SAP Career

SAP: Clueless Consultants From Accenture And IBM Giving Us A Bad Name (SAP)

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:21:00 +0000

My first job out of college was as a consultant for Accenture (ACN), still called "Andersen Consulting" in those days. And after a whirlwind six weeks of training that had nothing to do with ERP, I was designated an expert systems integrator on PeopleSoft, the ERP system later devoured by Oracle (ORCL). I learned what "ERP" meant about 36 hours before I showed up on my client's doorstep.

Over the next several years, I worked on four so-called "full life-cycle" ERP implementations. Every one was delivered late, over budget, and with more bugs than a youth hostel in Bangkok.

Did the projects fail because I (and the tens of thousands of entry-level consultants in the same position) weren't trained before our first assignments? ERP giant SAP (SAP) now thinks it's a problem, and wants the so-called "experts" certified. SAP co-CEO Leo Apotheker:

“I don’t give a s**t if it’s Accenture or IBM. I care about the customer. I find it shocking people are walking around talking to customers and have no experience on [SAP]. [Consultants] get hired of people and have no clue. It’s annoying but that’s a fact. Let’s start by certifying people,”

Obviously I have a biased perspective as a former systems integration consultant, but there's plenty of blame to go around for the problems that always come with ERP integrations. Yes, consultants who don't know what they're talking about are an issue, a problem clients can and should avoid by demanding to see resumes of integrators in any project proposal. But the underlying software is maddeningly complex and buggy (at least in the 90s, SAP had a reputation in the US for issuing error messages and critical alerts in German).

And then there's the clients. SAP software in particular "wants" its users to run their businesses the "SAP way." The core of most cost/time overruns stems from CIOs committing to ERP, but middle managers insisting after implementation is already well underway that the software be changed to accommodate legacy business processes rather than the other way around.

Ultimately, while the idea of certifications is an amusing conceit, we don't think it will happen. Leo himself admits "we are not a university" and SAP can't effectively manage a certification program.

And then there's the business problem: It's easy for Leo to talk a big game on the Internet about "not giving a shit" what IBM thinks. But SAP is hugely dependent on firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers or Ernst & Young to steer business its way. If SAP makes it difficult for its system integration partners to make money -- which they do in part by sending inexperienced people to client sites -- the firms will seamlessly redirect business towards ERP companies who will play ball, like Oracle.

Accenture RP lays off 500 workers from Inquirer Article

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 08:09:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Outsourcing firm Accenture said it is laying off at least 500 workers in the country due to a "redundancy” program.

In a statement sent to INQUIRER.net, the company said it is implementing a redundancy program "to balance the skills of its workforce against the demand from its clients".

This affects approximately three percent of its total workforce in the Philippines or approximately 500 out of a total headcount of more than 16,000 employees.

Accenture, however, said the reduction applies only to certain "excess" skill sets within its outsourced technology services unit.

The company added it continues to recruit in the Philippines for other skills to meet client demand.

Accenture has been operating in the Philippines for more than two decades and has ramped up workforce in the last few years due to the outsourcing boom.

The company operates eight delivery centers locally, its most recently established site located in Cebu City.

The Philippines has the third-largest headcount in Accenture's global network, next to the US and India.

Source: Inquirer.Net

What is the future of a SAP technical/ABAP programmer?
Can a Computing graduate go into SAP?
SAP vs Oracle

This is because of recession. And it had made impact on IT demands not only in Philippines but in India and Singapore as well. I would like to hear your reactions on this news, add comments please, thanks.

A trainee program to better your career

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:58:00 +0000

Q. I had five years of programming experience before I decided to take up ABAP training and certification. Now I seem to have a harder time looking for SAP-related employment.

What can I do to improve my employment chances?

Career advice from Stella Thevarakam, regional HR director of management and technology consulting firm ISS Consulting (M):

I would suggest you join a trainee program in any one of the SAP partners and take your career in SAP from there.

It may be a temporary salary cut, but usually after the training, the salary rise is quick and you will catch up very fast with your career.

