BA was transitioning employee processes online when the events of Sept. 11 tipped the industry toward financial crisis. To ensure a lasting recovery, BA pursued a more methodical approach to online employee self-service, hoping to achieve greater savings and link to a broader set of transformational goals. To meet these objectives, BA developed a robust, reliable set of metrics to accelerate change and monitor progress. By Mar. 2006, savings reached £38M, on target for BA’s £50M 2007 target.

Deutsche Bahn wanted to implement Project Railnet—an ambitious concept to provide wireless Internet access aboard the company’s high-speed ICE trains in Germany. The result is a powerful strategic partnership with T-Mobile Deutschland that will transform the customer travel experience and unlock new strategic value and competitive advantage for both companies.

Everyone depends on transportation, taking it largely for granted. Yet, demand for services in today's complex, $3 trillion transportation industry is far outstripping supply. In addition, traditional strategies such as building more infrastructure and restricting usage are no longer sustainable. In this book, several leaders and visionaries from different segments of the transportation industry discuss how to meet the challenge of this escalating demand. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

CSX Transportation is an innovator in the railroad industry, changing the way it manages its business by launching an IP mobility platform that enables enterprisewide applications to further improve communications, efficiency, and safety. Resulting financial benefits are projected to be measured in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Many visionary enterprises and leading outsourcers are starting to embrace the guiding principles of Strategic Out-Tasking. From an operational perspective, this new model helps drive greater innovation within enterprises, yields higher outsourcer margins, and, more important, reduces partnership risks.

Wipro planned an aggressive inorganic growth strategy based on acquiring entities in new markets and geographies. Wipro developed a comprehensive IT integration playbook, as well as overarching integration guidelines for every functional area of the company. More important, Wipro has developed a corporate culture that recognizes the importance of acquisitions and ensures that dedicated expertise and resources are continually brought to bear, laying the foundation for more successful integrations.

Service provider UNE was formed when a major Colombian conglomerate spun off its telecommunications arm, EPM. In order to better compete with large regional service providers that were entering the Colombian market, UNE leaders wanted to merge the company with several other service providers. To succeed, however, the companies needed to be fully integrated very quickly. With help from the Cisco IBSG, UNE developed a comprehensive framework to integrate the IT foundation of the companies.

Hanaro Telecom, a leading service provider in Korea, was facing a pitched battle for subscribers with large, entrenched competitors. The company had developed an innovative IP video-on-demand offering that was beginning to gain traction in the market, but Hanaro leaders were unsure of the next step to take. Working closely with Cisco® business consultants and technology experts, Hanaro crafted a comprehensive new business and technology strategy to roll out Korea’s first mass-market IP television (IPTV) service. With the new service, Hanaro is offering a differentiated value proposition to consumers, breaking away from a head-to-head battle on prices with its competitors, and cementing a new, more prominent role for itself in the Korean service provider industry.

Leading global systems integrator Computer Sciences Corporation was searching for new ways to enhance their portfolio of services with new innovative, differentiable service offerings. With assistance from the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, CSC formulated a cohesive strategy for deploying a new portfolio of network-enabled service offerings that could lead to significant increases in revenue and improve value-creation for customers substantially.

In the face of changing technology and heightened customer demands, Sprint executives decided in 2002 that the company needed to redirect its strategy to remain competitive, initiating a program aimed at transforming Sprint from a product-centric enterprise into a business that revolves around customer solutions. A key part of that change involved a focus on industry-specific solutions that capitalized on wireless and IP communications.

As demands for connectivity continually increased and attention turned to the competitive advantages of IP networks, current and potential Sprint customers began to focus more and more on security concerns. While fears about possible damage from invasive digital viruses and worms made for the most visible headlines, regulatory compliance requirements lifted network security into the realm of mission-critical necessity.

To create new revenue streams, Orange Business Services wanted to develop an end-to-end solution for the high-value healthcare sector—acquiring systems integration expertise to extend its managed service offering. Working with Cisco, OBS developed this capability—based on a Cisco Medical-Grade Network design and a converged, wireless, intelligent IP infrastructure—and is already winning new business.

Working with Cisco, T-Systems has better served the needs of its customers and exploit new opportunities in Germany. Project Navigator enabled T-Systems to bring to market a powerful portfolio of IP-based solutions for large enterprises, the mid-market, and SMB segments. Stronger propositions have helped T-Systems to increase its win rates significantly.

