The Customer Magazine 3|2010
The Joy of Cirque
From its modest beginnings in a remote town in northern Québec to Broadway and Vegas, Cirque du Soleil has rocketed to international acclaim as one of the most innovative global entertainment businesses.
Turning Challanges into Opportunities
Emerging economies need strong government leadership to drive socioeconomic development. According to Dr. Philemon Mjwara, director general of South Africa's Department of Science and Technology (DST), there is significant evidence that information and communication technology (ICT) can stimulate this process.
The New Digital Wonderland
Web 2.0 is already passé, at least in comparison to the impending Internet of Things and Internet of Services. These phenomena will radically change the business world and our everyday lives - including providing new opportunities for growth.
10.03.2010
CeBIT 2010: SAP in Everyday Life
By: Benjamin Blaume
From civil protection and product piracy through development aid, at CeBIT SAP revealed scenarios in which intelligent software can be deployed today or in the near future. SAP.info was in Hanover to report on the most interesting projects.
Jim Hagemann Snabe meets Christina Marule, owner of a Spaza Shop (Foto: SAP AG)
Development aid using software
With the Collaboration@Rural project, SAP is supporting small retailers in rural areas of north-eastern South Africa. Spaza shops, which are comparable with the mom-and-pop stores of the 1950s – are the only places where inhabitants of very remote areas can purchase daily essentials. But the store owners find it very difficult to procure goods. They usually have to travel for a whole day to buy what they need from the nearest large supermarket. These trips take up valuable time and cost most of the money made from the store.
This is where the SAP project comes in. Because there is hardly any infrastructure and the power supply often fails, too, the well-established GSM network forms the basis of a mobile infrastructure that enables the spaza shop owners to order their goods by text message. The orders from the individual retailers are gathered in the SAP system provided and are bundled together. By joining forces with other retailers in an area, the spaza shop owners can negotiate better prices. In turn, thanks to a greater order volume, the goods manufacturers are willing to send their trucks to remote areas and deliver their products straight to the spaza shops. A classic win-win situation for all parties.
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