nun Netweaver, Websphere oder .NET - entscheiden, sollten sie sich eine Strategie zurechtlegen. Dabei muss definiert werden, welche Infrastrukturlösung für welche Aufgaben im Unternehmen in Frage kommt. Das ist jedoch nicht immer ganz einfach, hier Anbieterunabhängig zu planen: Sowohl IBM, Microsoft und SAP liefern ihre Softwareplattformen beispielsweise mit Portalen aus, wie der Artikel "Plattformen verändern IT und Business" erläutert.
Neben der Integration unterschiedlicher SAP-Komponenten soll Netweaver auch Drittsysteme mit ERP-Umgebungen koppeln können. Wie das technisch am Beispiel von Business-Intelligence-Software geht, steht in "Anwendungsschranken überwinden". (fn/ba)
CW-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver"03.04.2007 um 14:44 Uhr
Noch wissen viele SAP-Anwender nicht genau, was Netweaver leistet. Zudem fragen sie sich, welche Rolle die Integrationsplattform in ihrer IT-Strategie spielen soll. Antworten darauf liefert der Computerwoche-Schwerpunkt "Alles über Netweaver".
Derzeit nehmen einige SAP-Kunden eine Migration von R/3 auf Mysap ERP 2005 vor oder planen ein solches Vorhaben. Welche Bedeutung Netweaver dabei hat und wie die Plattform mit der ERP-Lösung zusammenspielt, darüber informiert der Beitrag "Was die Plattform wirklich bietet".
Nach Ansicht der SAP lassen sich mit Hilfe von Netweaver unter anderem die IT-Betriebskosten reduzieren. Den Beweis dafür zu liefern ist jedoch schwierig, allenfalls Erfahrungswerte können Hinweise liefern, auf welche Art Firmen mittels Portal- und Integrationstechnik Geld sparen können. Allerdings muss hier immer ein Zeitraum von zwei Jahren beobachtet werden, meinen die Autoren des Fachbeitrags "Ersparnis oder zusätzliche Kosten?".
Bevor Firmen sich für eine IT-Plattform - sei es nun Netweaver, Websphere oder .NET - entscheiden, sollten sie sich eine Strategie zurechtlegen. Dabei muss definiert werden, welche Infrastrukturlösung für welche Aufgaben im Unternehmen in Frage kommt. Das ist jedoch nicht immer ganz einfach, hier Anbieterunabhängig zu planen: Sowohl IBM, Microsoft und SAP liefern ihre Softwareplattformen beispielsweise mit Portalen aus, wie der Artikel "Plattformen verändern IT und Business" erläutert.
Neben der Integration unterschiedlicher SAP-Komponenten soll Netweaver auch Drittsysteme mit ERP-Umgebungen koppeln können. Wie das technisch am Beispiel von Business-Intelligence-Software geht, steht in "Anwendungsschranken überwinden". (fn/ba)
btexx - The Portal Experts
btexx - The Portal Experts
Die Wacker Chemie AG hat mit SAP NetWeaver durchgängige und integrierte Kommunikationsprozesse zu Kunden implementiert und den Grundstein für eine Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA) gelegt.
Als global operierender Chemiekonzern stellt das Unternehmen unter anderem chemische Produkte für die Halbleiterindustrie sowie Beschichtungen und Füllstoffe für Druckfarben und Klebstoffe her. Hinzu kommen maßgeschneiderte Lösungen für die Feinchemie und Biotechnologie. Ein wesentlicher Grund für die rasche Implementierung war die Unterstützung durch btexx business technologies, einen Special Expertise Partner für SAP NetWeaver Portal. Dabei brachte btexx business technologies seine Erfahrungen aus zahlreichen Portalinstallationen ein. Weiter lesen...
Die Wacker Chemie AG hat mit SAP NetWeaver durchgängige und integrierte Kommunikationsprozesse zu Kunden implementiert und den Grundstein für eine Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA) gelegt.
Als global operierender Chemiekonzern stellt das Unternehmen unter anderem chemische Produkte für die Halbleiterindustrie sowie Beschichtungen und Füllstoffe für Druckfarben und Klebstoffe her. Hinzu kommen maßgeschneiderte Lösungen für die Feinchemie und Biotechnologie. Ein wesentlicher Grund für die rasche Implementierung war die Unterstützung durch btexx business technologies, einen Special Expertise Partner für SAP NetWeaver Portal. Dabei brachte btexx business technologies seine Erfahrungen aus zahlreichen Portalinstallationen ein. Weiter lesen...
SAP - SAP Empowers Small Businesses to Thrive in Evolving Marketplace with Quick Innovation Delivery
SAP - SAP Empowers Small Businesses to Thrive in Evolving Marketplace with Quick Innovation Delivery
In a continued display of its commitment to enabling small businesses to thrive in the fast-changing global marketplace, SAP AG announced enhancement packages for SAP Business One, a new series of downloadable packages as part of SAP standard support that provide SAP Business One customers with faster and more frequent access to new functionality, best practice tools and maintenance updates.
