Cisco Systems Architecture Essay Example for Free

Cisco Systems Architecture Essay Cisco is a company with a clear vision and an ambitious goal of becoming the global Internet expert. The company set its sights on challenging the norm of the time and working on making voice calls over the Internet free. Established in 1984 by two Stanford graduates, Cisco became the most valuable business on earth by March 2000. The company’s strategy is to provide a complete solutions offer to its customers through offering a wide product range and growing the business through acquisitions and business alliances. From its original core technology of routers, the company is now focusing in three independent networks of phone, local and wide area and broadcast networks. The turnaround point for the company was its database failure and forced two-day shutdown in 1994. This event highlighted the need to change company’s approach to systems replacement and the need to integrate all of company’s applications. The company decided to adopt new practices and retrain its staff rather than mirroring the â€Å"old and tried†. The decision was made to collaborate with Oracle to develop a single ERP solution to replace all current systems. The project was a success and was followed by replacement and standardization of all company’s platforms and applications worldwide. Further to this project, Cisco web-enabled all its applications, resulting in customer service, HR and supply chain efficiencies. Cisco’s success continues and is being made possible by its growth through acquisitions and strategic alliances (such as that with KPMG). The company is where it is today largely due to its effective integrated Internet business systems, resulting in great efficiencies for the company and its various stakeholders. 1) Cisco – Information Age Company. Cisco is far from being an Industrial Age Company. The main reason for this is that the company has been able to recognise the value in IT and use it to better their performance and achieve the desired growth. According to Weill Ross (2009), it is a characteristic of an IT Savvy firm. To be more specific, through integrating their processes and applications into an ERP solution and then to proceeding to full replacement of all of its IT solutions worldwide, Cisco moved to a digitalized platform. According to Weill Ross (2009), digitalized platform is an integrated set of electronic business processes and technologies. This would hardly be a characteristic of an Industrial Age company. Further to that, Cisco’s approach to implementation of its ERP solution and deciding not to mirror known and learnt old approaches but to make a bold move and rather retrain its people in new systems, demonstrates forward thinking and innovation, which is critical to get significant value from IT. Again this is a more fitting characteristic of an Information Age company rather than an Industrial Age company. In implementing the ERP system, the company successfully identified where it lacked necessary expertise and was not scared to outsource their needs analysis to KPMG and then the ERP project to Oracle, who had significant knowledge and experience in the solutions Cisco were after. The â€Å"outside the square† thinking allowed the company to focus on own competences and keep them in-house while tapping into the expertise of others through outsourcing and alliances. This is a definite characteristic of an Information Age company. Finally, keeping communication lines open across functional divisions and getting an input from across the business to avoid making the project an IT-only initiative and to ensure it addresses the real needs is another reason why Cisco is an Information Age company. 2) IT contribution to the company’s strategy IT greatly contributed to the company’s strategy to provide comprehensive one-stop-shop business networks solution for its customers, to set industry standards for networking, to systemize acquisitions and pick the right partners. Firstly, it was the company’s IP-based IT Architecture that enabled them to effectively and smoothly handle business acquisition and fully integrate these new acquisitions in a short period of time. Secondly, ERP implementation and application of web-enabled IT allowed Cisco to meet its goals of streamlining its internal processes and improving productivity, to improve customer satisfaction through the provision of online technical support, to pioneer net commerce and set industry standards and to achieve an extremely efficient supply chain. IT and systems implemented were at the heart of executing the company’s strategy. Thirdly, IT is an integral part of Cisco’s information system. According to Picolli (2008), information systems satisfy firm’s information needs and thus improve firm’s efficiency and enable it to achieve its goals. Being an important part of this efficiency improvement process makes IT a significant contributor to Cisco’s strategy. 3) The role of CIO Pete Solvik Pete Solvik’s role was integral in Cisco being able to derive significant value from IT and recognise it as a strategic asset as opposed to a liability. Prior to Cisco’s defining moment, it had the ambitious goals but the company was running standard operations not being able to support what it aspired to become. Solvik brought fresh visions and innovative thinking to the company. His initiatives were to redefine how IT was viewed internally and depart from finance cost centre reporting perception of the department. He was also able to see the limitations of Cisco’s systems and the potential of improvements. According to Weil Ross (2009), when IT systems are deficient you need to first change the entire approach to IT. Only once this is accomplished can the digitalized platform be implemented. Solvik did manage to do that. Weil Ross (2009) emphasize the need to strong leadership in turning IT into a strategic asset. And this is ultimately what Solvik’s r ole was in Cisco’s transformation.

