As SAP and Oracle slug it out over acquiring Retek, a retail application software vendor, the real story is obviously not about who wins the prize but what’s inside the box. The answer is that Retek is the key for reengineering the supply chain for real time manufacturing and integrating that with real time demand retailing.For example, SAP is behind ISA S95, an interoperability standard between real time applications on the plant floor and ERP systems. Companies like Retek that offer a suite of software that covers just about the entire operational side of retailing are vital to make that integration happen.Ellison has had his eye on Retek for quite some time. “We were a bit distracted with the PeopleSoft integration process,” he said, according to IDG News Service. “When SAP made their bid, we decided to counter.” By talking to their customers, what both Oracle and SAP have come to understand is that you can no longer run a company by forecasting the long range demand for a product. Companies may still call it forecasting demand but how can it be forecasting when manufacturers have to schedule and produce goods based on weekly, daily and hourly fluctuations in the market? This will be done by integrating demand at the retail level with manufacturing and materials handling operations.While the loser of the battle for Retek may say it is not really significant, look for the loser, whoever it is, to make another acquisition of a company with similar technology. Technology Industry