In a continued display of its commitment to enabling small businesses to thrive in the fast-changing global marketplace, SAP AG announced enhancement packages for SAP Business One, a new series of downloadable packages as part of SAP standard support that provide SAP Business One customers with faster and more frequent access to new functionality, best practice tools and maintenance updates.
Monday, April 02, 2007
The Future of the Enterprise User Interface | AMR Research
The Future of the Enterprise User Interface | AMR Research
Application Infrastructure
The New UI
The user interface (UI) will evolve into a pervasive layer for user interaction in the next five years, extending established enterprise systems to users in their work environments—wherever they happen to be. The new UI will also serve as the platform for enterprises to deploy and tie together an emerging array of personal, group, and community productivity and collaboration tools.
While the new UI won’t be a simple, thin facade, it will seem simple to end users, insulating them from the complexity of numerous internal and external applications. As such, it will no longer be trivialized as eye candy by IT developers. Instead it will be an intrinsic part of every company’s software architecture. It will allow end users a persistent, consistent, and personalized means of accessing, contributing, and delivering information across internal and external sources; structured and unstructured systems; and business, personal, and community services. By allowing people and communities to engage in new ways, the new UI will be the crucial mechanism for ensuring their ideas, expertise, and knowledge contribute more directly to enterprise performance.
Enterprises should lay out their own five-year vision for the new UI in the context of their business, with a view toward the business opportunities and advantages it could bring. They should match their vision with their strategic vendors’ abilities or willingness to achieve it. Portal frameworks are rightly the method most are using today. Large infrastructure, software, and suite providers must recognize that resistance to interoperability will increasingly hinder their ability to grow. This may not be immediately obvious when selling individual applications, but long-term sales may suffer as a result of customer frustration and lack of seamless interoperability. Vendors focused on specific business processes or industries can maximize the opportunity by adopting portal standards, componentizing applications, and providing rich visual components to demonstrate their ability to reach many environments. Those in the knowledge management space, including collaboration platforms, search, content management, and emerging social networking (such as Web 2.0-style applications), should position themselves to address new UI demands. And service providers should make the effort to understand the evolving demands for the new UI and extend their expertise commensurately in designing an engaging user experience. They should gear their technology and process expertise toward overcoming technical, organizational, and cultural obstacles, as companies look eagerly toward more pervasive approaches to ubiquitous computing and unified communications and collaboration.
For more details on where user interfaces are headed see, “The Future of the Enterprise User Interface,” and its companion pieces, “New Technology Trends for the New User Interface” and “The New UI: Prime Software Players To Watch.”
Application Infrastructure
The New UI
The user interface (UI) will evolve into a pervasive layer for user interaction in the next five years, extending established enterprise systems to users in their work environments—wherever they happen to be. The new UI will also serve as the platform for enterprises to deploy and tie together an emerging array of personal, group, and community productivity and collaboration tools.
While the new UI won’t be a simple, thin facade, it will seem simple to end users, insulating them from the complexity of numerous internal and external applications. As such, it will no longer be trivialized as eye candy by IT developers. Instead it will be an intrinsic part of every company’s software architecture. It will allow end users a persistent, consistent, and personalized means of accessing, contributing, and delivering information across internal and external sources; structured and unstructured systems; and business, personal, and community services. By allowing people and communities to engage in new ways, the new UI will be the crucial mechanism for ensuring their ideas, expertise, and knowledge contribute more directly to enterprise performance.
Enterprises should lay out their own five-year vision for the new UI in the context of their business, with a view toward the business opportunities and advantages it could bring. They should match their vision with their strategic vendors’ abilities or willingness to achieve it. Portal frameworks are rightly the method most are using today. Large infrastructure, software, and suite providers must recognize that resistance to interoperability will increasingly hinder their ability to grow. This may not be immediately obvious when selling individual applications, but long-term sales may suffer as a result of customer frustration and lack of seamless interoperability. Vendors focused on specific business processes or industries can maximize the opportunity by adopting portal standards, componentizing applications, and providing rich visual components to demonstrate their ability to reach many environments. Those in the knowledge management space, including collaboration platforms, search, content management, and emerging social networking (such as Web 2.0-style applications), should position themselves to address new UI demands. And service providers should make the effort to understand the evolving demands for the new UI and extend their expertise commensurately in designing an engaging user experience. They should gear their technology and process expertise toward overcoming technical, organizational, and cultural obstacles, as companies look eagerly toward more pervasive approaches to ubiquitous computing and unified communications and collaboration.
For more details on where user interfaces are headed see, “The Future of the Enterprise User Interface,” and its companion pieces, “New Technology Trends for the New User Interface” and “The New UI: Prime Software Players To Watch.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
