Global SAP Implementation: For global enterprises, consistency across the IT infrastructure is key to succeeding in a highly information-centric business world. Disparate systems with stove piped information can bring a once competitive organization to its knees in the face of more
technically advanced competitors. Net-centric operations offering worldwide standardization of business processes, comprehensive. Business intelligence, and enhanced flexibility are mainstays for successful, multinational organizations .The organizational implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system has been documented as a complex process, where change management, communication and stakeholder involvement are equally important as the technical implementation
Most of Medium to Large Corporations align their SAP implementation program with the Business transformation exercise. This adds a complex dimension to the Global SAP implementations.
Tips for SAP Consultants working in Global implementation: 1) Working with multi cultural Teams, The SAP Consultant faces an enormous task while working with multicultural teams, he need to understand the business/life priorities of that culture.
2) Team member or even the whole team cannot change the national culture. Individual teams have to adapt to it, in fact the effectiveness of the team becomes proportional to the level of adaptation.
3) Flexibility is the key to working in a multicultural environment; the work environment always demands flexibility on your part, but in a multicultural environment the adaptation becomes all the more important. The flexibility that is so important in dealing with anything that does not confirm to our own beliefs ensures your co-workers feel you are not judging them by religion or race, in a work environment, and as humans, their personal qualities and the value of their work matters, never the color of their skin.
4) Develop understanding for different cultures and values and respect those differences. Americans enjoy the A-OK sign but a Brazilian would be highly offended by the same. There are religious practices too, some people do not eat a certain type of meat based on religious beliefs, some do not eat meat at all and some try everything. As a team member you have to learn to not look down on anyone who does not confirm to your beliefs and it never hurts to go out of the way to accommodate others at times, if its Diwali festival for your Hindu colleague, or Eid celebrations for a Muslim colleague, you can win them over by covering for them while they join their families for the day and you can convey your sincerity that way too.
5) Work culture differs across the globe; Western office environments might appreciate candid views from employees but you will likely come across co-workers from other continents who have more respect for authority, sometimes irrespective of how insane the order sounds to them, or how they can themselves propose something far better. Build working relationships across the board so your co-workers are not afraid to come out with views
6) Make sure you convey your desire to be sensitive to another’s culture early enough. The first impression actually can be the last impression so it is very important that you convey your sensitivity and respect for the cultural difference before the other person makes up their mind about you.
7) Often enough, people like to speak and not listen but how often have you seen that the best of friends is described as one who ‘listens’? Develop the quality to listen to what others think. Of course what you have to say matters too, but by listening first
8)As odd as it may sound, time differences are not just about the time zones. Different cultures and the work ethics of different work cultures also affect how people view time. Let us take another stereotype then: an American would take a 2 PM meeting to mean the other person should available at 2 PM sharp. In 5-10 minutes from that time, the American will leave thinking you did not live up to your commitment. But in some Asian countries, setting a ‘time’ for a meeting is quite often taken as a vague landmark so the Asian counterpart might be 20-30 minutes late for the meeting because it is not a big deal to him at all. For you this can appear as a waste of time. You can either put up with the situation or you can go back to team culture that needs to be built for a diverse team to function.
9) Virtual teams are a great way to enable teamwork in situations where people are not sitting in the same physical office at the same time. One of the biggest challenges of virtual teams is building and maintaining trust between the team members. Trust is critical for unblocking communication between members
10) Consultants should capitalise on their cultural differences as a vehicle for opening up thinking and coming up with innovative solutions...and don't find that misunderstanding and the constrains imposed by virtual working cause these team to fail
