Not systemically relevant

SAP is a stroke of luck for Germany, Europe and the global IT industry. With SAP, there is not only an autonomous IT world market leader in the German-speaking region, but also a catalyst for science and research.

Germany is not poor in IT innovation, but only SAP has maintained the balance between genius and business management to become one of the most successful companies in the world.

The ideas and products of Nixdorf, Ixos, CSC Ploenzke, IDS Scheer and Software AG, among others, were and are no worse; only SAP managed the successful combination of business administration, organization and technology.

Why SAP does not appear confident and cooperative - do good and talk about it - but is arrogant and self-important appears to be a great mystery.

After years of successful cooperation between SAP and DSAG e. V., no representative of the SAP Executive Board was present at this year's DSAG Technology Days, nor was anyone from the extended management team - the Global Managing Board.

Coincidence? Tactics? Ill-feeling? The program for the DSAG annual congress was awaited with great excitement. Bernd Leukert, SAP's Chief Technology Officer, will open the event, followed on the second day by Michael Kleinemeier, now a member of the Global Managing Board and designated successor to Gerd Oswald, who obviously doesn't want to be seen and celebrated for the last time at an annual congress. Coincidence? Tactics? Bad mood?

One could lightly dismiss this strategic banter as an atmospheric disturbance between SAP and DSAG. However, if you ask around, you will quickly see that SAP is not very cooperative and has a closed-door attitude.

Numerous SAP partners have told me about attempts to realize joint projects and public relations with SAP. In almost all the cases I know of, SAP has turned down its own partners - even if it was only the desire for a joint interview.

By now, most SAP partners know that they have to bear the burden of public relations alone. SAP remains silent. Inquiries are not answered. In confidence, one hears that the interview is not relevant, that E-3 Magazine is not system-relevant.

Obviously, the community magazine is not one of the strategic media for SAP in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This was not always the case: SAP press spokesman Hubertus Külps, who moved to UBS in Switzerland two years ago, confirmed to me personally that, from Walldorf's point of view, E-3 magazine is similarly relevant to the FAZ.

Since then, a lot has changed at SAP. What has not changed, however, in my view, is the system-relevant function of DSAG and E-3 Magazine within the German-speaking SAP community - in Walldorf, some people obviously see things quite differently.