The SMB Managed Service program marked an important milestone for China Telecom in its strategic transformation roadmap. Small and medium businesses now enjoy integrated VPN based services plus managed security powered by Cisco, all at affordable costs. This video provides a holistic story of joint effort and market success, with presence from both CEO and COO of China Telecom.

Deutsche Bahn wanted to implement Project Railnet—an ambitious concept to provide wireless Internet access aboard the company’s high-speed ICE trains in Germany. The result is a powerful strategic partnership with T-Mobile Deutschland that will transform the customer travel experience and unlock new strategic value and competitive advantage for both companies.

Kabel Deutschland’s unique triple-play package has enabled the company to offer a real alternative to customers: attractive bundles of Internet (Kabel Highspeed) and telephone services (Kabel Phone) via cable, as well as analog and digital TV—all from a single source. The company’s triple-play offer, completed with the support of the Cisco Systems® Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), means that German subscribers no longer need to buy DSL bundled with an analog telephone or ISDN line, saving customers the basic fee for telephony.

With assistance from Cisco IBSG, Orbitel designed an entirely new business strategy based around Wi-Max access, and developed a detailed roadmap for bringing new services to market. Orbitel was able to successfully launch its new product portfolio and has already gained a strong foothold in the market.

Telekom Malaysia partnered with Cisco to make the leap from traditional voice to an integrated voice and data service provider. Entering into an alliance partnership, they developed and accelerated an IP services and go-to-market strategy for the Malaysian enterprise market, experiencing a 20 percent monthly growth rate and on target to triple revenue.

3 Italy and Cisco have worked together to create a new business model—a revenue-sharing, collaborative framework with systems integrators and application developers—that promises to break the Italian small-business market wide open. The shared revenue model is creating new channels and opportunities for application development targeted at small and medium-sized business customers.

Vodafone, Cisco, and Cisco’s Linksys joined forces to create a widely available, low-cost solution for providing mobile broadband connectivity to workgroups, households, and communities. It enables group access—instant, convenient, and secure—to remote corporate networks, e-mail, and the Internet. In doing so, the companies developed a new model for successful collaboration between a mobile operator and the IT industry.

BellSouth worked with Cisco IBSG to analyze business opportunities and identify the new capabilities, focusing on a transition to an intelligent service delivery model. With IBSG’s help, BellSouth was able to zero in on the most attractive business opportunities, prioritize investments in new capabilities, and develop a detailed roadmap for bringing new offerings to market.

Cox Business Services wanted to transform the company’s core business model from supplying traditional access services to becoming a full-service provider of converged IP voice and data solutions. Working with Cisco IBSG, Cox was able to develop a cohesive strategy to market, sell, deliver, and support the new portfolio, and reduce time to market of the new solutions.

Belgacom and Cisco created an outsourced service aimed at small and medium-sized companies that integrates managed IP telephony, data, and security services – using Cisco Unified CallManager.

BT and Cisco developed a strategic alliance to successfully bring to market a wide portfolio of IP-based solutions. The two companies combined resources to create joint sales and marketing strategies. Results so far include better-than-expected financial returns in Europe, delivering direct benefits to the BT and Cisco global platform. The next stage is to replicate this winning model across the rest of the world.

Bell Canada collaborates with Cisco Systems to deploy carrier grade IP services for Bell and its customers.

Bell Canada and Cisco formed a partnership in early 2004 to accelerate the creation, commercialization, and delivery of next-generation IP services, reduce costs by Cdn$1.5B within two years, and improve operational efficiency.

Unique triple-play offer proves instant success for Germany's leading cable operator KDG. The IBSG led engagement focused on service creation and helping the customer to effectively deploy broadband and IP telephony services.

This paper discusses the compelling drivers for IT outsourcing as well as the need for a new business model.

Building on 50 years of experience, Equant is a recognized industry leader providing global IP and data services to more than 3700 multinational businesses in over 220 countries and territories. Facing a declining market and shrinking profit margins of their traditional services, Equant engaged Cisco to help increase the profitability of its core managed services, specifically IP VPN. Conducting a real-time industry benchmark in parallel with a deep-dive assessment of Equant’s IP VPN Sales-to-Cash process, Cisco identified areas of potential.

SBC decided it needed to get into the MPLS networking business because its customers were requesting more functionality and intelligence in the network. SBC turned to IBSG to help frame the competitive MPLS environment and differentiate its new NVPN-based services. Data provided by IBSG helped SBC educate its sales force on the cost benefits and ease of integration NVPN provided SBC customers.

BT Global Services and Cisco are working together to create the digital network economy, and bring value to customers.

