TECE 6300
Managing a Technology-Based Business
Research Paper: Apple Inc.
By
Rinky Upadhyay
NUID: 001757126 upadhyay.r@husky.neu.edu
1
Introduction:
In this research paper I would like to analyze the business strategies and activities of one of the most leading and recognizable companies of the modern world – Apple Inc.
On October 5, 2011 Steve Jobs died because of Cancer. This man was a legend, he made apple to grow from the verge of bankruptcy to one of the world’s most largest, successful and profitable companies. After his death the new CEO Tim Cook had an extraordinary challenge that is how to sustain the success of Apple and also while taking Apple to the next level.
The company started off as Apple Computer, best known for its Macintosh personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite a strong brand, rapid growth, and high profits in the late 1980s, Apple almost went bankrupt in 1996. Then Jobs went to work, transforming “Apple Computer” into “Apple Inc.” with innovative non-PC products starting in the early 2000s. Apple became the most valuable company in the world in 2012.
By almost any measure, Apple’s accomplishments in the prior decade were spectacular. Yet Tim Cook knew that no company in the technology industry could relax. Challenges abounded. Even though Macintosh sales had grown faster than the industry in recent years, Apple’s share of the worldwide PC market had remained low. Many also wondered if the company could thrive without Steve Jobs.
The point to
Apple is a company that everyone in the world knows about today, and most people own at least one Apple product, but Apple did not start out as a huge company. It started out with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak working on computers in the garage of Steve Jobs. Jobs and Wozniak
“When Cook came on board, things start to change at Apple. Cook was corporation 's chief operating officer. Managing all sales and operations worldwide, including sales activities, and service and support were his responsibilities. He was also developing reseller/supplier relationship strategies in Macintosh division. In the first year while Cook was working in Apple, the corporation reported profits (the fiscal year 1998)—when in fiscal 1997 report showed a net loss of $1 billion from the prior fiscal year.”
Apple Computer Company got its start in the early seventies when the two cofounders wanted to create a computer for every person. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak got together and started creating one of the first personal computers. After CEO Steve Jobs was forced to leave the company and then return after ten years of working with other technical companies. In 1996, he made his return and they began to look into the music industry as there next big idea.
Apple Corporation was initially operating into the personal computer arena but later diversified into other segments. The change was brought by changes in management and differences in views that were coupled with missed opportunities resulting in loss of competitive advantages. The company currently operates in the music and personal computer industry as part of its initiative to continue providing innovative products for its customers. Despite venturing into different industries to enhance competitive advantages, the corporation is still confronted by intense opposition across all its business segments or industries. The aggressive competition is mainly because the markets for personal computers, mobile communication devices, consumer electronics, and digital music services are increasingly competitive. The competitiveness of these markets is also attributed to the rapid technological advancements that constantly increase the capabilities of these devices. In light of the increased competition, the Apple Corporation needs to develop and establish measures for sustaining competitive advantage with evolving external environment and executive succession.
Another major change that was a huge part of Apples change was its ability to market and innovate their products now that Jobs was gone. Steve Jobs and Tim Cook seem to be on opposite ends when it comes to the product innovation and marketing strategy. Thus the change in the approach now, For example, Jobs enjoyed creating illustrations that look like real life objects in his apps, and now apple
Apple Inc. was incorporated on April 1, 1976 with its founder Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniac. Apple Inc. is an American multibillion company and it is also the world’s top company that is well known for its high quality electronics and software products. The company is best known for their product line of computers such as MacBook Pro, Mac Book Air and many more. Other products from Apple include iPhone, iPad, iPod and other hardware and software products. Apple Inc. was incorporated on April 1, 1976 with its founder Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniac. (Terrell, 2008) Today, Apple Inc. is one of the most successful companies worldwide due to the company’s good reputation.
