[Info-vax] OT: Demise of Target in Canada

[David Froble]

JF Mezei wrote:

> I am amazed that SAP is still in business and still being deployed
> considering the number of spectacular failures caused by the move to its
> software.

Not so amazing.  Consider ....

A business gets started by people who know the business.  Fine, they may make it.

Sooner or later, there is leadership change.  People retire, get hit by the beer 
truck, lose interest, etc.  Now, who is called upon to take over the company? 
Another knowledgeable person?  Or, perhaps, the bean counter the former CEO used 
to count his beans.  You know, like that guy that Compaq set up as the CEO.

Sometimes, the bean counter actually knows something about the business, and 
things may be Ok.  But all too often the new bean counter CEO doesn't have a 
clue about the business.  That wasn't his job.  So, who does he turn to?  Why of 
course, what he knows, the big accounting firms, which also know nothing about 
the business.  They of course suggest SAP, for which they can supply all the 
$300/hr consultants (that also don't know the business) desired.

Look at the auto industry.  There was Robert McNamara at Ford, and the 1960 Ford 
Falcon.  It did what it needed to do, other than sell.  Then look at Lee Iococca 
at Chrysler.  An automobile person, who got $1 per year, until he turned the 
company around, which he did.  The auto companies seem to have learned the 
lesson, if you want to survive, have an automobile person, not a bean counter at 
the helm.

SAP, make your company conform to what it does.

Or

Have software that lets you run your business in the manner you know is needed 
to be successful.

Which do you think works?

What happens when the bean counter doesn't want to pay for what is required?