AT&T's aim is to deliver the ultimate 'stealth' networkm completely undetectable from the outside. The demands of protecting enterprise networks continue to keep many CIO's awake at night and, as AT&T moves towards this vision, it wanted to develop and launch a managed intrusion detection service for business customers in EMEA.

For Belgacom, identifying new service opportunities is essential to future growth, and the company collaborates with Cisco to assess the market potential and financial viability of new services. The latest offering – based on Cisco CallManager Express – provides managed IP Telephony, Internet access and security. Flexible pricing options have made this ‘office in a box’ an attractive proposition for SMB companies.

Vodaphone implemented a Cisco IP network to transform its business to become a next generation service provider.

Vodafone identified objectives to boost incremental revenue, improve speed to market, and facilitate cost avoidance. Two major initiatives were launched to meet these objectives: Littlebox and IP Factory. Not only will these solutions change the shape of the mobile phone industry, but they are set to generate US$870M of incremental revenue and cost avoidance for Vodafone.

China Unicom is the only truly integrated telecommunications service provider with a complete set of licenses to provide fixed voice, cellular, data, and paging services in China.

Under the framework of go-to-market alliance with Cisco, AT&T developed and successfully launched a managed intrusion detection service (MIDS)—enabling it to accelerate time to market, ensure a better service rollout, and establish a stronger value proposition. As a result, AT&T has secured competitive advantage in a crowded market and created valuable new revenue streams.

A unique partnership between Telecom Italia and Cisco Systems combines the resources of the foremost Italian service provider with the experience and technologies of the world leader in Internet-based communications. The result is a flexible and customised value proposition for the retail sector based on innovative and best-of-breed solutions from an ecosystem of partners – supported by a single IP network – forming the basis for similar offerings to other vertical industries in the future.

By working with Cisco as its partner, Orange has developed a forward-looking integrated voice and data service delivery platform for corporate customers that is attracting new business and helping to increase its UK market share. Now firmly established as a credible business market player, Orange is building on its success and aiming to broaden the solution’s appeal, once again in partnership with Cisco.

When COLT identified strong customer demand for a high-speed, any-to-any Ethernet service that would operate throughout Europe, a close collaboration with Cisco helped it not only to build this innovative service, but also to develop a business case that would give COLT a rapid return on investment and an 18-month market lead.

With the country’s largest market capitalisation, Portugal Telecom has successfully evolved through privatisation, market liberalisation and business diversification. Its journey of organisational transformation has led the company to focus on the efficiency gains provided by e-enablement.

Chunghwa Telecom, previously a state-owned enterprise now being privatized, has always been the biggest telecom service provider in Taiwan.

As part of a long-term relationship with Turkcell, Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group has been using its web enablement best practice and benchmarking expertise to help the company transform its mission critical processes. Turkcell e-transformation initiatives such as e-HR and e-Learning sit alongside process automation software and corporate portal developments.

A unique partnership between Telecom Italia and Cisco Systems combines the resources of the foremost Italian service provider with the experience and technologies of the world leader in Internet-based communications. The result is a flexible and customised value proposition for the retail sector based on innovative and best-of-breed solutions from an ecosystem of partners – supported by a single IP network – forming the basis for similar offerings to other vertical industries in the future.

Originally developed around five years ago to boost major sales outcomes, BT’s Partnership Evaluation Model (PEM) has become an industry-leading methodology for improving a company’s key strategic partnerships. The highly effective strategic alliance between BT and Cisco is testimony to the world-class partnering skills of both companies.

This paper describes how the consumer broadband market is emerging during a time of tremendous change in the telecommunications industry. Conditions vary globally but service providers worldwide are experiencing many of the same trends.

The communications industry is undergoing massive change, and nowhere is this more evident than in the arena of consumer broadband. Virtually every service provider is attempting to capture this still-nascent but exploding market – from incumbents, alternative service providers, and cable and satellite operators to mobile and Internet portals. This selection of essays provides a look at the forces that are shaping the consumer broadband market, with the goal of helping service providers adapt to and profit from this opportunity. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

As Canadian Tire grew, so did the amount of paper pushed out to its dealers. With visions of a paperless communications process, Canadian Tire created an interactive, online connected collaboration platform that organizes, prioritizes, and filters retail program content, as well as provides access for feedback, saving Canadian Tire significant time and money.

Cisco worked closely with P&G to create a communication-enabled business process founded on the Cisco TelePresence solution. The purpose: enable true collaboration with partners and customers to speed decision-making while reducing the need for travel. Adoption rate has exceeded expectations; critical decisions are now made in minutes vs. days; and global collaboration without the need for excessive travel has helped P&G blaze a trail to collaboration and innovation leadership.

