1) Introduction to Cisco
Founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, Cisco has grown to become a giant in the technology industry. Recording a profit of $49.2 billion for FY15, Cisco today has 71,883 employees, serving up to 90 countries worldwide. However, Cisco’s success was not achieved without its fair share of challenges. In 2008, Cisco was suffering a slowdown due to its traditional approach of operations. Specifically, its internal IT Network and Data Center Services department were being bogged down by outdated, siloed methods of operations. The inefficiencies become such a serious problem that employees were not even aware that works were being duplicated in these two departments. With a lack of focus, employees’ morale suffered and Cisco’s revenue saw a rare drop from 2008 to 2009.
In order to support existing and future growth, Cisco underwent a transformational change which involved changing from being a traditional silo-based structure to a lifecycle-based model. The new model comprises of six stages - Prepare, Plan, Design, Implement, Operate, and Optimize. With the new model, employees had greater understanding of each project and could specialise in their area of expertise.
2) Research Interests
It was a successful strategic change where Cisco managed to restructure its internal IT infrastructure to become more productive and efficient. The scale and intensity of change was great considering the size of the company. Given the magnitude and success of the change, this case study will provide numerous learning opportunities for the benefit of the entire class. The team would also be able to apply more theories and concepts that are taught in class, and critically discuss the case as per normal case discussions to generate alternative perspectives and methods of executing existing or future changes.
Furthermore, due to Cisco’s establishment and great success of the change, related information is widely available. A relatively detailed...