Supply Chain

Contents

1. Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-3

2. Cisco – The Networked Supply Chain --------------------------------------------------- 3-4

3. Study the networked supply chain concept as implemented by Cisco. What are

it strengths and weakness? ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4-5

4. Analyze why Cisco landed in financial trouble in early 2001. Would you agree that

Cisco’s problems were largely caused by inherent defects in the company’s systems?

or possibly was it just because they had failed to forecast a market downturn? Give

reasons to justify your stand. -------------------------------------------------------------- 5-6

5. Aside from the information systems problems referred to, what other specific

problems did you see in the case? -------------------------------------------------------- 7-8

6. Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-9

7. References ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10

Cisco Systems: The Supply Chain Story

Introduction

Cisco's supply-chain team oversees more than 23,500 products, including high-end switches, mid-range networking products, IP phones, routers, and set-top cable TV boxes. Cisco configures most of these products through a series of regional logistics hubs and ships them to almost every country on earth from facilities located on three continents. (Inder Sidhu, 2010).

This huge supply chain network, extraordinary growth and rapid technological changes of the networking market present significant challenges for Cisco. In response, it has adopted an aggressive strategy for developing new technology and knowledge assets. Cisco created a remarkable networking system to link its...