Featuring CCE's CEO, CIO and SVP of Public Affairs, the video highlights key Cisco messages such as collaboration, CXO relevancy, Unified Communications, and "network as the platform" in an executive communications solution for the world's #1 brand.

Case study highlighting how Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) worked with IBSG as a strategic partner to accelerate executive communications, bringing its employees on board with the company's first-ever Global Operating Framework. Collaborating with other groups within Cisco such as Corporate Positioning, Digital Media Systems, IT, Sales, and Human Resources to develop and execute a Unified Communications solution, the Cisco team implemented the solution in an astounding six weeks, allowing CCE's executive staff to quickly begin using video, VoD, real-time broadcast, and meeting in a box to communicate the company's new vision and strategy to employees around the world.

The ExecNet video provides an overview of the latest trends in retail from Mohsen Moazami, vice president of IBSG's Retail /Consumer Products practice. Specifically, the video covers how the expectations of today's "connected consumer" are transforming the way retailers implement technology in their stores.

Having implemented virtual networking and workplace collaboration, with a successful period of technology-based innovation through its Future Store Initiative, METRO Group sought to embed innovation more deeply in its business processes. With Cisco IBSG, METRO Group has built a structured framework and governance model to capture and develop new ideas, maintaining its competitive advantage and offering sustainable, differentiated value to customers.

"How can retailers utilize the online channel to drive sales and protect their brand image?" To answer this question and identify year over year online shopping trends, Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) annualized their survey of leading websites using a proprietary benchmarking tool that assessed foundational and emerging online capabilities and the degree of integration between a retailer's website and store.

Facing intense competition from global retail giants, the Bailian Group, China's largest retailer, wanted to transform itself into a dynamic player with an advanced logistics operation enabled by innovative technology. With the implementation of RFID, the company has improved the delivery cycle by a factor of three, increased put-away efficiency by 66 percent, and reduced shrinkage by 52 percent.

To further its participation in Japan’s Future Store Project, Mitsukoshi placed Cisco IP phones in its Ginza Store’s jeans fitting rooms, allowing customers to check the availability of alternate sizes, styles, and colors of apparel without waiting for a sales person to make repeated trips to the stock room. The new Intelligent Fitting Room has increased top line sales revenue by 15.8 percent over prior year, improved sales staff productivity, and garnered high marks from customers and staff.

GS1 Hong Kong and EPCHong Kong partnered with Cisco and other technology leaders to develop a cost-effective, local solution for China’s Pearl River Delta. With Intel, Cisco developed an RFID hub based on Cisco AON technology to create a reference case and demonstrate the value proposition to PRD manufacturers. Although still is in its early stages, the RFID/EPC initiative will speed adoption, reduce costs, and allow the manufacturers to more easily comply with the global mandate.

Itochu realizes over US$100M in efficiencies gained by innovating a secure, convenient infrastructure. To create an organization completely focused on customer satisfaction, CTC developed a framework that would encourage and facilitate collaboration. The solution was a new concept called "eWork@CTC", which reduced the time necessary to resolve questions between sales and product personnel. Without a doubt, this is one of the leading examples of office productivity improvements in Japan.

This paper discusses the reduction of retail shrinkage to increase profitability.

Cisco IBSG helped Grainger integrate their various distribution and customer service channels for a unified customer experience and expansion to 24X7 operations. The multi-year effort included upgrades to Grainger’s intranet and network infrastructure, implementation of VoIP, and unification of all customer facing applications.

Sara Lee/DE is pursuing a comprehensive e-transformation plan that is impacting the way it works with employees, suppliers, retailers and consumers. Its success owes much to the board members that have actively sponsored the plan, and the surprisingly small e-business team that has put the plan into action. World-class Internet partners acted as advisors, and the strict implementation process demanded – and achieved – demonstrable results every quarter.

Metro Group, the third largest retailer in the world, worked with Cisco and IBSG to drive innovation, increase sales, and improve customer service.

Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group has contributed best practice benchmarking advice to Deutsche Post World Net’s market-leading PACKSTATION parcel deposit and retrieval service, enabling Deutsche Post World Net to differentiate itself from the competition and significantly improve its value and service to customers.

Faced with increasingly complex and costly business processes as it expanded deepter into Europe and Asia, the company invited the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) to sit on its Global Leadership Council and help implement a cutting-edge retail business strategy that relies on advanced network technologies and radio-frequency identification (RFID) to increase cost-efficiency and customer satisfaction.

