Organizational structure and leadership can make or break any company, they are essential to the proper management of companies. Apple recognized this principle early on and capitalized on it as strength. In addition, the strength of this corporation also lies in research and cleverness in the development of their products. Apple is able to utilize the result of intricate research development to successfully create masterpieces that consumers desire and are prepared to purchase at high retail price. Consequently, Apple products are now known to headline trends in the industry and have established brand loyalty.
Apple recognised early advantages of globalisation and implemented various strategies to expand internationally which results in wide range of their stores all over the world now. Globalisation has allowed Apple to globally source materials and achieve cost advantages. By Apple knowing the influence of globalisation they have been able to respond good. Quality expectations are another influence that impacts on a business. Quality refers to how well designed and made a product is and the expectations that people have of a business will influence the way that the products are designed and created for customers.
Legal Apple has legal issues about its patents with major competitors copying its technology and embedding them into their products • 2. INTERNAL ANALYSIS • Cash Flow / Own Capital Apple has enormous cash flow and own capital, which makes investment very simple and straightforward. • Brand / Design Apple is very good in keeping its brand by keeping their staff happy and motivated in achieving nothing but excellence in whatever they embark on. • Product Development and Know how Apple has the best people in the industries in every department of the company, which are all entirely dedicated in what they do and give nothing but the best. 3.
Apple has maintained a step ahead of competition of other companies that compete with Apple and as a result Apple has created a quality and loyal customer base. Apple has used the design and creativity processes within the Apple organization to create top of the line products that in most consumer’s eyes can do more than what is needed. Apple has created these products with the vast array of capabilities to maintain the healthy customer and business relationships that Apple has created. Sony has undergone some changes due to the Apple product line-up but for the most part Sony resides within a similar yet different marketplace and industry. Sony specializes in many different electronic and technological equipment production and distribution.
The latter brought even more profit to the company and was followed by iPhone, Mac book and iPad. Those products` popularity helped Apple to become one of the top companies in the world. (Dougherty,2010) Organisational culture There are numerous definitions for organisational culture. For example, Mullins described it as “The collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs, and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organisation.“ (Mullins, 2010, p.739) In easier words, corporate culture shows, how things are done in the company. Taken into account Handy`s four types of organisational culture, Apple Inc. has a mixture of power and task cultures.
In what product segments does Apple compete? How does the company position its products against its competitors? 2.1 Product Segmentation Figure 1a (Heisler, 2014) Table 1b 2.2 Positioning Apple uses differentiation strategy, making products with unique features to attract customers giving Apple a competitive advantage against its competitors. Steve Job was known for “his intense and exacting focus on design, which became a way for Apple to stake out a unique marketplace position. Their brand was built around aesthetically appealing, well-designed products and they developed an intensely loyal, design-savvy customer base” (Porter, 1996).
It always had a reputation for encouraging individuality, innovative ideas and excellence, which in turn attracted many talented workers. But according to Business Insider article, “What Apple Employees Say about the Company's Internal Corporate Culture” Richard Francis, formerly worked at Intel who worked on a project with Apple said “The atmosphere is not as zanily creative as you might imagine. It's very structured, very process driven.” Apple employees are usually specialists who are not exposed to other functions outside their area of expertise because Steve believes in having “best-in-class” employees. Brandon Carson, a contractor at Apple said "They desire and demand a collaborative atmosphere. Your work is
Apple Inc. Jeymi Charles MRK/421 June 19, 2014 Michele Dougherty Apple Inc. Apple has been innovative in providing product and services for its customers. Having a competitive advantage they produce products like the IPad IPod, Mac, Apple TV and IPhone. Although some would say apple has lost its competitive edge with the passing of CEO and founder Steve Jobs, the company remains one of the leading sellers in the technology industry. In the world of personal handheld devices, the I industry remains dominant among its competitors and can continue to demand a price for which Apple known for, and yet holds its value even through re-sale. Apple has a variety of products that appeal to all cultural demographic.
Customer service is very good in Apple store because they always to help you get the best deals in the particular product. When you have decided on the product you have chosen, the customer service in Apple store will help you with information on the product and whether you should buy it for a long-term as this could be beneficial for the future. After this stage you have a decision to make on whether you will buy the product or you won’t buy it. Let’s say you purchased the product then they may ask you whether you want it delivered or you will take it with you. After you have purchased the particular product they may ask you for your details so you can get great offers and
Why Apple? * Developing knowledge workers * Developing knowledge-based products/services * Maximizing enterprise intellectual capital * Transforming knowledge into shareholders’ value Why Apple is a Learning Organization? * Steve Jobs- Vision to change the world * Employees’ Choice- Best Place to Work * Apple Culture- Encourage to apply intelligence & imagination * Flexible & Adaptive organization Learning Cycle REFLECT PLAN IMPLEMENT Apple’s learning cycle How Apple was successful? * Peter M. Senge’s research on Apple * Apple used Senge’s five discipline to examine its organizational learning success Peter M. Senge’s Five Discipline * Systems Thinking * Personal Mastery * Mental Models * Building Shared Vision * Team building Strategies -Help to implement learning organization BEST HR PRACTICE IN APPLE * Make your employees “own” their learning, training and development — because Apple frequently produces new products requiring expertise in completely different industries (i.e. computers, music devices, media sales, and telephony), its employee skill set requirements change faster than at almost any other tech firm.