SAP shares free-fall on third quarter warning

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:19:00 +0000

SAP warned its third quarter revenues are expected to come in below Wall Street's projections, driving its stock down by a whopping 17.6 percent in intra-day trading.
The enterprise software behemoth noted that a preliminary review of its financial performance indicates its third quarter software and software-related service revenues are expected to range between 1.97 billion to 1.98 billion euros (US$2.66 billion to US$2.68 billion), a 13 to 14 percent increase over the same time last year.

However, Wall Street had been expecting the company to post revenues of 2.863 billion euros (US$3.87 billion), according to Thomson Financial.
Henning Kagermann, SAP co-chief executive, had this assessment in a statement:
"The market developments of the past several weeks have been dramatic and worrying to many businesses. These concerns triggered a very sudden and unexpected drop in business activity at the end of the quarter."

More Links:
Interview with SAP CEO on YouTube
Can a Computing graduate go into SAP?
Logica eyes more SAP business from Europe
Which one to take: SAP ABAP, Oracle DBA or CCNA?
Technical background necessary in ERP consulting?
Philippines faces IT skills shortage

"Throughout the third quarter we felt quite positive about our ability to meet our expectations. Unfortunately, SAP was not immune from the economic and financial crisis that has enveloped the markets in the second half of September, causing us to report numbers below our expectations," Kagermann added.

On the bright note, Kagermann noted that while revenues contracted, the business fundamentals of its operations remain intact.

"SAP did report double-digit growth in software and software-related service revenues for the quarter and we expect to have gained further market share," the co-CEO said.
Nonetheless, SAP fell 17.6 percent to US$37.60 a share in intra-day trading, as investors bailed on the stock.

SAP's archrival Oracle, meanwhile, also saw its stock sink, as investors worried SAP's woes is an industry problem and not just SAP-specific.
Oracle fell as much as 10.5 percent to US$17.43 a share in intra-day trading, compared to Friday's close.

Source: ZDNetAsia

Study course to SAP

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:33:00 +0000

Q. I have roughly one-and-a-half years of post MBA (Marketing) experience in IT procurement and client servicing with a software development company (400 people) in Delhi. What will be best-suited module with regards to my present job profile: I prefer SCM-procurement (MM) or sales distribution or CRM.

I am not comfortable with programming and the other related IT skills. Please let me know whether I need to go back to the basics or not?

Now the most important aspect: the choice of learning center. As I understand it, SAP has partnered SISL and Genovate to provide education in India. A rough idea of the certification and course fees in those learning centers will help me to manage my finances.

Nirupam Bhowmik

Career advice from K Srini, human resources head-strategy of global consulting and IT services provider, Satyam Computer Services:

Hi. You can look at both SCM (MM) and CRM as options.
You might not necessarily have to go back to programming days but there would be a bit of technology learning on the module(s) that you choose.

Genovate has a 24-day certification course which costs about INR300,000 (US$7,500). As this is an approximate figure, you should check the cost directly with the provider.

More Links:

What is the future of a SAP technical/ABAP programmer?
Can a Computing graduate go into SAP?
SAP vs Oracle

Source: ZDNetAsia

Is going the SAP way the best option?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:16:00 +0000

Q. I currently work as an administration manager with a business process outsourcer. I have eight-plus years of experience in general administration and facilities.

My qualifications are B.Sc (PCM), Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA) and an MBA.

I plan to change my career to IT as I am not happy with my current career growth. I have heard that SAP is a good option.

With my admin profile as it is, people have suggested different options to me, like human resources (HR), sales and distribution (SD) or materials management (MM).

Others suggested that I cannot do SAP as my profile does not suit any of the available modules.

Therefore, I am little confused and unable to make a final decision. As the money and time involved will be huge, I want to make the right decision.

SAP is one option, but I request you to suggest other options too. Also, please suggest some short courses.

I am also fine with settling outside India.

I am desperate to come out of admin.

Career advice from K Srini, human resources head-strategy of global consulting and IT services provider

Every career change is always a painful process-–and there is never any guarantee of success in such an endeavor.

What you should be mindful of is that you have enough finances to tide you through the entire phase--in this case for the costs of education and thereafter job hunting--assuming you continue to serve in your current organization.

