German business software giant SAP AG and U.S.-based electronic commerce specialist Commerce One Inc. have decided to re-orient their partnership, and are fine-tuning their plans to develop online marketplaces for customers.
Analysts said Dell Computer Corp.'s sudden shutdown of a business-to-business exchange it launched with great fanfare just four months ago provides more evidence that companies need to be sure of what they're doing before they dive headlong into new Internet-based business strategies.