All about cisco's organisational culture

1. Cisco’s
Organization
Culture

2. Introduction
“Cisco has been described as a fast-
paced, challenging, fun
loving, exciting, dynamic, diverse, inten
se, happy, engaging, friendly, team-
oriented, lively, flexible, interesting, op
en, and energetic place to work”

3. Introduction Cont.….
 Incorporated in 1984, Cisco had a culture
based on the principles of customer
focus, transparent communication, employee
empowerment, integrity, and frugality
 The case focuses on Cisco's organization
culture and looks at Cisco's growth through the
years, the drivers of Cisco culture, and the
characteristics of work culture at Cisco.
 CISCO has given its culture an innovative and
futuristic approach with customer as the top
priority.

4. Background
 From 1984 till now CISCO has designed and
launched many software's and internet based
systems to be in regular touch with its
employees and customers.
 The main focus of cisco‟s introducing various
kinds of software‟s and servers was to foster
interactive relationships with
existing, prospective
customers, partners, suppliers and employees.
This made customers to easily approach the
company for any kind of support or placing
orders.

5. Leader @ Cisco
:JOHN CHAMBERS Leader @ CISCO
He played a significant role in building
the culture at cisco with his hands-on-
impact on it. . Under his leadership, Cisco
dominated computer
networking, expanded into critical new
markets, and emerged as one of the
world's most powerful and important
businesses.

6. "Cisco culture is driven by high standards of
corporate integrity and by giving back using our
resources for a positive global impact. Through
corporate philanthropy and public/private
cooperation we are building strong and
productive global communities in which every
individual has the means to live, the opportunity
to learn, and the chance to give back."
John T. Chambers, President and
CEO, Cisco Systems Inc.

7. What Drives Cisco’s Culture
 Customer feedback
 Success attributed to its relationship with
customers. According to the Cisco culture
“Customer comes first”
 Customer satisfaction is the assessment as
a continuous process.
 Focus on identifying problem area with
customers.

8.  Ensure sense of personal ownership in
feedback.
 Proper analysis is done in customer
transaction which helps to understand
the customer and maintain the loyalty.

9. Use of technology
 Allthe HR transactions were done online.
Employees get in touch through servers
with each other as well as the customers.
 The company used more than 40000
pages on web for internal use.
 They used telecommunications in
workplace.

10. Top management support
 Itfocused on internal competition rather
than external competition.
 Regular support with executive staff, vice
president, director, manager and other
employees through internet.
 Sessions like birthday breakfast , new hire
session with Chambers and encouraged
transparent communication.

11. Work Culture
 Cisco developed the idea of employee
involvement..
“very often it’s the most efficient to work with just
the person involved, without the formality of
passing through every layer of management”
 So it came up with the concept of Decision
Making Team..
Cisco lived by the employee empowerment motto
of “Don’t ask for permissions, ask for forgiveness
later”

12. Work Culture Cont.…..
 The Authority, Responsibility and
the Accountability were kept at the same level.
 Cisco had a 98% retention rate for „key
personnel‟ during acquisition It has been in the
top 10 companies in the categories
like workplace quality, personnel
 When there is a problem--- it is taken up as a
challenge; rather than a dictating task..

13.  Employee Stock Purchase Program.. at a
discount rate to 15% of the market price
long term health insurance
Quarterly newsletter ‘Work/Life’ covers
professional as well as personal issues faced by
the employees.
 Events ranging from movie nights with family to
seminars on financial planning
 Flexible schedules and paid time-off
 Employees are encouraged to take care of the
company resources as if they were their
own. “We are proud of the fact that we do more
with less”

14. Learning Through Acquisition
and Partnership
 Continuous learning has been a part of
Cisco culture.
 Cisco bought those companies that had
competencies in emerging technologies
in order to update itself.
 within 15 years Cisco bought 14
companies at investment of $5.5 billion.

15. Cisco’s Partners

16. Strategic Alliances at Cisco
Industry Leader
Multiple Touch Points Across Both Companies
Cross Value Chain Impact
Joint Solution And/or Technologies To address Customer
Needs
Long Term Joint Investment Of Resources And IP
Anticipated Competitive Threats
Create New Global Markets And IP
Weave Multiple Partners Together To Target New Markets

17. Built To Last
 Cisco conducted team building events to
facilitate high level of interaction.
 It was serious about finding and keeping talent.
 Strong belief in communicating and preserving
the culture.
“We really are trying to built a great
company that’s built to last”
-John Chambers

18. Recruitment @ Cisco
 Cisco‟s recruitment process also reflected its culture
as it tried to find the best talent and it very well knew
how to preserve the talent and use it to the fullest.
 Company targeted passive applicants through
websites like Dilbert which was very popular among
the professionals.
 It came out with some innovative features in its
website like friends@Cisco. This feature helped
applicants to get necessary information about the
work and departments at Cisco.

19. Employees Comment On
CISCO Culture
“Everyone at Cisco is committed to its open culture.
Open communication, teamwork, frugality, and
thriving for business excellence are among the
values of Cisco culture. Giving back to the
community is highly valued at Cisco. This is
regarding supporting the team, being frugal, sharing
knowledge and also getting involved in
volunteering programs. Teamwork at Cisco is great”