CISCO Mission Statement

CISCO Mission Statement

Founded in 1984, CISCO Systems, Inc. is one of the largest multinational tech companies. It is based in Silicon Valley and it is known for developing and selling cutting-edge networking and telecommunications hardware across the globe. The company is worth over $500 billion which makes it rank amongst the 100 biggest tech companies across the world.

Since its founding, CISCO has experienced linear growth and has expanded at an impressive rate.  The strategy and planning of the company have played an integral part in this regard. For many years CISCO continues to provide a wide array of products and services that are pertinent to the company’s IT needs. Since its founding, the company has mainly focused on customer needs which has seen it bring several new and innovative products that cater to the customer’s data security and communication-related needs.

Another strategy that has seen CISCO advance in growth and expansion is that it acquires new companies that bring on board new innovative technologies, business models, and talent. Before integration, CISCO often ensures that the brand perfectly fits its original business model. The new brand needs to match organizational, and cultural values, and align strategy, talent, and skills. As an integration expert, CISCO advises other companies with strategic acquisition for achievement.

CISCO’s mission and vision have always played an important role in its growth, expansion, and more importantly operations. Mission and Vision do not only set the future of the brand but also act like the rules of the game. The company follows the rules as set out by the mission on daily operations. More often than not, these rules aren’t so clearly laid out but can be operated in the brand’s operations, style, culture, and values.

However, businesses and companies often amend their mission and vision statements so that they align and respond to the changing business environment and customer needs. Moreover, a revision becomes essential especially when the company feels that it is wandering away from its initial aims and goals. Let’s check out CISCO’s mission and vision statements:

CISCO Mission Statement Analysis

CISCO’s mission statement states, “To shape the future of the Internet by creating unprecedented value and opportunity for our customers, employees, investors, and ecosystem partners.”

CISCO’s mission statement is overall short and not very specific. The mission comes in two parts with the first focusing on shaping the future of the internet. The company endeavors to make internet access as easier as possible and more profitable for everyone. As such, the company focuses on dealing with products related to communication and connectivity. CISCO’s products are ranked to be reliable thereby attracting more customers, investors, and persons with an interest of being part of the CISCO ecosystem.

The second part of the mission statement is about creating unprecedented value for all stakeholders. But the statement doesn’t detail or be specific in any of the two parts. As such, CISCO only makes a generic statement concerning its business in the former part and then about creating value for stakeholders in the latter.

Not only do the mission statements have to be specific but also feasible. CISCO doesn’t make its mission statement any clear over how it intends to achieve it. Its mission statement does not offer clarity on any goal, market position/share, customer, and social responsibility. Alternatively, the company makes a simple and short statement which offers an unclear indication of all it intends to do. No information is given about its products or who its clients are.

Since the mission statements state the objectives of the brand and why it exists, CISCO’s mission statement ought to provide information concerning its products and its target market. It ought to not only be specific but also clear enough to guide its daily operations, decisions, and actions.

CISCO Vision Statement Analysis

CISCO’s vision statement states, “Changing the way we work, live, play, and learn.” Over the years, this has been CISCO’s vision statement. Certainly, it has grown out-dated and requires changing. This is because it envisages no clear future for the brand and it is entirely difficult to relate it with the brand’s purpose.

A vision statement for any company guides how the company can proceed into its future. This is not the case with CISCO’s vision statement as it talks of anything but the future. It has no information about its employees, clients, or even its business. Or does it mention its market size, market position, or providing the faintest clue of how it intends to grow and expand the brand?

CISCO’s primary focus is to change the way people live, work, play, and learn. But the question is what will the company do to achieve these goals? CISCO ought to demonstrate how it plans to attain further growth, expansion, and how it benefits its stakeholders who include employees, customers, and the community at large. CISCO’s vision statement also lacks specificity among many other factors. But the bottom line is that CISCO ought to at least relate the vision with its core business and future trend.

Conclusion

CISCO’s mission and vision statements are deficient in several regards. Both are not only short but they also fail to paint a complete picture and offer only a partial glimpse of CISCO’s present and future. They don’t provide clear guidance and insight over management and resource allocation with the company. As such, CISCO’s mission and vision statements are only a feeble glimmer of the entire brand.

Although CISCO is a big brand in the IT industry, its mission and vision don’t reflect several factors. These include market size, market position, financial value, and customer orientation among others to the extent that they should. The mission and the vision statements are all short and not as specific are they should.

So, should CISCO revise its mission and vision, it must include all the aspects that are essential to the brand such as its stakeholders, customers, its market position, its future trend, and other factors that affect the brand, management, and prospect.