SAP unveils business network plan for hard-hit enterprises
Country lockdowns slowed down businesses, the Suez Canal blockage delayed the global flow of trade goods, and the semiconductor shortage put electronics and automotive manufacturers all over the world in a pinch. These events have made supply chain disruption one of the biggest issues the past year 鈥 and enterprise application software group Systems Applications and Products (SAP) claims their network may help solve it.听
鈥淲e have so many enterprises who have had to completely change their business overnight,鈥 said Christian Klein, SAP鈥檚听chief听executive听officer and member of its听executive Board, during a Q&A with media and analysts on Thursday, 鈥淭echnology is the enabler to do that.鈥听
SAP kicked off its Sapphire Now conference this year by announcing their plan to create interconnected communities through the SAP Business Network, which will bring together its purchasing, logistics, and asset platforms. Amounting to 5.5 million connected organizations, the network will be a one-stop-shop for enterprises looking for solutions to their problems, such as supply chain disruptions.听
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 always have to be on-site. You can change your business model. Despite these disruptions and country lockdowns, we鈥檝e brought businesses to our networks to connect to each other and find a way,鈥 said Mr. Klein.听听
He also addressed听concerns over uneven service due to the network鈥檚 strategic emphasis on Ariba, SAP鈥檚 existing supplier network,听over S/4HANA,听SAP鈥檚听enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for large enterprises that allows real-time data analysis and transactions.听
鈥淭here is no S/4HANA or Ariba. It鈥檚 all one cohesive experience for all the participants in the network,鈥澨齝larified Mr. Klein.听听
鈥淎ctually听transforming entire business processes is what鈥檚 needed,鈥 added Julia White, SAP鈥檚听chief听marketing听solutions听officer and member of the听executive听board,听at听the听same听Q&A. She mentioned going beyond adjusting to trends, to use the expanded network as an opportunity for businesses to digitally transform and improve their business models.听
SAP also announced the launch of RISE with SAP transformation packages for听five听specific industries. Selling 鈥渂usiness transformation as a service,鈥 it will include retail, consumer products, automotive, utilities, and industrial machinery cloud solutions, expanding beyond S/4HANA to also provide human resources and procurement capabilities.听
鈥淲ith these services, we will take the customer by the hand and arrive at a modular cloud ERP arrangement that has a consistent data model and a harmonized business process landscape,鈥 said Mr. Klein.听鈥斕Bront毛 H. Lacsamana听
