Product details

The 41-year old Germany-based independent software development company SAP AG, which was known for innovation and growth, employed about 65,000 workforce spread over 130 countries, belonging to diverse nationalities. SAP believed that the key to the success of the company and customers were its employees. The company provided a congenial working environment for its employees and managers for continuous learning and development. SAP's vision and mission was to develop business, improve people's lives and facilitate its customers. In tune with its vision, SAP in May 2013 had planned to utilise the services of uniquely talented people especially with 'Autism Spectrum Disorders' (ASD). SAP aptly teamed up with Specialisterne Foundation, which had been successfully employing autistic people in the software industry since 2004. This joint approach was expected to bring in the desired business success while also meeting corporate social responsibilities. Though SAP's special recruitment drive was lauded by experts, it possessed unique challenges as well. With the advancement of medical science, there was a future possibility of finding a cure for ASD people which could adversely affect their unique talents, resulting in the clash of ethical and business interests. It would be interesting to watch how SAP's initiative of harnessing the uniquely talented workforce would enable it to stay ahead of its global business competitors.