A pivotal feature of today's most innovative and valuable real estate is connectivity—the ability to facilitate intercommunication and interaction among buildings and digital infrastructures. Connected Real Estate contains viewpoints and advice from many of the real estate and construction industry's most innovative players from around the world. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

Mobility has been critical to man's survival since the beginning of history. The collection of essays in this book brings together the views of senior business leaders and renowned market innovators on how mobility is changing their business practices and shaping our future. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

Serbian business leaders developed an education program based on Cisco's IBSG Business Essentials course. Working with key partners in the Serbian public sector and private industry, the group launched a series of pilots of the course at Novi Sad University. Individuals from dozens of Serbian small businesses and municipal governments participated, and developed detailed business plans for transforming their organizations using ICT.

The Hospital d'Igualada in Spain is a showcase for digital transformation and e-health solutions. Based on a Cisco Medical-Grade Network, this connected healthcare environment provides anytime, anywhere access to patient data, better collaboration and use of hospital resources, and improved medical services to citizens. An increase in the number of patients treated, and reductions in administrative work for doctors and in-patient hospital stays are among the benefits about to be realized. The hospital is also exploring opportunities for digital integration with other health organizations.

The EU has committed as much as 10 billion euros over the next six years to help Polish businesses and government agencies enhance their ICT infrastructure, but the country did not have a centralized master plan to direct those investments. Polish educators and business development planners worked with Cisco IBSG to create an education program that provides vital ICT and management education.

Tiradentes, a small tourist town in Brazil once known for mining gold, has become the impetus for the nation's plans to revamp its ICT infrastructure, eventually extending broadband throughout the country. Brazil's leaders believe that broadband, a prized commodity available to only a small portion of Brazilian citizens, and innovative ICT solutions will help Brazil compete with other emerging countries, improving medical care, education, and public services to citizens rich and poor.

Planning for aggressive growth, as well as striving to meet student demand for next-generation technologies, Arizona State University began to rethink its existing IT business model based on a vertically integrated IT staff responsible for managing all facets of the network. Working with Cisco, Arizona State identified which IT activities, based on a “core versus context” model, directly supported the university’s goals and then aligned itself with leading-edge, visionary technology partners.

Adopting Apple's iTunes U, Berkeley planned to distribute video-heavy podcasting, which requires the assurance of a stable, comprehensive network. Berkeley's network follows the Cisco Hierarchical Network Architecture design and as a leading institution, Berkeley has raised the bar for campuses looking to maintain competitiveness through a next-generation, multimedia learning environment.

In an age where campus safety has become a critical priority, Bryant University wanted to improve emergency response time by extending the capability of its Cisco IPICS network to link the campus with public safety agencies both on and off campus. Using Bryant’s campus IPICS network, six regional dispatch centers now have their own virtual public safety channel to help them coordinate both large and small response operations.

To reduce costs, promote economic development, and improve citizen services, the city of Istanbul has adopted a service-oriented architecture for the municipal infrastructure, using collaborative technologies, laid municipal fiber ducts to accelerate broadband adoption, and is launching 250 connected community centers with access to a new citizen portal.

What if city employees could adjust the timing of traffic lights from an intersection, or law-enforcement officers could view a suspects's mug shot from their squad car?

Government is moving into the information age, but not fast enough. Effective government is faced with a 21st-century government paradox - minimizing the complexity of administrative protocols to determine who is reponsible for what, How, to whom, when, and where information is available can fundamentally influence the success or failure of public institutions charged with safeguarding communities.

Facing cutbacks in its budget and changed operational priorities, the Netherlands Defense Force needed to restructure its internal communications and deploy a shared services model for issues such as medical support, food supplies and military procurement. Cisco IBSG helped the service branches develop a common portal, providing a highly efficient communications model, access to shared services, and stronger sense of shared corporate identity at around one fifth of the former cost.

Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology wanted to develop a state-of-the-art e-learning program to educate Egyptian professionals, but they needed to find an effective curriculum, as well as develop an infrastructure for delivering the instruction. With IBSG’s assistance, the ministry developed a national E-Learning Competence Center (ELCC) and a comprehensive e-learning curriculum to address critical skills gaps in Egypt.

With the goal of helping Egyptian citizens and businesses become more competitive and successful in the global economy, the government of Egypt launched a nationwide initiative to transform its education system. The Egyptian Education Initiative (EEI) needed to develop strong curricula and coordinate the efforts of dozens of agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private companies.