But the tougher part is managing the emotional turmoil which you are going through now until you achieve and succeed in you goal.

I urge you to be pragmatic-–the distaste of the current work you do is more palatable than being out of a job. So no knee jerk reactions, unless of course you have a huge inheritance!

As for where to go from here, you could become a functional consultant in SAP(HR)--a certified training module should not be too much of a trouble for you given your experience and educational background.

If SAP positions are available within your current organization, I urge you to go for it-–you would be better off with the experience before re-entering the "real world", plus you have the chance to get educated on company money.

Alternatively, you could transition into a complete HR professional-–starting off with a role in the HR team-–with C&B (compensation and benefit), recruitment, et cetera-–possibly branching of into training if the area excites you.

You could always revert back to the SAP track, given your rounded experience in HR and admin.

Another interesting field is in the area of facility management. With international accreditation, multinational corporations like CB Richard Ellis, JLL, et cetera, are top recruiters for such people. You could research about this.

I suggest you also read the book What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Bolles, for a little soul searching on what you want to do in life.

Where skill, mindset and work-life balance come together

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:31:00 +0000

Q. I have been a logistics manager for the last nine years, and have a Management degree. As logistics has limited vertical scope, I am planning to switch to either business development or consulting.

My first option is to pursue ERP, but the concerns are:

a.	it will make me restart my career
b.	I will be "a visiting husband and father"--my understanding is that during initial phase as an ERP consultant, I will have to travel both with my family and alone. If one has a child who is schooling, then it's difficult to move family as per a project.
c.	I am not an engineer

My second option is to pursue an executive MBA course. This would give me the edge of starting better as far as placements would take me, at better positions and my current experience. But it's costly. Still, if I take a look at the investment returns, it is very good.

I am confused because ERP is growing and everyone is talking about it? Can you help me to choose the best in terms of current and future monetary and non-monetary perspective?

Career advice from Tay Kok Choon, country manager of JobStreet Singapore:

You will need to examine your mindset, work-life balance, skills and prospects when you are considering a career change.

Let's examine each of the above in relation to your question:

Mindset: You have concluded that logistics has limited vertical scope. In reality, as we progress along our career path, the pinnacle gets sharper and opportunities at the top become less abundant. You will face the same challenge in any other career that you plan to pursue.

The way that many people overcome this is to ensure to be the best in the field. Our experience shows that the best always prevails--they never fall out of the game.

The prospects of SAP certification

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:18:00 +0000

Q. I am very keen to get into the SAP consultant career. However, my educational background is totally different from IT/computing.

I am a Master of Science degree holder majoring in industrial chemical science.

What are the career prospects available to me if I decide to take up a certification course?

Career advice from Stella Thevarakam, regional HR director of management and technology consulting firm ISS Consulting (M):

Well, you can join an SAP organization's trainees program and take it from there to grow your SAP career. (In Malaysia, for example, a trainee’s monthly salary is usually about RM2,000 or about US$620.)

Alternatively, you can do a certification course directly with SAP. You need to contact the company for course details and costs. With your certification, you can join any SAP organization as a junior consultant and grow from there.

Career prospects are bright if you have the certification and the experience of handling at least two full cycles of implementation. You will be much in demand by SAP organizations.

More Links:

SAP brings e-certification to S'pore
SAP brings hosted ERP to Asia
SAP and Oracle's referral programs have different focus

Source: ZDNetAsia

An expense that's worth it?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Q. I am male, about 35 years old, and have been working in a finance position for six years doing accounts payable.

My company is moving to Luxembourg and my friend promised me a job as an SAP data maintenance staff in Luxembourg. It is why I am going to do an SAP course in Singapore.

I have to pay all the tuition fees. Do you think it is worthwhile to pursue the course and work in SAP data maintenance? Will I get a high salary or is it the same level as an account payable job?

More Links:

PeopleSoft Consultant Moving on SAP
Is a short course on SAP good enough?
An ABAP-trained MBA holder eyes an SAP-based job

Career advice from Stella Thevarakam, regional HR director of management and technology consulting firm ISS Consulting (M):

Definitely SAP Certification carries a lot of weight if you want to pursue a career in SAP.

