Sobeys' McEwan Explains Reason to Quit Buying From Software Giant

Sobeys' McEwan Explains Reason
to Quit Buying From Software Giant

Nipawin - January 28, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

dropping
SAP
Bill McEwan, Sobeys' president and CEO, has stated that the company is dropping its SAP⁽¹⁾

software after two years of problems that culminated this December with a massive five-day

crash⁽²⁾. As a consequence, Sobeys⁽³⁾, which is the second largest grocery's chain in Canada,

will take an after-tax charge of $49.9 million. The market reacted immediately to the news and

Sobeys' stock fell 16.53 per cent to $19.70 on Thursday, January 25, 2001.

systemic problems
Referring to SAP software, McEwan has confirmed that

"we have come to the conclusion that what appeared to be growing pains with the implementation of enterprise-wide system are in fact systemic problems of a more serious nature... The bottom line is that SAP was not going to create a sustainable system solution for this organization."

complete
disaster
So it took two years for McEwan to realize that SAP software was a complete disaster for its

organization. He had no choice but write off all the assets related to SAP information

technology initiative so that further losses would be minimized. But in Saskatchewan things

are different; our leaders cannot recognize an asset from a hole in the ground⁽⁴⁾ and therefore

they keep writing off our poor children⁽⁵⁾ and our Native people⁽⁶⁾.

lie
We have the Big Brains looking after the shareholders of this province; and instead to be

truthful to our shareholders, the Big Brains continue to to them. And you know why?

Because of our leadership's philosophy "Common problem, no problem."

Delta project
Therefore, we continue to dig holes in the ground⁽⁷⁾ in the name of globalization and

advances in information technology. Saskatchewan Power has stated some years ago that

SAP software used for its Delta project would cost $55.6 million and would produce

$131.7 million in benefits.

Land Titles
Some years ago, the Land Titles office was experiencing a ballooning cost for its SAP

software, from $20 million to $47.5 million, with the benefit of displacing some 140

employees.

SAHO
Some years ago, Brian Rourke, fixed chair of the Saskatchewan Association of Health

Organizations (SAHO), after lying to its membership, purchased SAP payroll software

at a cost of $4 million with the benefit of saving $38 million over a ten year period along

with an immediate increase of processing fees for its membership.

Nurses
In the meantime, we have come to know that SAP payroll was having problems in processing

pay cheques for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and for the Saskatchewan

Nurses.

wasting
I have a small question which is worth millions of dollars for our stepping down Premier

Romanow⁽⁸⁾ and Brian Rourke: How much shareholders money are you wasting into SAP

and how far down are you going to dig into the ground?

------------References/endnotes:

List of relevant political and economics articles http://ensign.ftlcomm.com

1.
-
SAP is dedicated to helping companies, their employees, customers, and partners collaborate and succeed in this new "new economy" http://www.sap.com/

2.
Software crash hits Sobeys hard, CBC Canada, January 25, 2001

3.
Welcome to Sobeys Inc.

4.
-
Our leaders can't recognize an asset from a hole in the ground, by Mario deSantis, December 2, 1999

5.
-
Honourable Eric Cline has not balanced the budget yet, he forgot our school-children, by Mario deSantis, April 2, 2000

6.
-
A Dramatic Scenario Of Saskatchewan Changing Demography: The Aboriginal People Are Our Forgotten People, by Mario deSantis, January 20, 2001

7.
-
Health Reform in Saskatchewan: Digging Holes in the Ground, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, October 20, 1999

8.
Premier Roy Romanow's Legacy: Nine Years of Lying! By Mario deSantis, January 24, 2001

Sobeys' McEwan Explains Reason to Quit Buying From Software Giant

Nipawin - January 28, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

dropping SAP	Bill McEwan, Sobeys' president and CEO, has stated that the company is dropping its SAP⁽¹⁾
	software after two years of problems that culminated this December with a massive five-day
	crash⁽²⁾. As a consequence, Sobeys⁽³⁾, which is the second largest grocery's chain in Canada,
	will take an after-tax charge of $49.9 million. The market reacted immediately to the news and
	Sobeys' stock fell 16.53 per cent to $19.70 on Thursday, January 25, 2001.

*systemic problems*	Referring to SAP software, McEwan has confirmed that
*systemic problems*	"we have come to the conclusion that what appeared to be growing pains with the implementation of enterprise-wide system are in fact systemic problems of a more serious nature... The bottom line is that SAP was not going to create a sustainable system solution for this organization."

complete disaster	So it took two years for McEwan to realize that SAP software was a complete disaster for its
	organization. He had no choice but write off all the assets related to SAP information
	technology initiative so that further losses would be minimized. But in Saskatchewan things
	are different; our leaders cannot recognize an asset from a hole in the ground⁽⁴⁾ and therefore
	they keep writing off our poor children⁽⁵⁾ and our Native people⁽⁶⁾.

lie	We have the Big Brains looking after the shareholders of this province; and instead to be
	truthful to our shareholders, the Big Brains continue to to them. And you know why?
	Because of our leadership's philosophy "Common problem, no problem."

Delta project	Therefore, we continue to dig holes in the ground⁽⁷⁾ in the name of globalization and
	advances in information technology. Saskatchewan Power has stated some years ago that
	SAP software used for its Delta project would cost $55.6 million and would produce
	$131.7 million in benefits.

Land Titles	Some years ago, the Land Titles office was experiencing a ballooning cost for its SAP
	software, from $20 million to $47.5 million, with the benefit of displacing some 140
	employees.

SAHO	Some years ago, Brian Rourke, fixed chair of the Saskatchewan Association of Health
	Organizations (SAHO), after lying to its membership, purchased SAP payroll software
	at a cost of $4 million with the benefit of saving $38 million over a ten year period along
	with an immediate increase of processing fees for its membership.

Nurses	In the meantime, we have come to know that SAP payroll was having problems in processing
	pay cheques for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and for the Saskatchewan
	Nurses.

wasting	I have a small question which is worth millions of dollars for our stepping down Premier
	Romanow⁽⁸⁾ and Brian Rourke: How much shareholders money are you wasting into SAP
	and how far down are you going to dig into the ground?

------------References/endnotes:

	List of relevant political and economics articles http://ensign.ftlcomm.com

1. -	SAP is dedicated to helping companies, their employees, customers, and partners collaborate and succeed in this new "new economy" http://www.sap.com/

2.	Software crash hits Sobeys hard, CBC Canada, January 25, 2001

3.	Welcome to Sobeys Inc.

4. -	Our leaders can't recognize an asset from a hole in the ground, by Mario deSantis, December 2, 1999

5. -	Honourable Eric Cline has not balanced the budget yet, he forgot our school-children, by Mario deSantis, April 2, 2000

6. -	A Dramatic Scenario Of Saskatchewan Changing Demography: The Aboriginal People Are Our Forgotten People, by Mario deSantis, January 20, 2001

7. -	Health Reform in Saskatchewan: Digging Holes in the Ground, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, October 20, 1999

8.	Premier Roy Romanow's Legacy: Nine Years of Lying! By Mario deSantis, January 24, 2001