Roberto Michel, senior contributing editor (robertomichel@new.rr.com)
Articles
Above the cloud: Strong focus on quality evolves in SaaS-enabled supply chain software
The big name in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model for enterprise software delivery—Salesforce.com—focuses on CRM functionality, but that doesn’t mean SaaS stops at the front office. Here’s a look at up-and-coming vendors offering SaaS with a supply chain bent, including supplier and quality management.
Sustainable plants: Survey reveals why recession hampers corporate green initiatives
While the recession is delaying some sustainability-related corporate spending, certain projects do tend to proceed in a down economy—especially those that carry a process or plant safety benefit as their primary driver, or relatively low-cost improvements such as adding a layer of monitoring or intelligence over existing equipment or control devices.
Next-gen news: SAP bets modular approach to Business Suite 7 will appeal in times of economic crisis
Amid what SAP executives concede is a global economic crisis, top executives for the enterprise software vendor introduced a new-generation suite of its ERP and other applications at a press conference Feb. 4, 2009, at its offices in New York City. While acknowledging that corporate IT budgets are tight, SAP leaders say that its more modular software with one “enhancement pack” strategy for all applications will appeal to users looking to trim IT costs by eliminating upgrade pains, and quickly gaining crucial functionality. “We are living in challenging times,” says Co-CEO Leo Apotheker. “But there are very good reasons why people should invest in IT.
Staying the course: Tech-savvy companies maintain ERP investments during economic downturn
While the global economic downturn that began in late 2008 is slowing the overall ERP software market, there are some bright spots for ERP vendors. There is anecdotal evidence that small and midsize businesses (SMB) are more likely than large enterprises to be moving forward with ERP projects, even as one analyst firm says the ERP market has slipped to near-zero growth.