Challenges in implementation of a globalized strategy by Cisco Systems East Africa

Abstract

Strategic implementation is a fundamental step in turning a company‟s vision of a project into reality through a series of action-bases phases and tasks. The implementation process maps out the life cycle of a project. Without strategic implementation a project would not be able to get off the ground, since strategic implementation functions as a project‟s blueprint. Strategy implementation uses various tools to keep the project teams on track and keep the projects going, it is important as it does this through a work breakdown structure, implementation schedule, it evaluates projects costs through cost allocation, and it also determines the evaluation methodology of projects. The study was a case study that focused on Cisco Systems in East Africa. The study had an objective of establishing challenges faced by Cisco Systems East Africa in implementing its globalized strategy. The researcher implemented the questionnaires through drop and pick, and email in cases where respondents were not in country. Implementation plays a key role in the adoption of strategy. This study sought to find out the challenges of implementing a globalized strategy as other studies done had been on challenges of implementing localized strategies. The findings showed some challenges to be the same between a globalized strategy and a localized one, like, lack of resources and cultural changes. Communication on strategy was found to be effective, unlike in other studies where it was lacking and this would be a very good platform to leverage strategy implementation drive and success from. The finding of study also identified other different challenges to implementing a globalized strategy like; key formulators playing an active role in implementation; effects of technological changes; threat of competition; difficulty in implementing a globalized strategy; many levels of organization structure; distant location of key decision makers; internal power/politics; lack of understanding of the effects of a global strategy; employees are not rewarded for implementation.