Comments on: GSAP/GPMR: THE MARCH OF THE DINOSAURS http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2009/11/01/gsapgmpr-the-march-of-the-dinosaurs/ News and information on Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:30:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jim Smitheman http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2009/11/01/gsapgmpr-the-march-of-the-dinosaurs/comment-page-1/#comment-197565 Jim Smitheman Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:35:33 +0000 http://royaldutchshellplc.com/?p=25310#comment-197565 I have waited 5 years to see this post! I used to manage the "legacy MI applications" that GSAP and the BW warehouse were supposed to replace. Whoever you are "Hardworker" you are absolutely right that they were rubished by the IT heirarchy because they did not fit the "wall to wall" SAP strategy. It was made clear to me and my team that our role was to keep the legacy applications running for a "couple of years" until BW was up and running. The team quite rightly felt there was no future for them in such a role and they reluctantly abandoned ship - I have to say with some encouragement from me. For my part I retreated to a nice corner of Devon and took up Golf - far more fullfilling. As a shareholder I am apalled at reading this post but it would be dishonest of me not to admit that I dont draw some satisfaction from being proven right in believing that GSAP would never be delivered on cost and in budget nor would the forecast economic benefits ever materialise. And as for the proposed BW application the only thing that surprised me was that the Management Team of the day swallowed what Matula was telling them. In my opinion a career built on Powerpoint skills but I dont blame him, rather I blame the weak managment that has continually let him get away with it!! Given the difficulties that the Downsteam business is wrestling with declining margins and rising costs it appears strange that a project which is aimed at addressing both those variables is slowed down after 7 years. Its difficult not to draw the conclusion it is simply taking too long and not delivering. Or am I wrong? I have waited 5 years to see this post! I used to manage the “legacy MI applications” that GSAP and the BW warehouse were supposed to replace. Whoever you are “Hardworker” you are absolutely right that they were rubished by the IT heirarchy because they did not fit the “wall to wall” SAP strategy. It was made clear to me and my team that our role was to keep the legacy applications running for a “couple of years” until BW was up and running. The team quite rightly felt there was no future for them in such a role and they reluctantly abandoned ship – I have to say with some encouragement from me. For my part I retreated to a nice corner of Devon and took up Golf – far more fullfilling. As a shareholder I am apalled at reading this post but it would be dishonest of me not to admit that I dont draw some satisfaction from being proven right in believing that GSAP would never be delivered on cost and in budget nor would the forecast economic benefits ever materialise. And as for the proposed BW application the only thing that surprised me was that the Management Team of the day swallowed what Matula was telling them. In my opinion a career built on Powerpoint skills but I dont blame him, rather I blame the weak managment that has continually let him get away with it!!

Given the difficulties that the Downsteam business is wrestling with declining margins and rising costs it appears strange that a project which is aimed at addressing both those variables is slowed down after 7 years. Its difficult not to draw the conclusion it is simply taking too long and not delivering. Or am I wrong?

]]> By: IT4me http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2009/11/01/gsapgmpr-the-march-of-the-dinosaurs/comment-page-1/#comment-197448 IT4me Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:37:48 +0000 http://royaldutchshellplc.com/?p=25310#comment-197448 Hard Worker, that's news to me ? As you probably know, US Lubes (US52) and Canada (CA04) have been "live" since November 2008, and I thought that China and India were still on the chart. Happy to be corrected. Are you talking about cancellations or just deferrals ? Hard Worker, that’s news to me ? As you probably know, US Lubes (US52) and Canada (CA04) have been “live” since November 2008, and I thought that China and India were still on the chart. Happy to be corrected. Are you talking about cancellations or just deferrals ?

]]> By: hard worker http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2009/11/01/gsapgmpr-the-march-of-the-dinosaurs/comment-page-1/#comment-197427 hard worker Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:57:01 +0000 http://royaldutchshellplc.com/?p=25310#comment-197427 Has been announced that GSAP will not now be rolled out in US, China, India. Lack of money has forced this decision Has been announced that GSAP will not now be rolled out in US, China, India. Lack of money has forced this decision

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