The money you spend to get certified will soon pay back with your new SAP career.

The prospects are definitely better and the pay is better.

Source: ZDNETAsia

Netsuite CRM

SAP brings e-certification to S'pore

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:27:00 +0000

SINGAPORE--Software giant SAP launched Wednesday the online version of its global certification program in the island-state, targeting working professionals who wish to pursue certification at their own pace.

The German vendor partnered the SIM University (UniSIM) to set up the UniSIM-SAP eAcademy, targeting to train and certify over 200 ERP (enterprise resource planning) consultants each year, Kowshik Sriman, SAP's vice president and Singapore country manager, said during the official launch. UniSIM is run by the Singapore Institute of Management Group.

Noting an increase in global demand for ERP consultants over the next few years, Sriman said around 6,000 SAP-certified consultants would be needed in Singapore by 2010, up from the current 4,000.

As conventional certification programs are held routinely and require working professionals to commit to a fixed schedule, the eAcademy provides a "real viable option", he said.

Besides providing flexibility in learning hours, he noted that the course fees, ranging from S$9,480 (US$6,958) to S$12, 360 (US$9,072) are significantly lower than conventional classroom-based learning.

"We're saying that the course fees are 40 percent cheaper, but we haven't factored in the opportunity cost [such as] salary, risk of [unemployment]…that makes the eAcademy's value proposition a lot higher," said Sriman.

The UniSIM-SAP eAcademy will offer six tracks, five of which--financials, human resources, order fulfillment, procurement and production planning--are ERP modules. Advanced business application programming (ABAP), a programming language developed by SAP, is also available to programmers.

To attain the certification, participants will be required to spend between 200 and 250 learning hours over four months at the eAcademy. They must also achieve a score of above 70 percent for a certification examination, which will be administered at the end of the course.

Although the lessons are conducted without an instructor, students can send queries through Web-based tools to SAP-certified professionals.

Sriman told ZDNet Asia that the UniSIM-SAP eAcademy is different from the University Alliances Program rolled out in April across the region, including Singapore. The earlier initiative does not include certification, he said, and SAP-related course components form only part of the curriculum.

According to Man Mohan Kapur, SAP's director of education services for Southeast Asia, Singapore is the third country in Asia--after India and Malaysia--to offer the online version of the SAP certification program.

Kapur added that SAP is also planning to roll out the initiative in several other Southeast Asian countries. The company is currently in talks with potential institutions in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, and expects to set up eAcademy programs in these economies by end-August. There are also plans to seek a partner institution in Thailand, he said.

Source: ZDNetAsia

More Links:
Is a short course on SAP good enough?
Earning potential of SAP functional consultant
Philippine IT workers enjoy competitive salaries

SAP FICO / MM Training in UP Diliman

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:42:00 +0000

SAP (FI-CO) Financial Accounting
July 10-11, 2008 ( 2days )
Registration Fee: Php 24,000.00

SAP (FI-CO) Financial Accounting
July 17-18, 2008 ( 2days )
Registration Fee: Php 24,000

SAP (MM) Materials Management
July 24-25, 2008 ( 2days )
Registration Fee: Php 24,000

For Inquiries and reservation.
Look for Rhea Francisco
Tel: (02) 920-2080
Email: info@ittc.up.edu.ph

More Links:

PeopleSoft Consultant Moving on SAP
Is a short course on SAP good enough?
An ABAP-trained MBA holder eyes an SAP-based job

Think groups, not modules, when venturing into ERP

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:09:00 +0000

Q. I have five years of experience in marketing research, which includes B2B research (agency side), media research and IT research.

I am now working for an IT company in Dubai as a market research executive. My work profile in this company is not a technical one, it's pure marketing research.

I have been thinking of a career shift to ERP (functional module) for some time. But since my experience is in marketing research, I am unsure about the module I choose. Expert opinion says that relevant domain experience is essential to select the module in ERP.

I have been browsing over to match my work experience with certain functional modules but I couldn't find a related match.