It is beyond all doubt that Apple Inc is one of the most successful and well-known companied all over the world nowadays. What’s more, the company is considered to be the leader of the industry The Apple products are of high quality and in high demand on all the markets. Apple services and stores are the gold standards for all the followers and niche players of the industry. Moreover, the majority of Apple customers are extremely loyal to the brands. Once they started using its high-technical products they keep doing it. At the same time the market share of the company is increasing constantly. Probably all the competitors are questioning what is the key to Apple Company’s success. It is important to note that the whole strategy determines the success of the business and the strategic analysis of the company can help to identify the main criteria. Thus, the object of the research paper is to develop a strategic analysis of Apple Inc, including its internal and external environment.
Apple started in 1976 by Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs as a computer company. Jobs and Wozniak had been friends in high school. In the year 1975, they were members of The Homebrew Computer Club, a now-legendary group where electronics supporters met to discuss the Altair 8800 and other technical topics (Nik Rawlinson 2015). Wozniak joined forces with Jobs to make personal computers in Job’s garage. That effort started out as a shoestring operation and quickly became successful. In 1977, the pair presented a relatively modern-looking computer in a plastic case and incorporated as Apple Computer that same year (Rouse 2009). In the last decade, Apple has expanded into a very complex company that specializes in much more than just computers. In 2001, Apple broke the obstacle with the iPod, eventually becoming the mainly market leader in music players as well.
Apple Inc. has come a long way since 1981. Yet again, Apple has won the “CMO Survey Award For Marketing Excellence” in 2012 for five consecutive years. Even though Apple is one of the most successful multinational corporation and has become a tech icon, the company had a pretty rocky start. Back in 80s, Apple Inc. originally called Apple Computers, wasn’t the leading company for manufacturing personal computers, while Microsoft flourished, selling their computers at low-cost
Apple, Inc. started as a computer company launched back in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The goal behind Apple Inc. was to create a computer that could be used by diverse global communities. Apple has always been very savvy in their approach on releasing the advanced technology that their company provides. Along with their innovative company computer products, Apple Inc. has expanded into other avenues. In addition, to the computers Apple Inc. has found themselves in the market of designing and manufacturing mobile and
Apple Inc. was formerly known as Apple Computer Inc for about 3 decades, but removed the word "Computer" in 2007, to show the company 's ongoing progression into the consumer electronics market, in addition to its traditional focus on personal computers. Apple Inc is a corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad, computer software such as the Mac OS X operating system, and personal computers such as the Mac Book and Mac Book Pro. Apple Computer was founded on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, and incorporated on January 3, 1977 by Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, college dropouts who conceptualized a personal computer that could be operated easily by anyone.
Apple Inc. has strived to achieve and maximize its product line and revenue and be the world’s leader within the society of technology. “During the last 20 years, Apple Incorporated has done exactly this with consistent brilliance shown within the products Apple Incorporated invents and provides to not only America but the world. The idea of this case study is to explore and research Apple Inc.’s adopted business plan, the plan that led to the creation of a new found market, i.e. microcomputers and later iPods and iPhones (Strategic Management Insight, 2013. SWOT analysis of Apple).”
An analysis was done on Corporate-Level Strategies adopted by Apple Computer Inc. (“Apple Computer”) that has brought tremendous success to the firm since it started.
The beginning of Apple started when Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs were friends and college drop-outs; Wozniak worked for Hewlett-Packard and Jobs worked for Atari. They decided to build and market their own computer in April of 1976; this was the beginning of a company known as Apple, along with their first product, the Apple 1. The company grew from that point, year by year, in leaps and bounds, such that in 1980 Apple employed several thousand employees ("Apple-history," 2013). Apple went through several ups and downs between 1981 and 1997, not to mention several CEO’s along the way. With the loss of Steve Jobs, it seemed that the company struggled until his return in 1997. With his return, Apple started to climb out of the hole it had fallen into (Mesa, 1998). From 1997 to 2007, With Steve Jobs at the helm, Apple became a leader in the technological world of computers ("Apple-history," 2013).
Apple was established by Steve jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne on the 1st April 1976 to enhance and market personal computers. It was titled Apple INC on the 9th June 2007, to emulate its aim at producing consumer electronics. They are in the Electronic industry and its most profitable goods are the Mac Computers, the iPod player, the iPhone, and the iPad tablet. Apple constantly debuts ingenious goods which ranks it one of the most customers, suppliers and investors and has a record of beating all rivals.