Yalova, a midsized city in north-eastern Turkey, was keen to become as a ‘pilot city’ for e-government and attract investors through the transformation of its municipal efficiency and citizen services. The municipality worked with Cisco IBSG to define a series of projects that would improve its chances, seeking ‘quick wins’ to gain the full support of citizens. Projects range from mobile working and a citizen portal, to a new technology park and broadband access for all.

The U.S. Navy Space and Warfare Command (SPAWAR) Systems Center Charleston (SSC) is a fee-for-service organization doing its share to help ensure that U.S. warfighters are equipped with the latest technology. Recognizing the need to evolve their organizational effectiveness and efficiency, SPAWAR SSC worked with Cisco to analyze their organization, adopting a network virtual organization (NVO) which resulted in lower costs and increased speed of delivery of systems to fight the global war on terror. The U.S. Navy Space and Warfare Command (SPAWAR) Systems Center Charleston (SSC) is a fee-for-service organization doing its share to help ensure that U.S. warfighters are equipped with the latest technology. Recognizing the need to evolve their organizational effectiveness and efficiency, SPAWAR SSC worked with Cisco to analyze their organization, adopting a network virtual organization (NVO) which resulted in lower costs and increased speed of delivery of systens to fight the global war on terror.

Marshall Space Flight Center, one of five NASA Centers in the U.S., was recently confronted by a number of issues caused by growth—such as overlapping organizational layers and diverse core competencies—as well as a Congressional directive to become more market-driven and performance-based. Applying Cisco’s knowledge, benchmarking, and best practices, IBSG helped Marshall develop solutions, resulting in avoiding costs of US$1.05 million annually, reducing the processing time of Senior Executive Service vacancies by 60 percent, saving 31,600 productivity hours, and achieving US$1.7 million in cost avoidance.

Faced with an aging population and a corresponding increase in chronic disease and its associated costs, Chile has responded with a unique strategy to deliver Connected Healthcare to its citizens. The challenge of meeting guaranteed service levels has been the catalyst for creating a model centered on the healthcare consumer, using the Network as a Platform to better manage chronic conditions at lower costs .

Advanced technologies, such as wireless networking, have great potential for enabling cultural sites to communicate more directly and imaginatively with the visiting public. At the Palace of Versailles, one of Europe's most treasured locations, technology is heightening the visitor experience and bringing history to life, not to mention increasing foot traffic and creating new revenue streams.

Wake Forest implements the Cisco Service-Oriented Network Architecture (SONA) framework, improving learning and enhancing reputation through their wireless network.

Harnessing the power of technology to deliver business transformation, Saudi Post is putting in place a visionary e-commerce platform and service-centric model that connects the organization, its customers, and potential partners. Not only will this provide high-quality postal services at reduced costs, it will also promote collaboration and deliver many socio-economic benefits to the kindgom.

In Russia, many universities are working with Cisco to introduce technology as an enabler for new ways for funding, designing, and delivering their services.

Faced with expanding workloads and shrinking budgets, the Center for Work and Income, in the Netherlands, took the bold step of enabling its customers to apply for unemployment benefits online using an innovative application, eIntake. Today, nearly half of all such applications are now processed over the Internet, reducing the agency's administrative burden and enabling staff to concentrate on helping their customers find suitable new employment.

The World Economic Forum set out to tackle the global digital divide through an innovative program known as Information Technology Access for Everyone. The Forum called on the private sector to help create a strategic plan for market-based services aimed at economic improvement and greater social inclusion. The result was a successful pilot in a poor part of Brazil, proving both the demand for services and a willingness to pay for them.

England, Scotland, and N. Ireland are transforming education by developing a cohesive national vision and ICT strategy. While each is taking a different route, all are making progress towards improved academic excellence and increased efficiency. The common denominator is an enterprise best practice approach that builds education services, such as digital tools, personalized content, and shared resources, around learners and teachers, while establishing scaleable, sustainable ICT services.

Almere Social Services sought to better manage its unemployment benefits budget, its associated financial risk, and improve social services. Working with the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, Almere transformed the department’s processes, organization, and approach to technology. Overall department operational costs will be reduced 15 percent within three years, while the number of unemployed clients undertaking workforce integration activities will increase to 80 percent.

