DRAFT

Topic for Assignment With reference to specific analytical processes, techniques, and models, evaluate the potential contribution of strategic analysis of the external environment , industry , and firm to effective strategic management. Please note: You are required to focus on the strategic analysis of the chosen organization

For references: Electronic commerce 2010, a magerial perspective, 6th edition, Efraim Turban, David King, Jae Liang, Deborrah Turban (pearson), p.349, Ch7 innovative EC systems: from e-government and e-learning to consumer-to-consumer e-commerce e-commerce model-in which a government entity buys or provides goods, services, or information to businesses or individual citizens. Cisco s products are being upgraded or replaced continuously, so extensive training of employees and customers is needed. Cisco recognize that its employees, business partners, and independent students seeking professional certification all require training on a continuous basis. Cisco offered in-house classes 6-10 times a year, at many locations, but the rapid growth in the number of students, coupled with the fast pace of technological change, made the training both expensive and ineffective. The solution Cisco implemented e-learning programs that enable students to learn new software, hardware and procedures. Cisco believes that once people experience e-learning, they will recognize that it is the fastest, easiest way to get the information they need to be successful. To implement e-learning Cisco created the Delta Force, which was made up of its CEO John Chambers, the IT unit, and the internet Learning Solution Group. Cisco also wants to serve as a model of e-learning for its partners and customers, hoping to convince them to use its e-learning programs. To encourage its employees to use e-learning, Cisco: 1. makes e-learning mandatory part of employees jobs 2. offers easy access to e-learning tools via the Web 3. offers additional incentives and rewards such as stock grants, promotions, and bonuses to employees who pursue specialization and certification through e-learning

Cisco offers variety of training programs supported by e-learning.

According to Galagan (2002), e-learning is a major underpinning of Cisco s economic health. By 2004, Cisco had developed over 100 e-learning courses and was planning to develop many more.

e-learning the online delivery of information for purposes of education, training, or knowledge management. Benefits of e-learning: Time reduction Cost reduction Higher content retention. E-learning students usually are self-motivated and self-initiated. Flexibility

EC- electronic commerce. EC successes: eBay, google, yahoo!, AOL, VeriSign, E-Trade. Click-and-mortar companies such as Cisco, wal-mart online, general electric, ibm,intel

Collaborative commerce-c-commerce- the use of digital technologies that enable companies to collaboratively plan, design, develop, manage, and research products, services andinnovative EC applications (p.301-302) Leading companies such as Dell, Cisco, Hp use collaborative commerce strategically, enabling sophisticated business models while transforming their value chains. They also have implemented e procurement and other mature collaborative techniques to streamline operations, reduce overhead, and maintain or enhance margins in the face of intense competition. Cisco chose to support a virtual business model focusing on time-to market and customer satisfaction. Cisco has integrated its order process with back-end process( the activities that support online order fulfillment, inventory management, purchasing from suppliers, payment processing, packaging and delivery), implemented purchase order automation, and enabled collaborative product development . Cupply chain mngt solutions provided by EC approach: Visibility-the knowledge about where materials and parts are at a given time, helps solving problems like delays, combining shipments. Visibility implies creating information transparency, allows organizations to coordinate supply chain interactions. Order taking, in b2c, web-based ordering using electronic forms expedites the process, makes it accurate, and reduces processing costs. Electronic payments Minimization of inventories by introducing build-to order manufacturing process as well as by providing fast and accurate information to suppliers.

Collaborative commerce among the members of the supply chain can be done in many areas ranging from product design to demand forecasting. The results are shorter cycle times, minimal delays and work interruptions, lower inventories, lower administrative costs

1. Introduction Today s IT industry environment is known to be as highly competitive and bringing an impact on several economies. By the 2009, it increased its share to 64% of world GDP (Sivathasan). And as soon as worldwide infrastructure will be developing it will directly affect on the growth of IT industry. But the main question whether company can remain successful in the IT business depends on not simply how huge is it or what market position it occupies, but rather on its intellectual property, brand recognition and reputation. Operating globally it is important to keep in mind that together with opportunities and challenges that bring globalization, company s stable prosperity is affected rather by intangible factors, such as scarcity or image. Moreover, the developments in the technology in this fast-changing environment require that organizations to be flexible and highly reactive if they are to remain ahead of the competition. This fast-moving era drives big organizations to organize themselves into smaller, more responsive, focused units (Kourdi, 2003,p:18). For such giants as Microsoft, Cisco systems, IBM, Intel, Dell, HP which size make them more difficult to manage it is important how these companies integrate structures, processes, behaviours and values in order to set the strategic route and follow through ( Kourdi, 2003,p:23). In order to be consistent with the defined corporate mission, objectives, developing strategies and policies, company should undertake environmental scanning. According to the research, there is a positive relationship between evaluation of the environmental scanning and profits. Survey made by McKinsey & Company in 2008 confirmed that global social, environmental and business trends are increasingly important to corporate strategy . (Wheelen and Hunger, 2010, p: 146). With these considerations there is a need for careful examining managerial techniques and analytical processes for one of the biggest hardware sector company Cisco Systems Inc. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of strategic management to the Cisco Systems. First, there is a description of the need for managing organizations strategically and the meaning of strategic management. Then, the paper explains how to apply strategic management to Cisco Systems . 1.) carefully introduce the problem you wish to examine and then show how each source addresses the problem 2) organizes and classifies the sources in some reasonable manner for the benefit of the reader. : , -

: 400-450

2. Body 1. Company background (300 words) a)Company overview b) Mission, objectives and strategy c) Product and services d) Core competences 5. SWOT ( 400-450 words) a) theory b) swot analysis c) outcomes, possible recommendations 6. PEST (500-550 words) a) theory b) PEST analysis c) outcomes 7. Porte s 5 forces (600- 650 words) 8. Value chain analysis (400-500 words) Conclusion (just summarizing examination and observation, making quick summary) ( 300 words)

1)Human capital strategy of CISCO 2) Collaboration 3) e-commerce, e-government, e-learning 4) social responsibility 5) supply chain