Cisco has made good on a pledge to significantly trim its work force to improve the company’s profitability, disclosing plans to shed 6,500 employees, or 9 percent of its workforce, reports the Wall Street Journal.  The networking giant said the cuts will result in US$1.3 billion in restructuring charges over several quarters. About 2,100 employees are leaving the company as a result of a voluntary early-retirement program, Cisco said, while the rest will be laid off.