The Cisco Learning Network

The Cisco Learning Network has been crucial in providing content to aid professionals in their certification studies as well as a social platform for interaction. Despite its success, the learning network must evolve to become more effective and reach a wider audience by 2018. This is the challenge the company faces through its social strategy. The Internet for Everything (IoE) program, which seeks to boost manufacturing productivity across a variety of industries, calls for a newly trained workforce with the ability to manage and build complex networks, necessitating a retraining of Cisco's skilled learners and the learning strategy. One of the pressing issues that emerge from the defined problem is the kind of direction the company’s social strategy is going to take going forward. The proposal of two options aimed toward the evolvement of the company’s social learning strategy is a commendable move that the corporation has decided to take, but it still leaves them at crossroads. They do not have an effective implementation plan or real evidence to authenticate the suitability of the options towards the demands the company is facing for future credibility. This is an important aspect of the business since Cisco’s services, knowledge, and expertise activities to manage and implement its network for its different client’s accounts to 25% of the company’s revenue (Piskorski, Malter, & Smith, 2014).

The company has always relied on the use of skilled and distinguished experts especially in its R&D department to know the kind of technologies they should develop and buy. Creating certifications without the use of internal resources or refraining themselves from significant investment in contents seems like it contradicts the company’s strategic direction. The company has been able to grow through investing in both big and small businesses that have helped it build a competitive advantage over other firms. This has enabled it to generate a huge labor resource pool with the required knowledge and expertise to drive the company forward (Tiso, 2013).

Also, the company’s growth model has been through partnership and investment in clients and customers feedback which has been influential. The relationship that the firm has built with its stakeholders has been influential; therefore, any certification process that the company undertakes needs to engage both parties. The employees need to be motivated through ensuring that their productivity, commitment, and expertise are needed for the expansion and growth of its learning strategy. And the community as well needs to be trusted enough to develop and manage the content which is fundamental to the functioning of Cisco’s designs and services (Hajli, 2015).

The sophistication of network systems through cyber attacks and other network challenges shows the need for scaling up certification with partners. Cisco’s move from simple technologies such as routers and switchers to more advanced ones meant that system engineers, solution and enterprise architects are needed. There is a need to develop a sophisticated knowledge pool of individuals who know what to do to tap a broad reach of clients. CISCO learning initiatives are in more than 192 countries, and all these nations have different needs and challenges which require a broad and extensive range of technical knowhow and skills. Change is dynamic in every setting thus the need for competent and highly qualified certification models.

A need for evolvement is not for revenue generation but rather the development of a competent operational strategy for long term purposes. Planning and designing of networks is a fundamental concept of the company and recruitment of qualified IT skilled workforce across the globe and making them available for partners, and customers signify the competency of the organization to deal with emerging threats.

Alternatives to the Solution

The two options developed by Beliveau–Dunn are both valid and still give the company an opportunity to produce credible certifications that meet the changing needs of the technology at hand. However, other possible alternatives could be developed to ensure that the Cisco learning strategy is effective. Due to the nature of (IoE), Cisco could develop new design and implementation services to cover more consultation grounds. The Cisco Learning and Network strategy help in bringing close the partners and customer through linking their needs with the technical capacity of the company (Stanford, 2013). (IoE) Opens further opportunity to create a consultation department that advises partners’ workforce and I.T specialists on an expansive platform than just the company’s social strategy (Marcovici, 2014). Certifications are capable but they limit the recruitment of established IT specialist. Therefore, consultation will open new opportunities to explore and attract already established IT experts of different potential partners or clients and help develop an efficient working environment.

Proprietary networking technologies also could be shifted to open standardization for secure interconnection. Presently Cisco has many competitors such as Huawei and HP among other who offer same services to clients and partners within the field of IT. To meet the demands of (IoE), these institutions need to merge their service standardization methods from being closed to those that are open. At the moment Cisco skilled workforce are competent to offer best services to the specifications of the company and the partners it liaises with which shuts the door for external clients. Interconnection will be much easier if certifications within the field move to more open standards (Park, 2010).

Key Decision Criteria and Evaluation

Any solution developed to ensure Cisco evolves from the current social strategy to a more effective one that meets the demand of (IoE) needs to embrace interconnection. There needs to be smooth transition and flow of information between the partners and the company as well as the client. Therefore, a communication flow is highly effective. Ensuring customer participation and engagement is also very influential towards a better solution. The company has operated over the years through engaging clients, partners and all stakeholders in its operation process and expansion. Software services and social activities have not been a profitable venture for the company which means that the solution needs to be one that ensures the company’s credibility, integrity, and relationship with consumers is not compromised but strengthened. Furthermore, data security and accuracy need to be upheld to ensure that setbacks are minimal for partners to continue trusting the ability of the company to deal with challenging issues and its preparedness for change (Cisco Networking Academy, 2013). Increasing network flexibility and security are essential as well. Programmers need to identify how every aspect of the company’s network operates and realize the importance of supporting infrastructures such as API (Application Programming Interface) in their activities within the firm. Customers want more value from the network and while already established structures such as SDN are helpful, API helps experts write programs to automate critical system functions which translate into business value (McMillan, 2012). Certifications for both network and software engineers allows for diversification of the learning network initiative, and due to the sophistication of the API network which has many different components, one certification for everything is not a feasible approach especially considering the changes and dynamism of the sector and its innovativeness (Thomas, 2014).

Recommendation

The certification process of Cisco Learning Network although effective it does not contribute much to the revenue of the company. With the inclusion of HP and IBM into the networking industry the company needs to invest heavily in the value they create for their partners and clients and start making a profit on such initiatives. Cisco helps in the development of competent IT infrastructure and labor support and their partners get 90% profit without even participating much in the process. The company gains value in the process through creating a strong workforce base and an even more solid reputation with partners. It needs to evaluate the tradeoffs at hand and leverage profit since it already has the networking infrastructure to influence even greater success.















References

Cisco Networking Academy. (2013). Introduction to Networks Companion Guide (1st ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Cisco Press.

Hajli, N. (2015). Handbook of research on integrating social media into strategic marketing (1st ed.). Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, An imprint of IGI Global.

Jain, V. (2016). Global Strategy: Competing in the Connected Economy (1st ed.). London, UK: Routledge.

Marcovici, M. (2014). The Internet Of Things (1st ed.). Norderstedt: Books on Demand.

McMillan, T. (2012). Cisco networking essentials (1st ed.). Indianapolis, Ind: John Wiley & Sons.

Park, J. (2010). Patents and industry standards (1st ed.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Piskorski, M., Malter, D., & Smith, A. (2014). Social Strategy at Cisco Systems (1st ed.). New York, NY: Harvard Business School.

Stanford, N. (2013). Organization Design: Engaging with Change (2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge.

Thomas, W. (2014). Basics of Achieving Professional Certification: Enhancing Your Credentials (1st ed.). Boca Raton, FL: Productivity Press.

Tiso, J. (2013). Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 2 (ICND2) Foundation Learning Guide (4th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Cisco Press.