Farewell from Europe

The key question: Does software need a home in a global world? Radio Yerevan would answer: In principle, yes, but Palo AltoShanghai and Bangalore are among the Walldorf also very interesting places.

Most members of the SAP-community are probably in agreement that only with a European spirit in Germany standard business software was created over forty years ago.

In the case of SAP European companies subsequently participated in the further development. It was an interplay between suppliers and users that created the world's leading ERP-software - while operating systems, databases and programming languages were developed in the USA.

Here in Europe the organizational, there in the USA the technical: Ethernet, mouse, GUI (Graphical User Interface).

To put it bluntly SAP IT nature has its roots in Europe. Naturally, this does not have to remain the case.

But the SAP-community, the existing customers and many SAP-employees see the departure from Europe as a threat: "Can we allow a key technology like SAP to America is emigrating, asked a concerned E-3 reader in a letter to the editor.

Another reader posed the question: Should SAP be nationalized? It may be that anti-Americanism shines through here and there. What matters much more, however, is concern for Europe, for the trust that has grown over forty years, for value creation and intellectual property.

The Apollonian reminds us to exercise restraint and rationality: even Bill McDermott wants the SAP nothing bad. Vishal Sikka is also doing his best.

But both are under American influence and are supported by Hasso Plattner in their fast-paced and superficial activities. The Dionysian brings forth the emotions for Europe:

This is where workmanship is created - perhaps not very quickly and it could be prettier, but it is robust and works. SAP Hana is produced by Franz Färber in Walldorf developed!

The Apollonian and the Dionysian are the two sides of the same coin, and so was SAP in the past: here Jim Hagemann Snabe, there Bill McDermott. They didn't like each other, but they respected each other. Everyone stayed on their own side. McDermott was never a guest at a European Sapphire!

The balance of terror worked: the Europeans understood the American and vice versa. But the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Plattner, let the matter slip and an imbalance arose.

The European Snabe wanted to Company was persuaded to stay temporarily with the prospect of a seat on the Supervisory Board and is now caught between two stools.

The farewell to Europe has begun: Sapphire no longer exists; a TechEd is held in camera; marketing and public relations have moved to the USA.

Question for Radio Yerevan: Will SAP a European Company? In principle, yes, but technological decisions are made by Vishal Sikka in Palo Alto and management decisions of Bill McDermott met in Philadelphia.

Another question for Radio Yerevan: SAP made in the USA - can that work? In principle, yes, but the roots of SAP are located both near Venice, where double-entry bookkeeping was first described by an Italian mathematician and monk in 1495, and near Östringen, where an ICI nylon plant was located and the five SAP-founders gained their first experience with R/1 and earned some money.