“Large enterprises can usually operate with cash on-hand. The constraint for mid-market companies is often their cash situation, which makes procurement very important because it’s where cash goes out of the house.” —Claus Gruenewald, Global Head Partner Business SAP Intelligent Spend Solutions
The concept of a ‘business ecosystem’ has changed over time. In the early days, a business ecosystem would bring together enterprise technology and implementation partners, easing the transition and accelerating value realization.
Today, however, business ecosystems are far more expansive. They include both software and service partners that are able to support a company on its digital maturity journey.
At SAP Sapphire 2023, Philip Ideson had the opportunity to sit down with Claus Gruenewald, Global Head Partner Business SAP Intelligent Spend Solutions, and Conor Mullaney, Co-Founder and Brand Ambassador at excelerateds2p.
In particular, they focused on the importance and accessibility of business ecosystems for mid-market companies:
The ability to accommodate the unique localized nature of a business that is geographically or functionally dispersed
Unique challenges and opportunities for procurement organizations in mid-market companies
How the business ecosystem makes it possible for companies to combine an enterprise solution that addresses 90 percent of their needs with partners who handle the rest
