...Cisco Systems, Inc.: Implementing ERP [HBR case #699022] Reviews Cisco System's approach to implementing Oracle's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software product. This case chronologically reviews the diverse, critical success factors and obstacles facing Cisco during its implementation. Cisco faced the need for information systems replacement based on its significant growth potential and its reliance on failing legacy systems. The discussion focuses on where management was particularly savvy in contrast to where it was the beneficiary of good fortune. Cisco was highly successful with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) effort. What accounts for this success? What were the most important things that Cisco did correctly? Cisco’s success is greatly attributed by its 100% dedication of their teams to complete this project. It started with the senior management team approval and support. This includes its core ERP team of 20 which expanded to 100 after the board approval. Also included is the Executive Steering committee which also worked countless hours to meet this deadline. Even the hardware vendor who was an executive sponsor probably had 30 people on site at one point. This big financially but it was a great reference for them. The core ERP team represented a cross section of Cisco’s business community who were experts in its field . They were very structured and organized dividing the large 100 team into 5 process area teams or ‘tracks’. Each track had a Cisco...
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...Problem definition Cisco Systems Inc. is one of the leading companies operating in the telecommunication industry. At the present moment, the company has a strong position in the world market and actively develops its business targeting at the wider implementation of new technologies. In fact, the company was traditionally oriented on the introduction of innovations and nowadays it is still focused on the development of new technologies which can improve the position of the company in the market and guarantee its leadership in the future. In such a situation, Cisco Systems Inc. develops its corporate strategy, which basically targets at the acquisition of smaller companies which a great potential and have developments which could be very perspective in the future. One of such companies is Summa Four, which Cisco Systems Inc. wants to acquire. In this respect, it should be said that the acquisition of the new company will inevitably pose certain difficulties Cisco Systems Inc. will have to overcome. Even though the company has a huge experience of acquisitions, since the company has launched the strategy of acquisition since the early 1990s, the acquisition of Summa Four is different from the acquisition of any other company Cisco Systems has ever bided for before. To put it more precisely, as a rule Cisco Systems Inc. acquired companies which were small and did not possess significant manufacturing facilities. Basically, such acquisitions were rather investment in the human...
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...Cisco Case Study 1. Observable artifacts are the manifestations of an organization’s culture that employees can easily see or talk about. They supply the signals that employees interpret to gauge how they should act during the workday. An example of observable artifacts of Cisco’s culture is their use of cross-functional teams, councils and boards to enhance innovation and teamwork which lead to faster decision-making. CEO John Chambers uses three words to describe the benefits of this team oriented management system: “speed, skill, and flexibility.” Espoused values of Cisco are a dedication to customer success, innovation and learning, partnerships, collaboration, and doing more with less. Each of these values is continually articulated and reinforced in the mission statement, policies and practices, and culture of the company. Basic assumptions are the taken for granted beliefs and thoughts, and represent the core of organizational culture. being involved in numerous groups makes the company as a whole grow faster and be better ready for the economy. 2. After losing billions of dollars, CEO Chambers changed Cisco from a top-down organization to one that encourages collaboration and teamwork at all levels. Chambers grouped executives into cross-functional teams by combining managers in sales with leaders in engineering hoping that this would lead to faster decision-making. The hierarchical element needed to change in order to right the wrongs and move forward as company...
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...Why Cisco for Security At-A-Glance Why Cisco for Security Security is more critical to your network than ever before. As threats and risks persist, security is necessary for providing business continuity, protecting valuable information, maintaining brand reputation, and adopting new technology. A secure network enables your employees to embrace mobility and securely connect to the right information. It allows your customers and partners to more easily conduct business with you. No organization understands network security like Cisco does. Cisco’s market leadership, superior threat protection and prevention, innovative products, and longevity make us the right vendor for your security needs. Cisco Security: Investment • $100 million spent on dynamic research and development • Unmatched network and security expertise with more than 350 CISSPs and more than 1400 CCIEs • Cisco Security Intelligence Operations (SIO) Threat Operations team of 500 analysts across the globe • Industry-recognized Technical Assistance Center (TAC) providing 24x7, world-class security support throughout the globe • More than 20 top-tier global security data centers providing security services • Security provider for the largest banks , ISPs, governments, and military organizations in the world • Guaranteed Cisco IPS coverage for enhanced peace of mind • Validated security industry designs and architectures, including PCI, SAFE, Data Center, and Unified Communications Cisco Security:...
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...Background In 1995, John Chambers joined Cisco Systems as president and CEO. After six years under the supervision of Chambers, the company went from generating $2.2 billion in annual sales to $22.3 billion. As a result of the market downturn in 2001, the company suffered its first loss and laid off 18% of its workforce. Chambers quickly realized Cisco was in need of significant organizational restructuring if Cisco were to survive and thrive the downtown. This change shifted the company from a decentralized firm that only focused its three work silos of Marketing, Engineering and Sales to segregated and specific customer groups to a centralized firm that focused on collaboration and relevant technologies for given customer groups. This shift in organizational restructuring significantly reduced product and resource redundancies – a major contributing success factor for Cisco’s market position today. The Problem The implementation of the cross-functional business councils greatly strengthened both Cisco’s competitive position as well as their organizational culture. However, Cisco now faces the problem of how to sustain and implement the new internal governance system across new and expanding business lines within the company in addition to maintaining the new collaborative culture while retaining its customer-centricity focus. Adjustments will need to be made to ensure that systems can be scaled to address new market transitions. The three councils that were originally...