IBSG helped OneCommunity, formerly OneCleveland, create a digital community in northeastern Ohio. The goal of OneCommunity is to promote economic development, improve the lives of Ohio’s citizens, and bring greater prosperity to the region. The foundation of the digital community is OneCommunity's mesh wireless network which runs on a Cisco Service-Oriented Network Architecture framework.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies wanted to use information and communications technology (ICT) to improve its speed of response to disasters. Cisco’s IBSG helped to modify the existing structure. The resulting “NinaB”—network in a box— provides easier access to critical information and tools, improving the effectiveness of its operation and reducing costs.

Government Computer News
"This is one of many mandates," said Gerald Charles, public-sector executive adviser for Cisco Systems Inc. "There are lots of things they have to do. Which ones are they really going to do?"

Washington Technology
According to Gerald Charles, executive director of Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group: "The business case for early and rapid implementation has yet to be successfully made."

Oxfam International wanted to improve speed and quality of response to humanitarian crises. Cisco helped Oxfam develop a model, putting a web-based, generic content and information management tool within the reach of the smallest Non Government Agency. Acting as a single repository for global information, including content for multilanguage Websites, it has improved communication and collaboration as well as supporting better, faster decision-making.

Con una popolazione di poco superiore al milione, la provincia di Brescia è la terza maggiore area industriale del paese, con una concentrazione nei settori meccanico e automobilistico.

The Province of Brescia, Italy working with Cisco developed a public/private partnership model to bridge the digital divide—connecting citizens and local businesses with the information, tools, and skills needed to succeed in today’s global economy.

Federal Computer Week
Funding still lies at the core of much of the IPv6 challenge. About 65 percent of participants in the Cisco/Market Connections survey said that funding and budgets were their top challenges. "The strong business case of early and rapid implementation has yet to be successfully made," said Gerald Charles, executive adviser at Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group. "The market focus needs to move from cost and technology issues to business benefits and applications."

Embarking on an ambitious project to transform service delivery, the government of Catalonia built a Shared Services Center (SSC) enabling citizens to access all services through a single portal. Citizen satisfaction regarding the speed of migrated services doubled in six months, with projected cost savings over three years of 15.5 million euros.

The government of British Columbia streamlined their procurement of IT services, cutting costs by over 15 percent. With Cisco’s help, they developed a defensible strategy for IT procurement and (where appropriate) strategic outsourcing. The government is using the savings to help bridge the “digital divide” in the province by investing in additional technology infrastructure in underserved rural communities.

Ethiopia is committing scarce economic resources and strong political will to a bold investment program that uses IP-based networking as a long-term solution to poverty. Cisco worked closely with the Ethiopian Government to design and build a modern, flexible infrastructure to fulfill that vision.

The Government of Brazil partnered with IBSG to integrate public service delivery channels across federal, state, and municipal levels of government, improving services and ensuring their access to citizens and businesses alike. The country’s Government Interaction Network (G-IN) led to cost efficiencies worth an estimated US$8 billion and an enhanced reputation as a citizen-centric government.

The New York City Housing Authority asked IBSG to develop new business goals and an IT plan to achieve them. IBSG shared best practices to redefine and align NYCHA’s business objectives and IT initiatives, developed a five-year strategic IT plan, and showed NYCHA IT how to save time and money by operating as a Networked Virtual Organization.

Nobel Connected Republic Video

Building on 50 years of experience, Equant is a recognized industry leader providing global IP and data services to more than 3700 multinational businesses in over 220 countries and territories. Facing a declining market and shrinking profit margins of their traditional services, Equant engaged Cisco to help increase the profitability of its core managed services, specifically IP VPN. Conducting a real-time industry benchmark in parallel with a deep-dive assessment of Equant’s IP VPN Sales-to-Cash process, Cisco identified areas of potential.

IBSG has developed the concept of the 21st Century Networked Local Government as its vision for the future. This vision highlights the different areas where local governments can use technology to transform their operations and deliver greater value to citizens.

IBSG teamed with the Alberta provincial education ministry for a ground-breaking pilot project to explore the feasibility of using Internet technology to enable both remote development of assessment items and online student field testing. The project, which has attracted worldwide attention, also lays the foundation for broader application of this exciting technology in Alberta and beyond.

Julie Williams testified before Congress regarding the topics of teleworking and continuity of operations (COOP). IBSG's official testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform supports the President's National Broadband policy and suggests Congress evaluate proven private-sector incentives to reduce transportation costs and promote Federal Telework adoption.

Wide-scale Interactive Development for Educators (WIDE World), an innovative professional development program run by the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), successfully pairs online coursework and face-to-face support for practicing teachers.

The DWP has introduced Oracle e-Business suite functionality, delivering early savings and laying the foundations for future culture change. The DWP continues to accelerate towards its vision for modernization. With over 130,000 employees due to benefit, the DWP has rolled out its staff information system in record time, releasing around 100 people from its service centers and delivering savings of £1.2 million per annum.

