Evidently, there are different definitions that many scholars have provided in reference to Supply Chain Management. In his definition, Tang (2009) notes that Supply Chain Management is the management of business processes and operations in order to ensure efficiency. Over the last few decades, Supply Chain Management (SCM) has been seen as one of the key issues that should be well addressed by businesses people in ensuring that the current demands on professionalism, efficiency, and quality service delivery are achieved. One of the main areas of concern has been how to integrate technology in harnessing supply chain processes. The increased competition in many industries has necessitated innovation in coming up with software options that seek to solve different issues. The following paper attempts to compare and contrast two Supply Chain Management software vendors , SAP and Quick Base. The objective is to discuss some of the features and functionalities of their products.
Apparently, it is clear that both vendors are keen in ensuring that their services to businesses are available and accessible from anywhere and anytime of the day. For example, under the SAP, the company notes that its solutions ensure “real-time demand networks” which is pivotal in the supply chain of any given industry (SAP). One of the apps that provide real-time business operations includes SAP Cloud for Service, which has been developed with a clear recognition of the volatility demand, as well as the heightened expectations for responsiveness that are encountered by business people, especially those in large companies. On this note, the company has sought to fill the gap that has been created in the supply chain industry due to the increased complexity and competition which calls for the application of innovative technologies that provide important business information across networks. This includes the improvement of real-time data analysis as well as enabling better collaboration across companies and their departments.
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On the other hand, Quick Base ensures that its clients, internally and externally, as well as any other partners and stakeholders, are able to get its services through different apps at any given time or place (Quick Base). This has been ensured by the fact that Quick Base apps are in the cloud. Thus, they can instantly be accessed from different mobile devices and browsers. Apparently, the Quick Base’s apps are automatically available for smartphones and tablets. One of the categories that is worth noting is the task management app, which includes notifications and alerts for business people.
Another consideration is the area of involvement or different industries that the two vendors provide their services. Both Quick Base and SAP have some similar and specific areas that they offer solutions. For example, both have software applications that seek to deliver efficiency in the healthcare industry. Under SAP, the software vendor notes that it wishes to help healthcare providers and institutions offer high quality and cost-effective care at any time and anywhere through the provision of friendly software options to its clients (SAP). Specifically, SAP provides the SAP ERP Human Capital Management solution and SAP ERP application. These applications, according to the vendor, play an instrumental role in improving clients’ experience across mobile devices and social media in streamlining interactions, as well as efficiently sharing information across the healthcare system, thus necessitating improvement in the supply chain (SAP). On the other hand, Quick Base assures its healthcare-related apps are aimed at ensuring efficiency of service delivery, single sprucing as well as secure storage of compliance related documentation (Quick Base). In line with this promise, the vendor has developed the “Simple Projects and Budgets” app, which helps in tracking expenses of the project as well the stages of completion of a project, which have all been consolidated into a single database.
One of the key strengths of Quick Base as compared to SAP is the aspect of collaboration which is critical in the supply chain industry. Notably, all components in the supply chain need to work together in ensuring that efficiency is maintained and that all processes are well executed at every stage. Quick Base has provided different options for organizations to safely share important data with varied stakeholders such as employees, departments, partners, customers, or anyone that should be included in a company’s business group (Quick Base). For example, options from the task management app allow an organization to create custom roles as well as permissions in ensuring that specific aspects can work and be seen with limited data, while others can access and see all the data. In this case, one has the ability and power of organizing a team as he or she wishes. Unlike the SAP case, through the use Quick Base services, businesses are able to have more effective collaboration since all the data can be found in one place. Notably, more effectively collaborative task management entails ensuring that there is right information at the right time in the organization. Therefore, software vendors have the responsibility of ensuring that their apps are providing cohesive and collaborative mechanisms for the enhancement of business processes and operations. Under the Quick Base, when all information in the organization is in one cloud-based database, the management in business is able to work with correct and latest version of data as opposed to chasing down scattered spreadsheets and emails, which might be cumbersome in the supply chain processes. At the same time, clients who use Quick Base are able to automatically connect with other cloud apps as well as syncing the data into Quick Base (Quick Base). In pulling everything down into a single application, teams are able to communicate and adapt better quickly.
However, unlike Quick Base, SAP has not cohesively addressed the aspect of collaboration in supply chain management. Instead, SAP has tried to integrate collaboration into different aspects of business operations such as sales. For example, through the use of SAP Hybris Cloud for Sales, SAP assures its clients that they can empower their sales team to engage with their customers in the whole process of buying in a more meaningful way. This is achieved by providing salespeople insights on how to accelerate sales performance and productivity as well as making well informed and quick business decisions.
Another difference is that there are some areas or industries that Quick Base has not provided solutions as is the case with SAP and vice versa. For example, SAP has different solutions for the Energy and Natural Resources industry, which include mill products, chemicals, mining, utilities and oil and gas, which is not the case with Quick Base (Quick Base) . On its side, for instance, Quick Base has provided solutions to the real estate stakeholders through the cloud-based real estate property management software, which is not the case with the SAP.
Finally, it is clear that SAP is more specific in its development of apps as opposed to Quick Base. For example, under supply chain solutions, SAP has different software options that aim at addressing varied issues such as the SAP Extended Warehouse Management that helps business people to manage high volume operations in their warehouses by improving control and visibility through the integration of complex supply chain logistics with distribution and warehouse processes.
References
Quick Base. A workspace where teams do more. Retrieved from
http://www.quickbase.com/product-tour
SAP. Portfolio Categories. Retrieved from https://www.sap.com/products.html
