In order to make strategy happen there is a need for powerful management information systems. SAP focuses on the application of modern business administration concepts, e.g. Value Based Management, the Balanced Scorecard, the Management Cockpit or flexible planning methods.

The book describes the methodology and implementation of a powerful tool for enterprise management. Practical examples show how SAP Strategic Enterprise Management/Business Analytics (SAP SEM/BA) can help to improve cross functional planning, reporting and analyzing. SAP SEM/BA is a leading edge IT-solution for top management and related departments in large enterprises and groups. It demonstrates the state of the art of modern management information and decision support systems.

Soon after the first edition of this book was published it became apparent that a second edition would be needed. This demonstrates the attention being given to the search for new methods of partially automating the decision-making process at upper management levels.

The main change was to update the description of the SAP® systems in chapter 5. A new topic here is Activity-Based Costing based on the Value Network Analyzer (see section 5.3.1).

An additional case study was also added that describes how the Balanced Scorecard was implemented at Norwegian Defense. This case points to an interesting development. While in the past business organization was often modeled on that of the military (staff positions, the tripartite division into strategic, tactical, and operational management, elements of logistics, and so on), the influence is now going the other way as military organizations are being modernized by tools from business administration and information systems.

For their dedicated work in updating the contents, the authors would particularly like to thank Ute Östringer, Sabine Sänger, Dr. Martina Schuh, Dirk Braun, Thomas Fleckenstein, and Ralf Ille. Special thanks are due to Major Trond Erik Bones (Headquarters Defense Command Norway) for the additional case study. Last but not least, many thanks to Stephen Offenbacker (SAP AG) and Andrew Zeller (Department of Information Systems I, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg for their assistance in translating the amendments of the second edition.