SAP-BusinessObjects: what was unsaid

The SAP-BusinessObjects go to market show was mildly interesting but left key questions unanswered. Colleagues Dan Farber and Mike Krigsman were on the call as was James Governor. I asked how the combined operation might incorporate non-financial measures into the new solutions. I was thinking about how customer service and human capital measures serve to contextualize financial information that tends to rear-view facing. The interviewee team of Henning Kagermann, CEO of SAP and John Schwartz, CEO of BusinessObjects ducked the issue, talking vaguely about futures and reinforcing their belief the primary market is in the office of the CEO. I think they missed a trick. There is a genuine opportunity to add huge value way beyond the old business intelligence...