Introduction
Entrepreneurs and business leaders should implement evidence-based strategies to overcome emerging challenges and create new opportunities for improving performance. SAP is one of the leading companies in the software technology and development sector. It has become a market leader in the fields of enterprise application and software development. It helps many firms and emerging businesses in a wide range of industries to operate optimally. The company’s leaders understand that most of the transaction revenues are supported using software applications and products (SAPs). This paper gives a detailed analysis of SAP Company, its major challenges, stages of the organizational lifecycle, good business practices, and recommendations for future entrepreneurial improvement.
Case Summary and Facts: Challenges and Life-Cycle
SAP offers advanced Internet of Things (IoT), analytics technologies, and machine learning systems to make it possible for customers to record positive results. It has an end-to-end suite of software applications that continue to make a difference for the global business community. SAP has established a coordinated network of partners, stakeholders, leaders, and customers to achieve its potential. Consequently, it continues to transform its customers’ lives while at the same time promoting the global economy (SAP company information 2019). Currently, the first challenge or obstacle this organization is facing is the goal to remain focused and meet the diverse needs of its clients (Forbes 2019). This is a major predicament since it has to overcome the temptations associated with emerging innovations and technological breakthroughs. The second one arises from the fact that customers expect SAP engineers, analysts, and technologists to remain innovative while at the same time making every application or solution scalable.
These challenges reveal that SAP is currently in the second or growth stage. This is true since it is still engaging in continuous research and development (R&D) in an attempt to deliver additional solutions to its growing number of clients. The rate of turnover is still reducing at this firm. Within the past two years, SAP solidified its marketplace by attracting new partners and customers from different parts of the world (SAP company information 2019). It is also keen to monitor and tackle emerging obstacles that have the potential to inhibit business growth. The next few years are expected to usher in the third stage of the organizational lifecycle and improve performance.
Approaches and Good Practices
The topics studied in class have outlined several best practices that can deliver positive goals in any given business organization. Firstly, companies should have an evidence-based model that resonates with the anticipated objectives. SAP has a powerful business strategy that is characterized by different good practices and initiatives. For instance, the current stage of growth is supported using various approaches, including open innovation, candid communication, and the concept of continuous experimentation. Secondly, topmost leaders should consider the best initiatives to create an innovative culture (Williams 2019). Thirdly, the major managerial tasks that have become essential for promoting innovative tendencies include sense giving, visioning, maintaining and sustaining change, and aligning.
According to the above attributes and concepts of organizational theory, SAP’s managers ensure that all people are willing to work in a team, remain responsible and accountable, respect one another, and accept responsibility whenever difficulties emerge. Every identified problem informs an evidence-based approach for improving performance and introducing new changes (GarcÃa-Sánchez, GarcÃa-Morales & MartÃn-Rojas 2017). Leadership theory promotes a new way of doing things whereby supervisors at SAP implement powerful initiatives to respect and trust their followers. This practice has resulted in continuous learning and teaming. These strategies, therefore, reveal that SAP adopts a superior model that is informed by most of the best practices in academic literature.
Process Knowledge Spectrum
The process knowledge spectrum can become a powerful tool for improving productivity and meeting the changing demands of different customers in every growth lifecycle stage. The concept revolves around the most appropriate strategies to produce or deliver desirable outcomes in any given situation (GarcÃa-Sánchez, GarcÃa-Morales & MartÃn-Rojas 2017). At SAP Company, different engineers and programmers engage in R&D since most of the required software is complex in nature. This means that they engage in continuous problem-solving, collect data, and promote programming activities. Since uncertainties are usually hard to remove from emerging or complex problems, different supervisors are involved in supporting R&D procedures and matching the intended outcomes with the expectations of different clients (Shaban 2016). This has become a good practice at SAP, thereby making it a leading player in its industry. The growth stage of this company compels those in leadership positions to embrace the power of teamwork, guide others intelligently, solve emerging problems, and promote the establishment of innovative groups.
Conclusion
The success of any business organization depends on its leaders’ ability to adapt to new changes and respond effectively to emerging obstacles. With the current issues affecting SAP, the most appropriate recommendation is for the managers to engage in continuous R&D in an attempt to merge emerging customers’ needs with advancements in programming and software development. Most of the issues experienced in the global business environment should inform leadership and managerial decisions at this organization. Finally, different managers and employees should work as teams, increase the capacity of every activity, deliver additional markets, and engage in different innovative practices. The implementation of these recommendations will, therefore, make SAP profitable and relevant in its business sector.
Reference List
Forbes 2019, ‘What is SAP’s greatest challenge and opportunity?’, Web.
GarcÃa-Sánchez, E, GarcÃa-Morales, VJ & MartÃn-Rojas, R 2017, ‘Influence of technological assets on organizational performance through absorptive capacity, organizational innovation and internal labour flexibility’, Sustainability, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 770-794, Web.
SAP company information 2019, Web.
Shaban, A 2016, ‘Managing and leading a diverse workforce: one of the main challenges in management’, Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 230, no. 1, pp. 76-84, Web.
Williams, D 2019, SAP analytics solutions for planning & analysis product strategy and roadmap, weblog, Web.