"Partnerships are critical to our growth," said Gary
Daichendt, Cisco's executive vice president of worldwide operations. "If we don't partner, we'll be left behind."
These excerpts from Investors Business Daily page A6 Monday April 12, 1999.
Cisco defines a good alliance at about five million a year …….. Partnerships are so common among the tech companies, and fail so often, that they can mean little.
But Cisco systems Inc. has formalized the process for it's most crucial partnerships, which goes by the buzzword "a strategic alliance."
Analysts say it's one of the best programs in the field.
The effort began two years ago when Chief executive John Chambers realized Cisco would need to become a global company fast. The leading seller of networking gear took three steps: it promoted an executive to give him responsibility for strategic alliances, devised rigorous guidelines for finding the best partners and created concrete ways to measure this success of its partnerships.
What's that main measuring stick? That Cisco and its partner each should bring in 500 million in revenue annually after three years. And make sure that lofty goal is on track, Cisco honchos meet every Tuesday morning at 730 a.m. to update status of those key alliances.
Companies that want to a global presence would do well follow Cisco's example, says Jonathan Poe, an analysts with Stamford, Connecticut based Meta group.
Globalization that has taken Coca-Cola 60 years to accomplish is taking Cisco very little time by using the right partners, Pro said.
"Partnerships are critical to our growth," said Gary
Daichendt, Cisco's executive vice president of worldwide operations. "If we don't partner, we'll be left behind."
Strong allies:
Hewlett-Packard
Microsoft
PeopleSoft
KPMG Peat Marwick
Electronic Data Systems
Science Applications International unit Telcordia Technologies
Cisco still is working to craft strategic alliances with software companies, systems integrators and Internet service providers.many firms might be contacted. Last month, Cisco began making moves into the new services area. The names of 12 prospective partners were written on a white board.
"We are going to call all 12 and
tell them what we're thinking" and they hope for at least one agreement by June.
M R V…. no chance… Partnerships partnerships partnerships
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