I am an electronics engineer and have an MBA degree too.
I am not so keen on finance modules since I don’t have much interest or skill in it. Could you suggest the right module for me? Could project portfolio management or strategic enterprise management be the right choice?

Career advice from Richard Talbot, general manager of IT recruitment specialist,
Sapphire Technologies Singapore:

Most of the major ERP systems installed have the financials modules at their core. So although this area is not the one of most interest to you, it is where much of the demand for staff comes from.

More important than the module, in our opinion, would be the ERP product that you choose to move into. The major market products are SAP, Oracle and Peoplesoft.
Commercially, SAP is the product with the greatest skills shortage in the Asia-Pacific region. This would be the one we would suggest to you, as it's easiest to get an opportunity to work with (supply and demand).

In relation to the specific module you are interested in, you should be aware that organizations that implement these systems rarely have consultants with skills in just one module--more often the modules are generally requested in groups.

The primary groups that consultants have experience in are:
• Financials • Supply Chain • HR/Payroll • CRM • Manufacturing

Rather than choosing a specific module it's better to choose an "area" to work in, then attempt to get training/experience in the core modules that fall into that area. The consultants most in demand are capable of conducting functional analysis around the major core modules in these areas.

More Links:

Source: ZDNetAsia

Philippine IT workers enjoy competitive salaries

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:00:00 +0000

IT professionals in the Philippines are receiving above-average salaries compared to their counterparts in other professions, but most of them lack the IT certification their peers in the region have acquired, according to a survey conducted by ZDNet Asia.

The ZDNet Asia IT Salary Benchmark Survey 2008 revealed that IT employees in the Philippines earned an average annual salary of US$12,425 (500,736 peso).
This wage level, high by national standards, put the country in sixth place after Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India, which have annual salaries of between US$13,864 and US$76,851. The Philippines is just a notch higher over last placer Indonesia, which had a US$7,709 average annual salary.

According to the National Statistics Office, the average annual income of Filipino families in 2006 was estimated at 172,000 peso (US$3,939).
The Philippines, however, was ranked at the bottom in another category with just 24 percent of the respondents saying they had at least one IT certification from a technology vendor or institution. Hong Kong topped the list with 48.9 percent, while Indonesia was able to dodge the pit with 28.6 percent.

A total of 2,521 IT professionals from the Philippines participated in the survey. They came from various industry sectors, across a range of job types, and from different company sizes. Some 92.6 percent of the respondents were working full-time, while the rest were contractors and independent consultants.

The ZDNet Asia survey found a correlation between years of experience, a higher education level, and a good salary. Those who had more than 10 years of experience enjoyed an average annual salary of 95,113 peso (US$2,178). The average number of years of experience among the Filipinos IT workers surveyed was 6.3 years.

Similarly, the survey indicated that larger companies generally gave higher compensation, compared to businesses with fewer employees. Respondents working in large companies, with more than 1,000 employees, commanded the highest average annual salary at 556,529 peso (US$12,745), followed by those in midsize companies (with between 100 and 999 employees) at 516,882 peso (US$11,837) and small companies (with fewer than 100 employees) at 456,183 peso (US$10,447).

Among sectors, the study said respondents from the legal and finance sector commanded the highest average annual salaries with 667,519 peso (US$15,286), followed by those in IT, Web and telecom with 520,612 peso (US$11,922). Those in government, education and health had the lowest average annual salary of 290,300 peso (US$6,648).

The study found that more than half (52.1 percent) of Filipino IT professionals had application development skills, nearly half (46 percent) have desktop/software skills, and more than one-third (38.4 percent) had Web development skills.

The report also noted that respondents who were contract/independent consultants in IT management, project management, communications, and other IT professionals, had higher average annual salaries than those who worked full-time at a company, while those in systems development and support earned less.

More Links:

Source: ZDNETASIA

Is it good to stop working to study for an MBA?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:07:00 +0000

Q. I am working for a bank as an Oracle DBA for one year. I have more than four years of experience in this field.

I hold the B.Tech (I.T.) and M.Sc. (Telecommunication) degrees.

What are the career prospects of doing an MBA in ERP (SAP) if I stop working and do the MBA course full-time?