The Events Preceding the Movement of the Asiatic People into Europe :: Asian History Mongols Osmanli Turks Essays

The Events Preceding the Movement of the Asiatic People into Europe In order to discuss the movements of Asiatic peoples into Europe from the first inroad of the Huns to the conquests of the Osmanli Turks in the sixteenth century, it will be necessary to review briefly the events in central and eastern Asia which preceded and precipitated these incursions. From the time that the Irano-Aryan ancestors had arrived in Russian Turkestan in anticipation of their descent into the hills of northwestern India, much of this grassy plain had been the home of those Iranians who remained behind while their kinsmen climbed the mountains which would take them into India and the Irano-Afghan plateau. These Iranians apparently developed, or borrowed, a high degree of adaptation to their steppe environment, and especially through the perfection of pastoral nomadism with the horse as chief instrument of mobility. They expanded through the passes to the eastward, which took them to Kashgaria, and there came in contact with the Chinese Empire. On the other side, they expanded westward into Europe, where we have already studied them in the form of Scythians and Sarmatians. To the northwest of the vast Iranian domain, in Mongolia, a number of semi-agricultural, semi-pastoral tribes, possessing the sheep, probably also cattle, and perhaps wagons, but apparently not the horse, came in early times to the attention of the Chinese historians. By 800 B.C. we hear of a people called the Hiung-Nu, who gradually grew in importance until they came to dominate all of Mongolia.8 At a fairly late date, set by McGovern between 541 and 300 B.C., the Hiung-Nu presumably obtained horses, and learned to ride them. They seem to have acquired these animals from the Iranians or from Turkish-speaking peoples, along with the whole complex of horse nomadism. Chinese accounts of the Hiung-Nu later than the third century B.C. refer to them as typical plainsmen, strikingly similar in many cultural respects to the Scythians. The six centuries, more or less, from 400 B.C. to 200 A.D., formed the period of greatness of the Hiung-Nu in Mongolia, during which they constantly harried China, and took possession of Chinese Turkestan. Despite their conquest, however, Iranian languages, and the mysterious Tokharian B, persisted in the towns until 800 A.D. or later. At length the Chinese took measures to rid themselves of this nuisance, and succeeded in defeating the Hiung-Nu so completely that they abandoned their territory and disappeared to the westward.

