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Technology Stocks : IBM -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: yard_man who wrote (3152)	5/26/1998 10:58:00 AM
From: D LEE	Respond to of 8219

( BW)(IBM)(IBM) IBM Launches New Programs for Small and Growing Businesses (They are going to put much force behind this. -Dave) Business/Technology Editors WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 26, 1998--IBM today unveiled its new Supply Chain Management Initiative for Growing Businesses. The launch includes programs designed to help improve electronic supply chain management, which connects businesses with their suppliers, distributors, and customers. "These initiatives are IBM's latest response to the exploding technology needs of growing companies," said Peter Rowley, general manager, IBM global small and medium business. "Working with our business partners, our strategy is to provide these businesses with consulting and educational programs, as well as affordable information technology (IT) solutions that can help them improve customer service, enhance profitability, and expand new business opportunities." New Supply Chain Management Initiative Supply chain management is a major element of IBM's e-business strategy and is vital for companies that want to compete in a global business environment. The new IBM Supply Chain Initiative for Growing Businesses is targeted to the manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries, and emphasizes new offerings and education about the importance of supply chain management. The initiative includes the following elements: o Supply Chain University program, consisting of seminars on the topic of supply chain management co-sponsored by IBM and leading universities worldwide. Upcoming seminars will be hosted by The Center for Logistics Research at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, in Atlanta on October 25-28, and a pan-Latin America series hosted by IEEC (Instituto de Estudios para la Excelencia Competitiva) from the Universidad Austral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at a date to be announced. Other co-sponsored educational programs currently are being planned in locations around the world. o Plans for an alliance with APICS, the Educational Society for Resource Management, to develop content and materials for a series of executive seminars worldwide focusing on business performance improvement through supply chain management. "APICS is on the leading edge of supply chain management techniques," noted Jeffry Raynes, CAE, executive director and COO of APICS. "We have the tools and expertise to work with IBM to create a noteworthy seminar to assist business executives. This initiative is part of a long-standing relationship that APICS and IBM have developed and which we will continue to build upon for the long term." o Business Needs Analysis Tool (BNAT), a free CD-ROM tool enabling companies to evaluate possible business operations that could benefit from technology improvements. Designed for companies in the retail, wholesale and industrial segments, the BNAT helps businesses begin exploring ways to leverage technology for increased efficiency and enhanced competitiveness. o Availability of supply chain and e-business solutions from thousands of software vendors and IBM business partners, including a new ERP solution, Ready-to-Run R/3 for AS/400e. ERP (enterprise resource planning) solutions enable companies to enhance productivity by integrating core business processes such as sales and distribution. Ready-to-Run R/3 for AS/400e allows customers for the first time to run SAP's R/3 test and production environments on a single server. Additionally, for the first time customers can buy IBM's premier entry server -- AS/400e model 170 -- pre-loaded with SAP R/3 software. o New consulting services sold through IBM and IBM affiliates in select countries. These services are designed for growing businesses that want to achieve the benefits provided by a leading ERP solution while minimizing the cost and time required to implement the solution. These services include: -- PEBT (Package Enabled Business Transformation): an IBM consulting offering ranging from needs analysis to software selection and integration of an ERP solution into a company's business -- SMOOTH: a services offering based on IBM's industry-specific tools and modeled on industry-proven procedures that provides predictable time and cost for ERP implementation -- IT Infrastructure Consulting and Implementation Services: an offering that provides complete IT system design, installation, training, and support services for a new ERP environment. These initiatives are a response to a supply chain market on the verge of explosive growth. Industry analysts project that as businesses enter the new century, accelerated business cycles will encourage many companies, engaged in closed supply chain communities, to trade more openly. This would greatly enhance their ability to find suppliers with the best products at the best price, as well as the best delivery method. It would also enable suppliers that could create business advantage to participate in an electronic trading community. The result is a market expected to more than triple by 2000, according to analysts. IBM also announced today the launch of the IBM Netfinity ServerProven Solutions program to independent software vendors (ISVs) in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The Netfinity ServerProven Solutions program gives software and hardware vendors the opportunity to test their applications and technologies with IBM Netfinity servers. The program also provides a wide selection of supply chain management solutions for small and growing businesses. About IBM: IBM is a world leader in providing business solutions for small and medium businesses. Through its Global Small and Medium Business organization, IBM offers a host of cross-industry and industry-specific solutions designed to meet the needs of growing businesses. IBM also is the leading provider of electronic business solutions and is dedicated to helping customers, IBM Business Partners and developers exploit the potential of network computing across a wide range of business and industries. For further information visit www.ibm.com/businesscenter. --30--jc/ny* CONTACT: Press Contact: Ken Neal IBM Global Small & Medium Business 914-642-4880 kneal@us.ibm.com KEYWORD: NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET COMED PRODUCT