Ejada Systems partners with IDS Scheer
Molouk Y. Ba-Isa I Arab News
 
Saudi-based IT services and solutions provider Ejada Systems has signed a partnership agreement with IDS Scheer, an international heavyweight in the Business Process Management (BPM) software and services industry. Ejada will incorporate IDS Scheer’s ARIS Platform, the market leading software for BPM, into its solutions portfolio and provide consultancy and integration support to enterprises looking to deploy IDS Scheer’s BPM solutions.
“IDS Scheer is a market leader in the BPM space, and this is a market that we’ve been looking to grow in for some time,” said Ashraf Osman, executive director at Ejada. “Enterprises are realizing how BPM solutions can enable them to better plan and manage change and risk in their organizations. By working with IDS Scheer we believe that we can offer Saudi corporations better returns on investment from their technology.”
The move is a significant one. With customers such as SABIC, the Ministry of the Interior and Al-Inma Bank, IDS Scheer already has a broad client base in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, business intelligence firm IDC noted in recent research that Ejada is the second largest IT services and solutions company in Saudi Arabia, and the number one custom application development and applications consulting and customization provider. Recently, IDS Scheer has been working to increase its presence in the Middle East. Their effort was given impetus this summer as Software AG began its acquisition of IDS Scheer in July. The combination of Ejada’s market knowledge and reach with IDS Scheer’s technologies and expertise, backed up by the global resources of Software AG, should prove positive for the local market and the partnering vendors.
“We’ve been operating in Saudi Arabia for the last five years, and we’ve been looking for partners who are committed to the BPM space. As one of the largest, most professional service providers in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, Ejada will add significant resources and abilities to our channel in the Middle East. We’re excited by the potential of our relationship with Ejada,” said Grzegorz Gruchman, managing director, IDS Scheer Saudi Arabia.
The potential is there, but outside very large organizations, the Middle East market has yet to realize the importance of BPM. That’s why Ejada is eager to raise market awareness on the topic.
“Business Process Management is essential because you cannot improve what you do unless you know what you are doing,” Osman explained. “To know what you are doing, you have to document the way you conduct your business. Most people conduct their business through inheritance. You join an institution and you find that they are doing things in a certain manner. This is the inheritance. But to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what you do, whether you are selling products or serving citizens, you have to start by understanding and documenting all the steps in your business processes and then identifying any negatives or bottlenecks that occur in that work flow. Next, comes proposing improvements to move away from the negatives and bottlenecks in order to increase the efficiency of what you do. In a nutshell, this is what business process management is all about.”
Osman advised that BPM is really applicable to anyone. Individuals can use BPM ideas to discover efficiencies that make life more enjoyable. Companies and organizations turn to IDS Scheer because of the strength of their BPM tools in analyzing complex work environments. These tools have been developed through experience over many years and in many industries.
“The benefits of capturing the power of BPM can really be seen as organizations evolve. For example, companies must constantly be responding to changes in the market. Such changes can be caused for instance by many variables in the economy, customer base, regulations and product or services portfolio,” said Osman. “When IDS Scheer’s BPM tools are utilized by an organization for the first time, the knowledge gained through this exercise is kept in a repository, and the organization can revisit that repository again and again to ensure that their business processes are evolving and staying competitive. A few years ago companies were turning to BPM to increase revenue. Last year, companies shifted the focus of their BPM to decreasing costs. BPM gives companies the agility they need to change rapidly and face market forces in a positive way.”
BPM is useful, powerful and potentially very accessible. But, with so many consultants and vendors weighing in with their own perspectives and opinions, the subject often becomes confusing. Some organizations have yet to consider employing BPM tools simply because learning about the topic can be intimidating. Unfortunately, much of the writing about BPM techniques and solutions is little more than jargon linked with “market speak.” Implementing an excellent BPM solution doesn’t depend on the use of fancy technical language. It requires clear understanding. That’s where a resource from Software AG can provide an edge.
“Business Process Management Basics For Dummies” is a publication that endeavors to explain what BPM is all about. Whether the reader is a business manager or an Information Technology practitioner, this book provides valuable information about what BPM can do — and how to apply it. The book includes:
• Core concepts and practical ideas.
• A primer for getting started with BPM.
• A step-by-step guide for implementing BPM successfully.
• A compilation of resources that readers can consult for additional help or continued education.