All that Jazz: IDS Scheer Announces Sponsorship of Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong Jazz Camp in New Orleans.

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors

BERWYN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 2003

IDS Scheer, Inc., the leading provider of business process excellence services and tools, today announced that the company has agreed to be a sponsor of the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp taking place this summer in New Orleans.

Young musicians, ages 10-20, attend the annual Jazz Camp which was established in 1995 to nurture young musicians, honor Armstrong and perpetuate the legacy of the art form in the City where it was created. For three weeks, Master Classes in a variety of instrumentation are held weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Medard Nelson Elementary School (3121 St. Bernard Ave.). The curriculum also includes jazz vocals, composition and jazz history components. The faculty is a "who's who" list of professional musicians and educators led by acclaimed saxophonist and educator Edward "Kidd" Jordan, the Camp's artistic director.

The Camp is presented by the non-profit New Orleans Arts and Cultural Host Committee with key support from public and private sponsors. Jazz Camp has attracted students from across the country and other nations as well. It has also begun an exciting partnership with the University of New Orleans which is offering a music production/studio class to advanced Jazz Camp students, and helping develop future program initiatives that may take place on the UNO campus.

IDS Scheer is one of the sponsors of the Jazz Camp "scholars" program which allows participating companies to underwrite the Jazz Camp experience for selected young musicians in need. Jazz Camp is extended to youth of all socio-economic backgrounds and this program, combined with some scholarship dollars from the local Young Leadership Council and Dollars for Scholars, helps some students meet program costs. IDS Scheer has provided funds for three scholars, including a Canadian guitarist attending Jazz Camp for the first time and a third generation horn player from a family of brass band, jazz and rhythm and blues musicians.

"We became involved with this program because jazz is a passion of our executive team starting with our Founder and CEO Dr. August-Wilhelm Scheer who is an avid baritone saxophonist and I continue to refine my Jazz piano skills. We realize that Jazz and Management have much in common," said Dr. Mathias Kirchmer, President and CEO, IDS Scheer, Inc. "Jazz is an American cultural institution. We are delighted to participate in a program that nurtures the talents and refines the musical processes of these jazz musicians of tomorrow."

According to Dr. Kirchmer, there are many similarities between a jazz performance and business process management. "We can learn from the organization of a jazz band, as it needs to be creative, agree on a theme, determine the solos, and allow the song to deliver the structure of the harmonies. Very similar rules apply to organizational processes," he said.

In a white paper published by IDS Scheer correlating jazz and management practices, the following key points were noted:

-- Jazz music is based on improvisation. Jazz soloists improvise 

new melodies on the spot that fit into the prescribed

structure of a theme. In extremely short time spans the

soloist makes irreversible decisions regarding the pitch of

the note he will play, the expression with which he will play

it, and its rhythmic placement. At the same time, each note

has an immediate effect on the next. The soloist's playing is

also influenced by his fellow players.

-- In a good jazz combo, experts play together, constantly

communicating at the same time and place. Each player listens

to the others, particularly to the soloist, and responds to

the harmonic and melodic development of the solo while the

rhythm group's (generally piano, bass and percussion) harmonic

and rhythmic figures spur the soloist on. In this way jazz

improvisation creates highly intense communication among the

players, which in turn leads to great creativity.

-- In the management world, on the other hand, the concept of

improvisation carries negative connotations. When someone

says, "We have to improvise," he means that things have not

gone as planned, and the team has to scramble. Proper

planning, however, requires a stable environment in which to

implement the plan, or at least one that can be accurately

assessed. On the other hand, planning is problematic in a

turbulent environment in which the conditions change quickly.

The importance of planning, therefore, is generally

de-emphasized in newer books on business management. The way

in which creativity comes about in a jazz band is a model for

contemporary management behavior.

-- A team mindset is instrumental in jazz as well as in

management. Putting together a team with as diverse a base of

core competencies and strong communication using the synergies

among the competencies are the key to success.

"We are grateful to IDS Scheer and all of our sponsors each year who join hands with us to touch the lives of young people interested in music," said Jackie Harris, executive director of the nine-year old Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp.

Noting that "Jazz Camp keeps evolving and we think sets a standard for a youth music education program," Edward "Kidd" Jordan also said, "we are honored that so many have invested in the lives of these young people (campers). As instructors, we get inspired by their support and it makes us work harder to nurture and develop the talents of our Jazz Camp students."

About IDS Scheer, Inc.

IDS Scheer, Inc. is the global leader in providing business process consulting and software solutions. With more than 1,500 employees worldwide, IDS Scheer combines innovative technology with a range of vertical market expertise to help organizations create bottom line effects through their business process initiatives, such as General Process Improvement, Enterprise Architecture, E-business, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management and Enterprise Resource Planning. The company's ARIS product suite is the market leader in business process management, including the award-winning ARIS Toolset and ARIS Process Performance Manager (PPM) which are used by many Global 1000 organizations worldwide, and consistently recognized by the industry's leading technology analyst groups. The company was founded in 1984 by August-Wilhelm Scheer, and now advises some 3,000 clients in more than 50 countries through its network of subsidiaries and partners. For more information, visit http://www.ids-scheer.com/us.