Is it advantageous or disadvantageous to make such a move?

Career advice from Stella Thevarakam, regional HR director of management and technology consulting firm ISS Consulting (M):

An MBA always has more value when it is backed by good years of experience. You have got four years of experience.

Stopping work to do the MBA is not really necessary. Don’t rush with your MBA. Take it at a pace that you are comfortable with.

If you can manage studying and working (most people who do MBA work and study), then that will be the best option as it will add value to your resume and experience.

Stopping work and just concentrating on your MBA may give you more concentration but may reflect not so favourably on some future employers who may think that you cannot handle too much stress. Definitely more value is added if you study whilst working, but this is just an opinion. There are pros and cons.

My opinion would be not to stop working as when I interview candidates and they have periods where they study and work I view them more favourably. It adds on to the quality of the person’s experience and calibre.

Developers are born brave!

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:23:00 +0000

A typical workplace scenario...I agree!

SAP and Oracle's referral programs have different focus

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:41:00 +0000

Although their recently launched referral programs are similar, Oracle's is driven by financial gain while SAP's is focused on building relationships with its channel partners, says Ovum.

SAP earlier this month announced the launch of a business referral program targeted at small to midsize businesses (SMBs), in which it will pay for leads for new business. Channel partners will get a 5 percent cut of a deal's net software license value, according to SAP.

Oracle's program pays a similar 5 percent, capped at US$50,000.

Warren Wilson, Ovum research director, said in a statement the programs "should pay a double dividend" in bringing in new business and helping to identify new partners for the two software giants.

The program will offer the opportunity for the two rival companies to evaluate which of the partners will be most productive or can best fill gaps in their market coverage, said Wilson.
However, the differences between the two vendors' programs may be their emphasis, noted Wilson.

"Oracle's lead message is the money," said Wilson, adding that its programs focus on increasing deal volumes.

"SAP, by contrast, emphasizes deep engagement, building long-term relationships and two-way loyalty through co-innovation programs in which the partner helps to define the Web services that will underpin the solution.

"Which method is more effective is a question that the market will take years to answer," said Wilson.

More Links:

Source: ZDNetAsia

Intel prepares to close Philippine plant

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Rumors have been circulating since 2005 that Intel had already made a decision to pack up and leave the Philippines after the year 2010. The writing on the wall became clearer in 2006 when Intel inaugurated a US$605-million test and assembly plant in Ho Chin Minh City in Vietnam.
During the Vietnam launch, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett said the facility was simply an expansion and would not affect the operations of other plants located in countries such as the Philippines.

However, the telltale signs were obvious. Among the countries in Asia where it has test and assembly plants, the Philippines was the only site in which Intel made no significant plans to invest or expand.

Compared to the Cavite plant which received no part of Intel's US$1 billion investment plan for Asia in 2006, Intel poured a whopping US$270 million to increase the capacity of its Malaysian plants and another US$300 million to expand its facilities in Shanghai and Chengdu in China.
During the media interview, Barrett said the company considers "political stability" as a major factor when making investment decisions and singled out Vietnam as a favorable investment climate.

According to various blogs, Intel had discussed the possibility of moving the factory to an IT park in the neighboring province of Laguna because the current Cavite building is structurally unsound.

But employees dismissed this option, questioning the need to offer staff severance packages if the company had intended only to transfer to another location within the country.

Industry observers have cited high electricity and labor costs as two major reasons why Intel is planning an exit strategy. The Philippines has the second most expensive energy cost in Asia after Japan.

Intel's impending pullout is a huge blow to the Philippines, where the electronics market--which encompasses semiconductors--is the country's largest export earner.

The chipmaker's decision to put up a manufacturing hub was a symbolic vote of confidence that paved the way for other foreign companies such as Texas Instruments, to locate their operations in the country.

In fact, the current Cavite plant was where Intel's mobile processor Centrino was first assembled and shipped to the global market. Pentium 4 chips were also manufactured in the facility.

Aside from making chipsets and processors, the local site also houses a Flash memory design factory. However, employees who specialize in Flash are expected to move to Numonyx, a joint venture set up between Intel and STMicroelectronics.

