Cass 11 Apple Inc.: People and Design

One of the major challenges facing Apple was to get the appropriate replacement of the company’s visionary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve Jobs who died on October 2011. The CEO was responsible for turning Apple into what it is today. Apple is in this case challenged to purse the strategies employed by Steve, that propelled the company to new heights, and which saw the company become a

1. Specify the nature, structure, and types of products or services of Apple, and identify two (2) key factors in the organization’s external environment that can affect its success. Provide explanation to support the rationale.

In 1997, what is now arguably the most recognized brand name, was caught in a downward spiral further fueled by a rapidly maturing rival. In an effort to stem the hemorrhaging, the flailing company had cycled through one Chief Executive Officer to the next, but yet continued to lose market share and profitability. It was not until the return of a high-profile alumnus did said company reverse course and ascend to technological supremacy, drastically altering the consumer culture landscape along the way. Steve Jobs, in assuming Apple’s reins in 1997, armed with vision, a new strategy, and an implementation plan, shepherded the fabled technological turnaround of the

The 1980s was an exciting time in the history of computer science. A variety of companies were competing in the computer market, including Apple, IBM and Microsoft. At the time, Apple owned 20% of the PC market, but the direction of the company went downhill after Steve Jobs was forced out of the company in 1985 over the commercial failure of the Apple Macintosh PC (Entrepreneur, 2012). The company had made enough mistakes that computer retailers had lost all faith in Apple (Kroenke, 2014). The problem was only compounded by the fact that Apple hired on a long series of CEOs who failed to manage the company properly (Kroenke, 2014). In 1996, Steve Jobs returned to Apple with the help of Gil Amelio, a company board member who adamantly believed Jobs was the “only one…who [could] rally the Apple troops, [the] only one…who [could] straighten out the company”(Hormby, 2006).

Nowadays, Apple has positioned itself to be an innovator in the personal computer industry and Apple has developed by offering modern products compared to its competitors. According to Apple’s mission statement last year, “Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.” (Business Management,

Apple, Inc. has positioned itself as the world’s most profitable technology company in the world through its innovation and business practices. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple Inc. in 1976, to develop and sell personal computers. The vision was to change the way the world viewed computers by making them small enough for people to have in their homes or offices. It is widely reported that Jobs and Wozniak started by building the Apple I in Jobs’ garage. The Apple I was sold without a monitor, keyboard, or casing. The company was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. in 1977, later renamed as simply Apple Inc. in 2007. The Apple II, an 8-bit home computer introduced later in 1977, was one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. The Apple II revolutionized the computer industry with the introduction of the first-ever color graphics. As a result, sales soared from $7.8 million in 1978 to $117 million in 1980. On December 12, 1980, Apple launched its initial public offering of its stock, selling 4.6 million shares at $22 per share with the stock symbol “AAPL” on the NASDAQ market. An article in the EDN recalls that the shares sold out almost immediately and the IPO generated more capital than any IPO since Ford Motor Company in 1956. By the end of the day, the stock had increased in value by almost 32 percent to close at $29, leaving the company with a market value of $1.778 billion. Due to conflicts with board

a) Evaluate apple’s resource/ capabilities and identify its strengths and weaknesses. Brief explanation with supporting evidence is expected. For details, see references for ‘Resources and capabilities’ below or search other relevant information on the web.

College dropouts Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computers April 1, 1975; they were able to provide an infusion of youth, entrepreneurism and a revolutionary way of thinking to the stale world that was technology and computers. Apple grew exponentially during the 1980s and well into the 1990s. Steven Jobs introduced the world to the iMac Desktop home computer, iPod, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and most notably, the iPhone (Richardson, 2008). With the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, Apple Inc. reached meteoric heights in both the business and technological worlds alike. Winning fans globally, the iPhone launched the company into multi-billion dollar profits and made early investors multi-millionaires many times over. Although Steve Jobs died in 2011, his legacy still lives on through numerous Apple Inc. projects and initiatives; Apple is widely known to be one of the most valuable corporations globally. Apple Inc. has done a phenomenal job of branching out to the furthest reaches of the world, placing immense power and technology in the hands of billions of people globally.

Launching a product which meets and even exceeds customer needs is crucial to the success of a company. An example of that type of company is Apple. The American-based technological giant has been dominating the market for years and there are several reasons for that. Firstly, Apple’s products make their users feel unique. It is the brand name and the quality, associated with it, that make people love Apple. What is more, Apple has a lot of technological advantages and resources, for example, they were the first company to launch a tablet – the iPad. Finally, they have a lot of skills in terms of knowledge and creativity of their employees. All of the above-mentioned reasons provide Apple with a competitive advantage.

The leadership style that Steve Jobs used at Apple reinforced their tactics and aligned them with the rebuilding of the organisation, this saved Apple where the “nice-guy” approach wouldn’t have worked.

During the initial years, Apple’s brand was quite a challenger as it introduced easy to use computers to consumers and small businesses in a manner that met their specific needs, individuality, and style, rather than technical mandates and conformity of big business. Whereas the brand has evolved over the years, today’s brand still focuses on the company’s initial promises.

Apple Computer Inc was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. Apple’s current strategic position as of 2008 is that its market share had declined and has a successful business from its products ranging from PCs to non PCs. Apple’s recent industry entry is to the mobile phone industry with its recent product of the iPhone. Apple has already has its

Traditionally, Apple has done extremely well at being the first company to introduce a new product or concept but has struggled to maintain its market share in that product line. Recently, Apple has undergone a transformation from an innovative computer manufacturer to a artistic consumer electronics company. In 2005, the company

1. Explain how Apple achieved business success through the use of information, information technology, and people.

Q2: What are the chief elements of Apple’s strategy? How well do the pieces fit together? Is the strategy evolving?