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...John Morgridge joined Cisco as a CEO in the year 1988. The very first thing he notices in the organization was the lack of professional management team. Initiation for professional management team was the first kick off for the organization. Professional management is considered to be the foundation of any big organization and Cisco started with this thereby sticking with the fundamentals. The professional team clashed with the founders ending up them leaving the company and giving a free hand to Morgridge to handle the organization in a disciplined manner in terms of management. Cisco as an organization started off with a very positive note thereby centralizing the functional areas. Except product marketing and research and development all the other areas (finance, human resources, manufacturing, IT, customer support etc.) were centralized. Although the initial changes in the organization doesn’t claims to the success factor for future implementation, but yes it certainly add a bit to It thereby streamlining the management with a transparent and clear view to proceed. The company was doing extremely well after going public in 1990 and in 1993 reaching the $500 million target. From this it can be clearly seen that the company was in a rapid move to success from the moment it became public in 1990. Analyzing the requirements in the right stage and planning for it is the first initiation which stands for cisco’s success. The need was addressed with respect to the future growth...
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...China plant manufactures the plastic fan parts. The company’s Research and Development is carried out at the corporation head office in San Jose. The main clients are automobile parts producers, aircraft manufacturers, the Department of Defense, beverage producers and bottlers, and appliance producers (UOPX, 2004). Current Systems Each factory is currently using various telecommunication systems. The head office in San Jose has 35 IP telephones. Additionally they use a VOIP/Data router; two 24 port switches Cisco 5950, 24 Port Hub Linksys EF2H24, Ethernet 100 base T as well as a WIN network Server. The Albany factory using a Kentrox Datasmart 658 CSU/DSU links to the head office. They are also using a Cisco Router 1750, two 24 port 100 Mbps Nortel Baystack 45024T Enet Switch, as well as a 48 port Patch Panels which links the 20 Compaq Presario computer systems. The Pontiac factory links to head office using a Blackblox CSU/DSU V35 Mt 100A-35 R2. The router is a Cisco 2500. The factory has in use...
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...as strategies, technologies, and process improvement methodologies; meeting with senior DoD officials, Congressional delegates, business executives, etc; as well as taking part in a one-week graduate-level business overview provided by the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration. Following the fellows’ corporate assignment, formal outbriefs are provided to approximately forty senior leaders across OSD and the Services regarding their observations and recommendations. Traditionally, these outbriefs include sessions with the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Service Secretaries and Chiefs, as well as other senior officials. As a member of the 2004-2005 SDCFP, it was an honor and pleasure to be assigned at Cisco Systems in San Jose, CA. Without exception, the men and women...
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...Finance 560 Securities Analysis Course Project: Stock Analysis – Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) Company’s Summary Cisco Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology industry worldwide. It offers routers that interconnects public and private IP networks for mobile, data, voice, and video applications; switching products, which provide connectivity to end users, workstations, IP phones, access points, and servers; application networking services; and home networking products, such as adapters, gateways, modems, and home network management software. The company also offers security products comprising span firewall, intrusion prevention, remote access, virtual private network, unified client, Web, and email security and network security products; storage area networking products for data center environments that deliver connectivity between servers and storage systems; collaboration products to integrate voice, video, data, and mobile applications on fixed and mobile networks; video connected home products, including digital video distribution systems and digital interactive set-top boxes; and wireless systems. In addition, it provides optical networking products, Cisco TelePresence systems, Cisco Unified Computing Systems, physical security and video surveillances, and digital media systems. Further, the company offers technical support services; and responsive...
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...Raymond Braselman Cisco Systems Case 1. Cisco’s management was very reluctant to significantly alter the structure of their IT system, even though the system was consistently failing. There were a few reasons for this reluctance. First, Pete Solvik, the CIO of Cisco at the time, was hesitant to even consider an ERP system in the first place, because he believed that each functional silo of Cisco should decide which applications it utilized (while also using common architecture and databases to accommodate the disparate systems, which complicated matters). Then, this attitude became pervasive among other managers, because most were concerned that implementing a large scale ERP system would disrupt business operations too drastically for such an implementation to be practical. 2. Once Cisco’s managers realized that their IT system needed a major overhaul, they became very focused and dedicated. One of the first aspects that led to the implementation’s success was convincing the Board of Directors of the need for an ERP system and to commit to the project, setting a “tone at the top” that established the project as a company-wide priority. This led to Cisco being able to develop an implementation team comprised of experts. From the beginning, Cisco leveraged the experience of others, and eventually prompted KPMG to become involved, not only during the actual implementation, but also throughout the drafting of the RFP and the consideration of different vendors...
