Corporate Culture at Microsoft and Apple

Apple corporate culture has played a major role in its success; the corporate culture is founded on values, traits, morals, principles and standards that are believed to be crucial in assisting it and its employees to succeed. The corporate culture is the foundation for what is done in Apple and how it is done. Cumulatively, the distinctive values make Apple a unique company. Apple’s core corporate culture is founded on innovation and nurturing talents of creative people. The company strives to build highly innovative products that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of the customer. Apple’s products embody outstanding designs and styles that attract consumers across the world. Since its inception, Apple has always been associated with cutting edge technology; the company boasts of the most

The Apple culture has a great deal of controversy. The Human resources department expressed that they only hire people who are the top of their field or have the potential to be (Learn and Transform, 2013). Apple employees work in small groups; therefore, communication between departments is limited due to secrecy within the organization. Apple is very innovative, as well as strives to be the best in the field which requires company information to stay secretive. Since Apple competes with other organizations in the field, the culture is aggressive. Different departments compete with each other to produce the best product or idea producing a competitive environment. The work environments that were depicted in the video (Learn and Transform,

In relation to Apple’s internal environment, the company encourages an innovative culture, involving staff creativity and open-mindedness to novel ideas. In addition, Apple stresses the use of environmentally friendly practices, and protection of employees’ safety and health at work (Schneider, 1995, p. 70). Apple’s external environment poses a challenge to the company in terms of emerging firms in the technology business line, competitors selling substitute products, charging lower prices that entice customers because of their affordability, in comparison to the high quality and pricing of similar items from Apple (Apple, 2012, p.1).

Apple is the best example in sharing its vision across all the employees that are working under same organization who contributed for its success. All its innovation, ideas are shared across different teams.

After reading the article “Geeks in Toyland” by Brendan Koerner, I realized the importance of organizational culture to connect the customers to the company. This article talks about the corporate culture and leadership style of Soren Lund (Mindstorms product director). He was asked to come up with a new version which is not a ‘slightly improved’ model, but to create something completely different. Each company has their own corporate culture. During my research, I came across a similar article that talks about the corporate culture and leadership style of America’s most successful company, Apple Inc. The Fortune magazine article “How Apple Works: Inside the World’s biggest startup” by Adam Lashinsky explains how big company such as Apple Inc. really operates. By the time he’s finished, you’ll probably still want to buy Apple products, but you may not want to work for the firm.

Companies everywhere have their own culture but each of them have a culture which makes them unique and different from other organization. Our focus for this paper is Publix and its culture. According to Tkaczyk (2016), Publix culture is different from others and that being, it attracts more customers because can see they have a clan type structure in their work place. Clan organization are very family like and also friendly. Publix is also very strict about customer satisfaction. They try to make their customers happy not only one time but every time they walk into the store.

In contrast, Microsoft has been unable to innovate. The company relies on two cash cow products for its success, and has otherwise failed to capture even industries where it should be strong, like mobile operating systems. In contrast, Google was able to become the dominant player in this business despite having no prior experience in operating systems. Microsoft's failure to innovate has become a talking point in the industry and a threat to the company, should either of its top products be threatened by a new entrant to the market (Foley, 2010). As a result, the company's stock price today is only around the same place it was ten years ago (MSN

Apple prides itself on offering innovative technology to a society that has become dependent on it. In markets inundated with companies offering similar products and services, Apple has had to rise above and distinguish itself from the masses. While their products have a cultivated a devoted-customer following (our family is one of them), their organization and the values it espouses are what will help them to remain a relevant and successful company in the tech world.

Particularly under Steve Job, the structure was so centralized that Job was in charge of all final tasks, supervisions and decision makings. Although such autocracy getting better through the years by the effort of transformational leaders like, Tim cook, by attempting to implement a more flatter structure, the chain of command remains the same. Such hierarchal and centralized structure is a set back for innovation as well as it obstructs effective communication. The distance between the top management and front line employee not only demotivate employees but limits commitment. Therefore for Apple as technology and innovation-based company their ability or willingness to share ideas The more decentralized organizational approach promote new ideas while motivating

The Microsoft Corporation thrives on efforts of globalization and advances in technology. The spread of communication and markets have resulted in economic interdependence. As a global company, Microsoft is familiar with many of the changes that are occurring because competition and the availability of new opportunities in different places. Computers and the internet are connecting people, businesses and cultures in more ways than ever before. Microsoft has aimed to be at the forefront of these developments, and a consumer choice in services and products that aid in globalization efforts. The movement of people and businesses demand that people are able to design and share critical information among and across groups. This results in technology diffusion, which is the "speed at which new technologies become available and are used" (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, p. 10). Microsoft can also be considered to have engaged in perpetual innovation. With companies like Apply constantly and rapidly designing new technologies and software, Microsoft had to follow suit. Technology has resulted in some interesting and powerful trends and opportunities for people and businesses alike.

Apple’s organizational culture brings challenges because of the emphasis on secrecy and the moderate degree of combativeness. An atmosphere of secrecy limits rapport among workers. Also, the moderate combativeness that still exists in the firm today has the disadvantage of limiting the morale of some employees. These issues indicate that Apple’s organizational culture has room for major improvements to strengthen the firm’s human resource capabilities.

Microsoft Corporation is a leader in the global computer technology world. To be a leader in today’s technology world takes a lot of leadership and planning. The current management of Microsoft has set their mission and vison statements identical to set a standard for how they want to provide for their customers. The corporation uses cross-business strategies to get more ideas to span their products and further their technology. “Microsoft has changed their top executives over time and the current CEO of the corporation is Satya Nadella.” Today it has formed into one of the most successful companies in the technological world. “Microsoft currently operates in 109 countries and has 646 office sites in the world. The company also employs

Apple Computer, Inc is an American multinational technology company that was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California. Apple is the largest information technology company and the second largest mobile phone manufacturer. They design, develop and sell consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. For a company to be this successful, there had to be some intense and thorough training in areas such as: legal requirements, diversity, and employee growth. Therefore, we will look at some of the major components to their effective training plan and how it effects the organization’s and employee’s motivational needs.

Like machines are the assets to a manufacturing company, which help the company to keep running, people too are an integral part of any organization. Unless the employees are motivated and focused towards the goals of the organization, it is difficult for the organization to succeed in the long run. Hence, it is important for any organization to keep its employees motivated in order to get the maximum efficiency out of them. This is what Apple has focused upon all these years.

The employee 's fear if their idea has been ranked as invalid, and inferior idea and the pressure that the people with ideal ideas will survive. Very high level of competition among employees has a negative impact on productivity and performance. As a result, stressful and confused employees who are not able to be creative and generous to share their ideas. The Microsoft’s culture that was structured on the concept of employees have to work hard to go up and make a progress or go out from the company doesn’t show any loyalty and consideration to the employee’s contributions. Microsoft 's environment is full of pressure, fears, stress, strict rules and brutal competitions which may lead to turn over and push the employees to find a healthier environment; especially with the trend in the competitors as Google which emphasizing on the employee 's happiness to receive better performance and provide a healthier environment for creativity and innovations. With the new mindsets such as “Employee Coms First’’, “Happy Workplace’’, and ‘’Healthy Environment’’ Microsoft has faced a challenge with its culture.