Not every SAP / ERP implementation is as successful as it should have been. Also because every project and every company used to have its own challenges. Further, the approach that work for one scenario, may not work in other. However, we can still learn a lot from past experiences, gained in a similar scenario.
Generally, the approach, processes, tools and methodologies, which has evolved and has been quite successful over a period of time, for a given scenario, are collectively called as Industry Best Practices. Industry Best Practices for different industry types (e.g. Manufacturing, Utilities etc. ) has also evolved and made available for SAP projects.

Most of the companies follow these practices while implementing or running SAP systems and that helps in avoiding project failures. It also reduces implementation / running cost, total cost of ownership and ensures better ROI ( Return on Investment ).

Here are a few links on web which provides detail of a few real life SAP projects, its challenges, Project Management, Risk Management, methodologies, execution, results and lessons learnt etc, simply called as SAP Case Study.

Web-Links for SAP Case Studies:

SAP Netweaver Case Studies @sap.com
SAP Netweaver Case Studies at www.sap.com
http://www.sap.com/platform/netweaver/customersuccess/idc.epx

BPCL SAP Case Study and Analysis
Check out this web page of IIMA - Prof. Arabinda Tripathy regarding BPCL SAP Implementation Case Study and analysis
http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/~tripathy/

Six Degrees of Success or Failure in ERP Requirements Engineering
Six Degrees of Success or Failure in ERP Requirements Engineering: Experiences with the ASAP Process By Maya Daneva
http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~anthonyb/itp320/ASAP.ppt

Failure of HP’s SAP roll-out : A case study
When Bad Things Happen to Good Projects: BY CHRISTOPHER KOCH
http://www.cio.com/archive/120104/contingencyplan.html

ERP a savior or slayer of enterprise competitiveness
Institute of International Management - University of Lausanne
http://www.hec.unil.ch/iumi/iumi/WP/0305.doc

Speculation has once again turned to whether corporate America will seriously consider implementing ERM as a good business lifestyle or a cost to be avoided until mandated by the regulatory authorities.

According to the story “[1] Companies Urgently Search for Hidden Risks”, written in the October issue of Compliance Week, corporate America is still sitting on the sidelines and not aggressively implementing ERM programs even in the light of the collapse of the financial markets.

However, a shift in ERM thinking could be coming. The Compliance Week article further points out that Standard & Poor’s has already determined that it will take a closer look at ERM in establishing a companies rating, which may help encourage more companies to take a closer look at implementing ERM into their management strategy.

India’s Tata Power Trading Company Limited Selects SunGard’s ZaiNet to Automate and Streamline Energy Trading and Facilitate Growth
December 16, 2008 — Houston, TX

Tata Power Trading Company Limited (Tata Power Trading), part of the Tata Group of companies, has selected SunGard’s ZaiNet to help it streamline and automate its power trading operation and support its plans for continued growth in India and beyond. Tata Power Trading selected SunGard because of its global experience in power markets and ZaiNet’s ability to be configured to the unique requirements of the Indian energy market. Integrated with the new India Energy Exchange (IEX), SunGard’s ZaiNet will support Tata Power Trading’s operations on the exchange as well as its bilateral trading with counterparties in India.

India’s power industry today reflects the steady movement from deregulation to competitive markets introduce…

through the 2003 passage of the India Electricity Act. It continues to evolve and benefit from the introduction of Open Access in 2004, which set the stage for competitive trading, and the June 2008 opening of India’s first national-level power exchange. Tata Power Trading plays a lead role in bridging the supply and demand gaps of utilities by buying and selling electricity across the length and breadth of the country, and is experiencing rapid revenue growth.

ZaiNet will support Tata Power Trading’s sustained growth by helping to automate and consolidate its confirmation process, which Tata Power Trading has identified as a limiting factor to its growth due to its reliance on multiple, disparate confirmation systems. ZaiNet will also help Tata Power Trading gain better controls through audit and reporting capabilities.

“Tata Power Trading has been at the forefront of power trading in India since its inception in 2004 and our business is experiencing a compounded growth rate of over 100% from 76 Million Units in 2005 to over 1700 Million Units in 2008. This growth of our trade volume necessitates that we fully automate our trading activities,” said Mr. Amulya Charan, managing director of Tata Power Trading. “We chose to support our growth with SunGard’s ZaiNet because of its global application in power markets, and flexibility to adapt to the rapidly evolving energy market in India.”

Matt Mandalinci, president of SunGard’s energy solutions business unit, said, “With over 2,000 SunGard staff in India, 125 of which are devoted exclusively to SunGard’s energy solutions business, we are excited to enter the power trading market in India with Tata Power Trading. SunGard ZaiNet’s flexibility delivered through its configurable risk and calculation engine with an SOA, integration to the IEX, and front-middle-back office integration will help Tata Power Trading to optimize its energy business and support its growth.”