German SAP plans precise job cuts

THE OUTFIT WHICH MAKES very expensive software which no one can say what it does, is thinking about making job cuts.

However, analysts are wondering exactly why SAP thinks making its expensive staff redundant is such a good idea. It is darn expensive to recruit SAP staff as the software is esoteric and no one really gets chicks by saying they have it as a skill.

Unless someone knows how much a SAP developer earns and then they are probably falling over themselves. Once a company recruits someone and has trained them, SAP staff are hard to keep.

While other companies have been losing money, SAP has made shedloads in the last quarter banking $1.1 billion on revenue of €3.5 billion.

But while it seems that for now businesses just cant get enough of the Walldorf, Germany-based company's cheery and user-friendly software, crystal ball gazers at the outfit are predicting that doom is just around the corner.

Over all SAP's profits are down two per cent from 2007, while revenue was €11.57 billion, up 13 per cent which does not really seem that much to worry about, but SAP thinks that gutting the company and destroying morale is the best way forward anyway.

In a press release it says that will will trim its worldwide workforce by about 3,000 positions by the end of 2009 from 51,500 down to 48,500 jobs.

Most of the job cuts will come through attrition and will save the company €350 million. However the question is what were these staff doing before this month and why are they suddenly surplus to requirements?

SAP is not saying.µ

L'Inq
CNET