SAP makes business more flexible

BERLIN, GERMANY: Germany's SAP plans to open up its business model by enabling customers access to any software and offering less restrictive contracts in an effort to address changing customer demands.

"We will give our customers the option to decide which software they want to use," Chief Executive Leo Apotheker said on Tuesday.

The company also plans to increase the number of global enterprise agreements, which normally run five years, to 600 clients from currently 12.

He also said that SAP's data bank technology may eventually be licensed to others. The technology is designed to save and access data on a chip instead of a server.

Apotheker said that while the worst of the economic crisis was over it was too early to speak of an upswing.

Asked about recurring rumors of Microsoft interest in SAP, Apotheker said it was company policy to not comment on such rumors.

"However, management, board, shareholders and customers see the future of SAP positive and it should remain an independent company," Apotheker said.