In 2004, an Intel-commissioned study by University of Asia and the Pacific showed that the chipmaker's investments resulted in US$713 million in direct and indirect export contributions.

The report further noted that Intel accounted for 22 percent of exports in Cavite and was the largest employer in General Trias.

Source: ZDNetasia

Microsoft Should Buy SAP Instead of Yahoo

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Randall Stross of the NYT has an excellent idea, one that might save Microsoft from committing the most colossal strategic error in its quarter-century history. If Microsoft is going to buy a big company, Stross suggests, it should buy SAP--a company that actually does what Microsoft does well, which is sell software to corporations.

Stross picks up on the same theme we did in our "Microsoft's colossal strategic error" piece--namely that Microsoft's 13-year pursuit of the consumer Internet business has been a misguided attempt to rule a business it shouldn't be in in the first place: consumer web advertising. Buying a wounded player in that business, a company whose best days are arguably behind it, won't help Microsoft dominate the Internet--it will just further distract it from what it does really well--enterprise software. And it will likely end in disaster.

The heart of the problem, which Microsoft seems congenitally unable to recognize, is that no company, not even Microsoft, can fight and win wars on three brutally competitive fronts at the same time. To wit:

* Oracle, IBM, SAP, et al in enterprise software.
* Sony, Apple, Nintendo, Research in Motion, et al, in consumer gadgets.
* Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Time Warner, et al, in consumer media.

Microsoft is not a conglomerate like GE, and it can't win all of these wars. So here's what it should do instead:

* Swap its consumer Internet business and $10-$15 billion of cash for 51% of Yahoo.
* Consider spinning off its Entertainment and Devices business as a standalone company.
* Consider merging with SAP and really going after Oracle and IBM in the enterprise.

If Microsoft traded its Internet business and a bunch of cash for half of Yahoo, its shareholders would still benefit (by owning stock in a more successful Internet business). For reasons we've described in detail here, a stand-alone Yahoo would be far more likely to succeed than a merger Microsoft-Yahoo that is merely a small Microsoft division.

Microsoft is about to make a huge mistake that will likely define Steve Ballmer's tenure as CEO. We would like to see it not make the mistake (and also not take Yahoo down with it). But we, Stross, and others might as well be shouting down a rain barrel.

Source: AlleyInsider

More Links:

PeopleSoft Consultant Moving on SAP

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:52:00 +0000

Q. I am a Peoplesoft consultant (HR) working for a technology service provider. I have about four years experience in Peoplesoft and I am now considering moving on to a career as an SAP functional consultant.

What are the alternatives/paths available to me to kick start my career in SAP? Should I pursue SAP courses/certification or should I try to look for a job which will offer me the chance to switch over from Peoplesoft to SAP?

Are there companies that will hire an SAP consultant with Peoplesoft consulting background?

If I were to pursue education in SAP, what will be the recommended courses for an SAP functional consultant--both HR and Finance? How much of a chance is there that I will be hired in the SAP line after I have completed those courses?

By the way, what are the prospects for Peoplesoft consultants (HR, Finance) in Asia for the coming few years?

Thank you.

Career advice from Stella Thevarakam, regional HR director of management and technology consulting firm ISS Consulting (M):

You need to have SAP config experience to pursue a career as an SAP functional consultant. You can go in as a "freshie" and join an organization�s inhouse training and grow from there.

Of course there will be a salary cut and sharp learning curve but it will put you in the right path to a career in SAP.

But for an SAP consulting company to take you in as a four-year experience consultant, it would be quite impossible. You need that SAP config to go hand in hand.

HR and Finance are two very different areas. You can choose to pursue a course in either one.

Since you already have a backround in HR, it would be a shorter learning curve for you to pursue SAP HR and then join a consulting company as a mid-junior and grow from there.

SAP consulting firms would take you in given the fact that HR consultants are quite in demand and also the fact that you have a certificate in SAP and experience in HR ERP. Of course you need to be prepared to start from a junior role.

