SAP, IIM-B to focus on e-gov

SAP India and Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) (IIM-B) on Thursday forged an alliance to focus on initiatives for e-governance in the public sector in the country.

While SAP will support IIM-B's Centre for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), the latter will assist the former in creating, sharing and disseminating knowledge relating to use of ERP and the pursuit of e-governance in public sector.

Besides, industry-specific national and international conferences will be conducted with a special focus on central and state government ministries and departments.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by SAP India president and CEO Alan Sedghi and IIM-B academic dean Shyamal Roy in the presence of SAP AG CEO and executive board chairman Henning Kagermann at the SAP Labs India campus here.

"The partnership between SAP and IIM-B is an endeavour to enable senior executives and officials in the government to effectively harness the enormous potential that integrated and innovative technology solutions deliver for the good of all stakeholders - citizens, business and administrators," Sedghi said on the occasion.

The relationship between IIM-B and SAP dates back to 1997 when the management institute became the first business school in India to have SAP-sponsored software for use in its academic research programmes.

"We believe that the relationship will also further IIMB's objective of bringing in the best business practices both to government organisations and industry," Roy noted.