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...Case Study of Cisco Systems, Inc. Nirav Sheth INTB 3354: Introduction of Global Business Professor Alana Aleman April 8, 2015 1. Introduction Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, the married couple who met at Stanford University, founded Cisco in 1984 in San Francisco, California. During Cisco’s founding years at Stanford University, Leonard Bosack, Sandy Lerner, and a few others helped connect hundreds of computers throughout Stanford University on a wired network. They understood that they could take this technology and help other university and business, which helped Cisco grow into the $150 billion networking conglomerate it is today. Cisco multiprotocol router, Cisco’s first major product, was one of a kind package of a group of routers, switches, internetworking and other telecommunication devices that helps a group of computers multitask on a closed network. From here, Cisco’s management created a market where they could sell routers, switches, servers, data centers, and other telecommunication devices and software to help connect the world through electronic devices. Like many other technology companies, there were able to help bring this technology to the rest of the world because their hardware and software did not vary too much throughout different markets. They were able to become truly global and sell their products all over the world to enable billions of people enable them to connect into the digital world. (Boudreau) 2. Problems Cisco first legal problem...
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...Cisco Systems, Inc. - Organizational Behavior and Communication University of Phoenix Communication for Accountants COM/530 January 14, 2013 Abstract An organization’s espoused values are the mission, philosophy, vision, and value statements. These statements represent what the organization values and the enacted values show what the company does. This paper will show the alignment between the espoused values and the enacted values along with describing how the role of communication influences the perception and organizational culture and identify the role of conflict in group communication in Cisco Systems, Incorporated. Cisco Systems, Inc. - Organizational Behavior and Communication The values of an organization originate from the organization’s mission, philosophy, values, and vision statements. How the organization performs may be the same or different from its values. The intention of this paper is to establish if not only Cisco Systems’ espoused values align with its enacted values but also describe how the role of communication plays in the perception and organizational culture along with observing the role of conflict in group communication. Organizational Culture “Cisco Systems remains the world’s largest provider of the routers, switching systems and related hardware, and software and services needed to interconnect computers and make high-speed telecommunications possible” (Cisco System, Inc., 2010, p. 27). One reason Cisco Systems is at the top of...
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...CASE: GS-66 DATE: 06/05/09 CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.: COLLABORATING ON NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION On November 13, 2007, more than 100 employees of Cisco Systems, Inc. assembled in classic Cisco fashion: they dialed in from multiple locations around the world for an important meeting. The purpose of the gathering was to get the green light from senior management to manufacture a new high-end router that would make the giant networking company more competitive in an age of surging Internet traffic.1 The project’s code name, Viking, said it all. The router for broadband service providers would break ground in power and speed, reminiscent of the Norse warriors and explorers of Europe during the eighth to eleventh centuries. The meeting represented a culmination of several years of development work by a cross-functional, global team of Cisco specialists in engineering, manufacturing, marketing and other areas. Just months earlier, in mid-2007, Cisco overhauled the project by sharply boosting the router’s speed and capacity. This would allow the company to leapfrog competitors and offer a low-cost, powerful new router platform for the next 10 to 15 years. That day in November, the Viking team was seeking an “execution commit” from senior management in manufacturing. If it got the go-ahead, Cisco would be ready to commit the resources to launch the new product. But the Cisco team knew it faced many challenges. The Viking project would be one of the company’s most complex...
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...Deploying Application Firewall in Defense in Depth Principle Abstract Information security should be a priority for businesses, especially when they are increasingly involved in electronic commerce. With the understanding that securing an operating system successfully requires taking a systematic and comprehensive approach, security practitioners have recommended a layered approach called defense-in-depth. The cost and complexity of deploying multiple security technologies has prevented many organizations from achieving their information security goal. In view of these constraints and in compliance with recent with recent corporate and industry regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, businesses now deploy application firewalls as security measures. Based on the foregoing, the author has recommended the use of application firewalls as a single platform for achieving layered security through network protection, application protection and data protection. This paper commences by examining the defense in depth theory and the types of application firewall and the author concludes by citing the Institute for Computing Applications (IAC) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) as an example of an organization which engaged application firewalls in resolving its network security problem. Research Analysis/ Body The development of Information security is of paramount importance to organizations that have online presence...
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...Stock Analysis – Cisco Systems Timothy L. Miller FI560 Securities Analysis Miriam Benard December 11, 2011 Abstract The purpose of this paper is to make a buy or sell recommendation for Cisco Systems stock based on technical and fundamental analysis. The technical analysis consists of analysis of the following; * Return on Equity (ROE) * The company’s projected future growth of earnings * Analysis of its required rate of return using the CAPM measurement * The company’s intrinsic value using the discount valuation technique. The fundamental analysis consists of describing the competitive forces in the industry including the company’s relative advantages and disadvantages to its competitors and a discussion on ROE as the basis for growth. Based on the technical analysis, it appears that Cisco’s stock is under priced. Its intrinsic value is $23.55 in 2011 (see calculation in CAPM section) which is quite a bit higher than its current price. Background Cisco designs, manufactures, and sells Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology (IT) industry and provides services associated with these products and their use. They provide a broad line of products for transporting data, voice, and video within buildings, across campuses, and around the world. These products are designed to transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. Cisco conducts its business globally...
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