Globalization Is Good Essay

Taiwan: Discussion questions 1. How has ‘land reform’ contributed to the rapid industrialization of Taiwan? Back in the 1950s the government of Taiwan started to offer yields of land for families to own and operate off of. The land, which was supplied with food/crop, released man power for industry to prosper. As the government distributed the land, the owners took advantage. Taiwan’s rural beginnings lead to industrial wealth like Mr. Wang, shown in the film. These people’s homes acted as factories inside and out. There was originally cheap labor and long hours which allowed Taiwan to offer cheap goods for western markets. 2. What role have ‘Sweat Shops’ and long hours played in Taiwan’s ‘rags to riches’ story? The cheap labor and long hours of the sweat shops laid the groundwork for the prosperous future of the Taiwanese. This was encouraged by the reforming government at the time. All of these sweat shops were producing cheap goods for Western markets. The work was indeed long and hard but it was a crucial step in Taiwan’s road to riches. 3. The forces unleashed by rapid industrialization brought increased competition for labor in Taiwan. What impact did this increased competition have on wages and the standard of living of the Taiwanese people? Increased competition meant only the really competitive companies survived. Companies like ACER responded to increased competition with innovation. They invented devices like the first desktop calculator and the pen watch. They were training thousands of engineers every year in order to produce these high tech goods for other markets to buy. The leaders of ACER strive to make their products the best and therefore others rely on them for success. 4. According to the global computer giant ‘ACER’ which is based in Taiwan, what are the keys to Taiwan’s economic success? Taiwan’s economic success can be credited to the easy access to start a business in the country. Statistics show that 1 in every 6 families have/had their hands in on their own business. In other terms, Taiwan has less bureaucracy and restrictions than other countries and opens up doors for entrepreneurial families. A deregulated economy has opened doors for many men and women. 5. Taiwan has thrived in the global economy by specializing in what they do best! How have they managed to survive and prosper without producing their traditional rural products? Are there any dangers in this approach? When adults moved into factories and off the rural fields, they could afford to educate their children and therefore prepare them for a promising future in business ventures such as IT. Prosperity can then increase the return on the education. A good analogy they used was that the parents developed the boxes on the shelves and the kids produced the goods and software inside. Taiwan is constantly exposed to foreign competition which they take advantage of. 6. What role has globalization played in the increased wealth and improved political freedom of the people of Taiwan? Taiwan is a democracy, unlike 40 years ago when it was a dictatorship. There was a rapid transformation after the fall of their dictatorship. In the 1980s, Taiwan started to produce high tech gadgetry and the middle class started to rise and gain more freedom whether it be politics or economic rights. These laid the foundation for their stable democracy. Some even venture to call this Americanization. Taiwan has credited the businesses that have produced the best around the world as they work to adapt and expand (ie. Starbucks). Vietnam: Watching the Program: Discussion questions 7. What limits are placed on the employment of children in Nike factories in Vietnam? They do not employ any children under the age of 18 for footwear and age 16 for apparel. Child labor was outlawed in Vietnam in 1988 which allowed more room to educate the youth. What penalties are self-imposed by Nike on its factories if under-aged workers are discovered on site? The factory is responsible to pay the money for that child to complete school and continue paying them their wage. 8. Using the table that follows compare the life and conditions of Vietnamese factory workers working for Nike with the conditions of workers on farms or in State owned enterprises? What conclusions can you make from this? The business is good and Nike and doesn’t show any signs of letting down. The management of the company is also viewed as a strong aspect. Employees of Nike, who formerly worked on the farm, weren’t getting paid as much as on the farm- now they are getting as much as 5x more. By hearing these people interviewed and seeing how pleased they are, it is difficult to see what the anti-globalists are so stressed out about when it comes to companies like Nike. They seem to be â€Å"doing the right thing.† 9. What negative impacts for less developed countries and their workers can come from anti-globalization groups promoting boycotts of goods produced by multinationals such as Nike? It has the threat of scaring them away from businesses such as Nike when really it can benefit their economy. These anti-globalization groups do not see what Nike has done for the people of Vietnam. The rumors and perceptions they feed the public makes Nike look bad. 10. How has the workplace practices of Nike impacted positively on other workplaces in Vietnam? Nike’s growth in Vietnam has helped to stimulate the economy. Other workplaces look to model themselves off of them. The perception of Nike from the public is that they have a very good management, they have a clean and safe workplace, and they have very high employee satisfaction. All of this leads to increased output and increased profits. 11. How has Nike encouraged the growth of small businesses in Vietnam? Nike encourages others to start business in Vietnam by distributing loans to get them going. Many have prospered from this and business is now strong for them. 12. Will multinationals leave countries such as Vietnam once wage rates improve? What is the reaction of multinationals to this sort of argument? In the film, one man points out that Nike has been in countries like Thailand and Indonesia for 20 years. The productivity has gone up just as the wages have gone up. The people of Nike expect the same thing to occur in Vietnam. Even if they move on, Nike has played a pivotal role in developing the Vietnamese economy. Kenya : Watching the Program: Discussion questions 13. What factors are present within the Kenyan economy that discourage economic growth and improved living standards? Kenya closed its doors to globalization. The Kenyan government has never given farmers property rights. Land owners are not even allowed to build on their own land and develop it. All rights go to the government. Export restrictions create a lot of poverty. The poverty is due to the lack of reform. 14. What industries are portrayed as booming industries within the Kenyan economy? Why have they shown signs of success? The mobile phone industry is booming. The reason they have shown signs of success is because of their cheap prices and high demand. Also the secondhand clothing market is exposed to globalization and has led to their success. 15. What are subsidies, tariffs and import duties? What role does their imposition by developed countries play in limiting growth prospects and the adoption of ‘market capitalism’ in the less developed world? The government has begun to tax businesses like the secondhand clothing markets and therefore restrict them from gaining significant profits. Also, countries have set tariffs on a majority of agricultural goods Kenya has to offer them. This restricts exports for Kenya. However there are some European countries and some of the Americas that specifically have low tariffs on Kenya’s flower markets and allow Kenya to thrive there. The farmers also have subsidies on their crop restricting export to other markets outside of the country. Tariffs keep goods out and subsidies destroy markets on the homeland. 16. How do opponents of globalization, by their actions in the developed world, hinder the ability of less developed countries to improve living standards? Countries like Kenya don’t have the ability to compete in foreign markets because of the restrictions they face such as subsidies, tariffs, and import duties. Western civilization is shutting them and others out. We refuse to trade freely with goods such as agriculture and textiles. By dropping subsidies and tariffs, we could massively reduce the poverty in Africa.

Counterfeit Goods And The Global Market - 1590 Words

2nd ECOFIN Kingdom of Belgium Counterfeit Goods in the Global Market Reducing the Frequency of Counterfeit Goods in the Global Market Introduction Despite counterfeit goods’ deceiving social perception, the act of manufacturing and the buying of counterfeit goods or copied products is highly destructive to the overall function of the global economy. On account of its appeal to those looking for a low risk, high profit system, many get involved in the distribution of illegal goods through source countries including China and transit countries like Egypt and Singapore, with the help of typologies such as parallel trading. Unbeknownst to the common people is the economic, environmental, and health risks that this process produces. In the sale of counterfeit goods, criminals manage to bypass tax revenues, decrease employment opportunities, exploit labor through low wages, decrease company liability, and misuse ingredients in pharmaceuticals which ultimately lead to a variety of intellectual property violations.1 Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the public to identify the tactics used by criminals in an attempt to r epudiate detection, all while compromising company security and international, transborder authority. Belgium is currently a member of the European Union wherein goods traveling through borders are highly regulated according to the Customs Regulation. Nonetheless, Belgium’s central points of entry and concern include the harbours of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, andShow MoreRelatedLouis Vuitton Porters Five Forces Analysis1298 Words   |  6 PagesDescribed in this paper is Louis Vuitton’s (LV) evaluation of the external and the global environment of LV in Japan. 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