Source: ZDNetAsia

Related Links:

AMA University Will Offer SAP Course?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:57:00 +0000

There were rumours that AMA University will offer a SAP Course in 2 years, I'm not exactly sure if its about ABAP or not. But I just saw their tv ad last week and I saw something about SAP, I think it is just about SAP Business One and not the SAP R/3 system.

I don't have full knowledge about SAP B1 but they said that ABAP is not the programming language for this but C++. SAP B1 are being offered in other schools including Mapua IT School in Makati

If its true that AMA will offer a course about SAP ABAP, I wonder how much would it cost, in SAP Philippines, it costs P210,000.00 for only 15 days ( whew!, expensive ), 2 years ago, it was P350,000.00.

Related links:

Will a Java expert need to learn ABAP to get into SAP?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:31:00 +0000

If I am a well-experienced Java Web-based Programmer and want to get into SAP environment, do I need to study ABAP? Or do I need to get the ABAP certification?

Certification is a "nice to have" in the SAP market, nothing more. What matters more to you is this: What kinds of skills do the best SAP programmers have? In past columns, I've noted that the SAP programmer of the future is going to be a "hybrid" of Java, XML, and ABAP. That's a little simplistic, because SAP has all kinds of proprietary, Web-based tools you'll need to keep an eye on as well. However, I don't think you have to have ABAP to succeed as an SAP programmer anymore (though it's always helpful). What you really need to do is find a way to tie your Java skills into SAP-related technologies. That means getting yourself in on some type of SAP implementation. I recently did an interview with an SAP Enterprise Portals consultant who had a lot to say about the potential of Portals. Portals is one area where Java skills will come into play during mySAP product installations, but there are others. You may be able to find your way onto an SAP project based solely on the skills you have now. If you think training and certification might help you, you might look into getting training in something specific to SAP's web-based initiatives, such as Enterprise Portals, Unification Server, BAPIs, SAP Java Connector, etc. That kind of training might be even more valuable to you than ABAP exposure. What you need is a clearer understanding of how your Java skills tie into mySAP project needs, and that's going to take legwork. Formal training is one possible aspect of that, but online resources like SearchSAP.com also have a lot to offer you.

By Jon Reed

Related link:
Philippines: It Pays To Get Tech Certified
What is the future of a SAP technical/ABAP programmer?

What The Differences Between ABAP and HR-ABAP

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:21:00 +0000

The ABAP HR is an integral part of ABAP. Generally in ABAP the following are done:

1) Table development
2) Date Processing
3) Report developing
4) BAPIs /RFC s
5) Data base update
6) Screens development/enhancement
7) Scripts and smart forms.
8) Function Building
9) Java connectors etc.

This is basically done through the PROGRAMMING in ABAP builder by using ABAP 4th generation language. This may be related to any module of my SAP ERP 2004 like HR, FICO.SD,MM,CRM Etc.,

Now when it is said ABAP HR. It is the development of ABAP in the area of HR to meet the clients requirements according to the functional specifications .They may be in any area of HR like in the areas of time aspects ,pay aspects, OM aspects and Self Services like E-recruitment, ESS etc.,

In HR ABAP you use select statements significantly less than in other areas of ABAP development. Logical databases have limited applications in other modules but are very useful in HR. Also, you really need to understand the infotype time constraint concept. When you cannot get the information that you need out of the logical DB look at the function modules starting with HR* and RH*. These function modules will provide you with multiple ways of accessing data to save time. Worst-case scenario, use a select statement.

Why do you use infotypes in HR ABAP programming, and how is it different from other modules?

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:44:00 +0000

Infotypes are the only way to pull current HR data from a screen in HR. Other modules only utilize screens; however, in HR the same screen can be utilized multiple times for different reasons (i.e. New Hire, Termination and Leave of Absence). ABAP programming must utilize Infotypes to capture accurate information.

Related link: What The Differences Between ABAP and HR-ABAP?

Interview with SAP CEO on YouTube

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:39:00 +0000

SAP CEO Henning Kagarmann on YouTube talks about SAP:

Related links:

What is SAP?
What is ABAP?

ABAPers on Beach

blogspotjobs@yahoo.com (GVT) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:09:00 +0000

Just wanna share this picture, nice edit! hehe

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