SAP Digital Business Framework: A digital platform for live business

Digital transformation has been the talk of the town in IT for some years now. However, it is only recently that innovative technologies and concepts such as Big Data and Analytics, Cloud, Mobile and Social Business, Artificial Intelligence, and the “Internet of Things” are turning our hyperconnected world into a huge information system that makes data an asset itself.

As a result, a new, more organic vision of how companies work successfully has evolved: The “Live Business” seamlessly connects to ecosystems of things, people, and customers and can turn information into a competitive advantage. Consequently, companies need an enterprise architecture that is able to support this kind of highly connected and constantly evolving environment. IDC has identified the building of a future-proof digital platform as one of the key recipes for success in the digital economy. The “Enterprise Digital Platform” capabilities will be linked very closely to what IDC refers to as the “3rd Platform”, which integrates new technologies with the legacy environment of business-essential, ERP- applications.

The SAP “Digital Business Framework” is based on a unified, intelligent data platform. It provides an expandable foundation that business innovation can build on. Its “Digital Core” is a hub that links various applications, systems, and business processes. At its center is the powerful SAP S/4HANA® technology, that combines business transactions and analytics to applications and ecosystems across all the key parts of the business.

So how exactly do organizations benefit from this platform approach? Internally, the organization will primarily profit from the new dimension of enterprise-wide connectivity of IT-systems. The data is made available from ERM, SCM, CRM, and ME systems for enhanced analytics and real-time business insights – the basis of augmented decision-making. Externally, it is the engine to provide the environment for the new ecosystem that connects partners, suppliers, and customers. Together, these two main benefits open the door for the creation of new revenue streams from its products. Ultimately, this paves the road for the enterprise to become a platform company – a huge advantage with regards to the positioning and the business preposition within the market, as organizations are the providers of a whole ecosystem of suppliers and customers and not merely the providers of a comparatively narrow service.

Undoubtedly, delivering such a game-changing new technology comes with challenges – organizationally and technologically. “SAP Digital Business Services” is a new offering by SAP, created especially for businesses engaged in digital initiatives. Its experienced advisors help develop a robust strategy and provide support of seamless, end-to-end enablement.

Find out now how SAP can align premium engagements, project services, and support in order to deliver results quickly by downloading the SAP Digital Business Framework.  

For more information visit SAP.com.

Further reading

Become a digital leader:  A new set of KPIs enables CIOs to deliver on digital transformation   

Leading in digital: Successful Digital transformation will depend on how data and information are being used

Learn from the digital thrivers: 5 recipes that give CIOs guidance on how to flourish in digital transformation initiatives