"This articulates and consolidates some stuff I've been thinking about wrt to the current stories I'm hearing about SAP implementations / upgrades in Australia. It needs to be pointed out though that this isn't restricted to SAP implementations. We still see many SAP implementations run by SIs using the body shop / cookie cutter method - mailbomb prospects with resumes of the good people, then give the paying customer ordinary developers and analysts, following the SIs methodology (based as you say on T&M rather than results and innovation). That is assuming that the people being offered actually exist - A standard part of my working week is being approached by head hunters saying, in effect, "Bloggs and Co have just won the contract to do <something> at XYZ. Do you know anyone who can fill these roles ?". The SI's internal processes do not encourage (even actively discourage) the developers and architechts who want to implement innovative processes or technologies, so very often the..." - martin english