1. How has Cisco changed its structure and control systems?
2. Relate Cisco's changes to its control and evaluation systems to the stages of growth in Greiner's model.
3. Use the Internet to investigate how Cisco's new approach has worked. How is the company continuing to change its structure and control systems to solve its ongoing problems?
Cisco Systems, famous for developing the routers and switches in which the Internet is built, is faced with reexamining its organizing approach in order to improve how its teams and divisions work together. Despite still making billions in revenues, John Chambers, CEO, recognized that his mechanistic approach would not be enough to overcome Cisco's shrinking market value. Thus, implementing a "collaborative approach," and organic culture that would allow everyone to be involved in decision making was thought to be the answer. Chambers created cross-functional teams, identified measurable goals both short and long term, and emphasized speedy product development. Cisco and Chambers are confident that the organizational approach will make them a global leader in both communications technology and Internet-linked IT hardware and help them bring innovation to the market more quickly than the competition.