In August 2005, a group of eight volunteers, including Beth Land and Linda Hightower, spent a week in Ethiopia instructing students and teachers on the benefits of using computers and technology.

Bryant University has deployed an intelligent Cisco network to support a rich variety of voice, video, and data applications that enrich learning and collaboration, improve student career opportunities, boost administrative productivity, and extend networking resources beyond the classroom.

This video discusses five trends that are impacting higher education in the 21st Century.

After several years of working together on discrete projects, the north German federal states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein have merged their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) departments. The new organisation – Dataport – h standardised on IP with Cisco technologies to bring different networks together to provide a seamle architecture for services such as security, mobility and quality of service.

Coping with budget cuts, outdated business processes, and a downgraded Presidential Management Agenda (PMA) IT security scorecard, the Small Business Administration needed to upgrade its infrastructure, reduce costs, and be more responsive to a growing number of small business owners reaching out for help. Teaming with Cisco IBSG, the SBA began to transform its business strategy and look for process innovation opportunities to achieve its goals.

The administration of President Vicente Fox has brought federal services closer to the Mexican people, electronically opening more than 1000 government services to public access and scrutiny, creating digital signatures to help streamline the processing of individual citizen requests, and fostering public trust through the implementation of a transparent, online government procurement and bidding process.

This book describes the next phase of e-government transformation, what Cisco calls the "Connected Republic." This vision puts people and communities at the center of new networks of knowledge, service, trust, and accountability. The approach helps define the role of government, explains how to modernize the public sector, and shows how to strengthen democracy.

Launched in 2004, i-Bulgaria is an ambitious plan by the Bulgarian Government to make the country more PC and Internet literate. A major part of the strategy involves i-Centres, based in hundreds of rural post offices across Bulgaria, enabling local people to affordably access the Internet. It is hoped this will not only drive wealth creation but will also close Bulgaria’s digital divide. Cisco is playing a key part in the rollout, providing expertise and hardware.

The City of Slupsk and Cisco have demonstrated the power of an information society to increase efficiencies, provide better access to services, and stimulate regional economies through a public/private partnership network services model. Importantly, the initiative shows how a modern IP network can be the catalyst for change to address wide-reaching social and economic problems.

For many police departments across the United States, homeland security is just a new name for an age-old mission—to protect and defend. In Everett, Washington, wireless network technology helps patrol officers fulfill that mission by providing realtime, on-the-scene information that keeps them connected to each other and dramatically increases their ability to respond quickly and effectively to crime and security threats.

What do you get when you put four nonprofit organizations, all competing for the same pool of funding and volunteers, together in one room? With the help of Cisco and Cisco® Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), all four nonprofits benefited from innovation, knowledge sharing, and a collaborative plan that will help each organization save millions of dollars per year in administrative expenses.

The Government of Ontario (www.gov.on.ca) is becoming a networked virtual organization—dissolving organizational walls, reducing the size of government, increasing productivity, and building a client-service sensibility that’s yielding high satisfaction ratings.

Broadband infrastructures leverage a multiplicity of technology solutions in terms both of transport and of access. Technology choices definitely influence the strategic direction of broadband government programs, but this book focuses on strategic and organizational issues and does not discuss technology solutions, architectures and trends.

This paper describes work carried out at the Provincia di Brescia to establish the business case for delpoying modernised working practices for Brescia's employees and partners.

This book, consisting of 14 essays from national governments, is about the concept of Connected Government and. examines the issues involved in developing and implementing compelling national e-government strategies. It explores the Connected Government strategy which is built on six pillars: citizen centricity, standardized common infrastructure, back-office reorganization, governance, new organizational model, and social inclusion. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

We live in a Knowledge Society, where connectivity delivers information at unprecedented speeds, in multiple formats and creates opportunities for new partnerships. In this exciting age education is the prime driver for economic growth, peace and prosperity. Connected Schools demonstrates how governments across the world have realised the need to focus resources on the evolution of their educational systems, and have used new technology and the Internet to drive change. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.

The ideas explored in Connected Cities chart the emergence of a political and economic phenomenon-the city as the new connected republic of the 21st Century. Simon Willis, Global Head of eGovernment for the Internet Business Solutions Group at Cisco Systems, has collated essays that show how different cities, at the cutting edge of the process, are grappling with the various stages of connectivity. Order a copy of this book. View more of the Connected Series books.