Apple, Inc.:
Transparency in Corporate Statements About the CEO
On June 9, 2008, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, numerous media outlets and a packed house waited to hear Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs’s keynote address introducing the new iPhone 3G. While the product’s debut drew raves worldwide, the real buzz was created by how gaunt and exhausted Steve Jobs appeared on stage. Rumors immediately began circulating on Internet forums on the apparent source of his condition – perhaps a reemergence of the pancreatic cancer he suffered in 2004 or some new unknown ailment plaguing the widely revered business icon? Six months after the WWDC, Apple announced that Jobs would not be delivering his customary
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Since Jobs’s gaunt appearance at the WWDC in June 2008, Wall Street has been keeping a close eye on Apple. Its share price has been shifting with the different emerging announcements. While there is a segment of the public that feels that a person’s medical condition is a matter of privacy and not under the realm of public disclosure, there is a segment that insists that, in this case, it is indeed within the purview of shareholders. Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times emphatically stated that “Apple has allowed its institutional arrogance, its culture of secretiveness, and possibly its solicitude for and fear of Jobs to lead it down a path of rank corporate irresponsibility.”4 Apple is facing credibility issues with both its corporate communication and with concerns regarding the company’s success without Steve Jobs. As Dylan Ratigan stated on CNBC’s Fast Money, “…the quality of information we’re getting from Apple is inconsistent at best and misleading at worst.”5 Combined with post-Jobs jitters, it seems unlikely that such a highly praised, successful company with an extremely loyal customer base would invoke such backlash and concern about its future over any single employee, but clearly Steve Jobs proves to be the exception. Early Days Apple Computer was established on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald
In 1996, Apple was a struggling company that had lost more than 70% of its market capitalization in the past decade. Apple’s sales had fell dramatically and their new personal computers weren’t particularly popular with consumers. The return of Steve Jobs to the company was a turning point for Apple and initiated a new era for the firm. With the launch of innovative products such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad, Apple became the biggest brand in the world. Now it remained to be seen if Tim Cook would be able to continue to develop new products and maintain Apple’s success.
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
Apple is an American multinational corporation which designs, manufactures and markets a range of consumer electronics and software products (Apple Inc., 2008). At the end of last fiscal year, Apple’s worldwide annual sales amounted to $32.5 billion, an increase of 35% from 2007 (Apple Inc., 2008). Not surprisingly then, was Apple voted America’s most admired company, also topping the global survey (Fortune,
Since 1976 Apple’s innovation has helped the company become a market leader in computer and mobile electronics. Through this time the company has faced a number of challenges either it be an internal power struggles or criticism from the media for certain aspects of their business model. This report covers five different issues that the company is facing or may face in the future.
In 2003, a rare tumor called the neuroendocrine tumor was found in Steve Jobs’s pancreas. Jobs kept avoiding his doctor and surgeries. But 9 months after the tumor was found, he finally agreed to have surgery. The surgery was successful and gave Jobs another six to seven years to live. Blumenthal said about his situation, “The prospect of death kept him focused on what was most important to him, prompting him to shift direction when he stopped making the most of each day” (246). Jobs took several medical leaves from Apple and finally, he resigns from Apple on August 24, 2011. This left many people worried if Jobs was going to be okay; he was not. A little under two months later, he passed away and the whole world was distraught by his
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
Apple new chief executive ‘Tim Cook’ does not seem concerned about the recorded short fall of the company since the passing of Co-founder Steve Jobs. Recorded losses in revenue for Apple fourth quarter could be significantly the result of many factors (Sky News, 2011). The main contributing factor, being the
The audience was predisposed to appreciate Steve Jobs as almost 25% of the audience worked in the technology industry, Most of the students sitting in the audience owned or had used an Apple device, and the excitement was tangible in the stadium as they waited to hear the CEO of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios…the man who had beaten pancreatic cancer.
I learned that Apple is a juggernaut when it comes to their technological products and marketing goals. Apple focuses on the needs of customer’s light years ahead of their competition and even before most consumers have realized they want Apple’s products. Through their innovative marketing involving social media, word of mouth, Apple Stores they have convinced consumers about the high value of their product even lending to the formation of a “Mac cult” for its diehard fans. The way ahead for Apple is not to lose sight of its brand loyalty and continue to service the customers and entice them with the brand’s prestige. Even with the death of Steve Jobs, I believe Apple forge ahead to differentiate itself from the markets they are in.
Apple, Inc. (formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc.) was incorporated in the State of California in 1977. Apple currently designs, manufactures, and markets a variety of computer and personal electronic products, including Macintosh computers, and the iPod digital music player. AppleÕs key markets are consumers, creative professionals, educational institutions, and business users.
n has been tainted due to the publication of ethics and social responsibilities violations. It is remarkable how Apple could rise from the wreckage of being a crumbling company in 1997 to an impressive market of over 500 billion dollars within 15 years (Sethi, 2012). Apple has been considered to be one of the world
Asustek Computer Inc operates in Semiconductors industry. The Group 's principal activities are designing, manufacturing and selling computer products and other electronic products. Products include computer motherboards, computer software, supplemental and upgrading cards, optical instruments, wired and wireless telecommunication apparatus. Operations are carried out in Taiwan, Asia Pacific and other countries. The Group exports its products to Canada, Asia Pacific, the United States of America, Europe and South Africa. Cisco Systems Inc operates in Telecommunications Equipment industry. The Group 's principal activities are to design, manufacture and sell Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology (IT) industry and provide services associated with these products and their use. The Group 's products are installed at enterprise businesses, public institutions, telecommunications companies, commercial businesses and personal residences. The Group offers its products in five categories: Switches, Advanced Technologies, Routers, Service, and Other. Its service offerings include technical support services and advanced services. It operates in the United States, Canada, European Markets, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, Russia, Asia Pacific and Japan. During Fiscal 2009, the Group acquired PostPath, Inc., Pure
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.
With the recent passing of Steve Jobs, there has been an intense spotlight focused on both the man and the company he built. Most of the attention has rightfully been focused on Jobs’ passion and creativity, as well as the remarkable period of innovation he preside. As a symbolic leader, the man not only once saving the company from bankruptcy but also building up a well-known brand that had integrate with our daily life – Apple.
The continued increase in share value has rewarded investors in the stock market, as well as by Apple, Inc. itself through high dividends recently - $15.97 per share (adjusted for 7 to 1 stock split) in 2014, up from $11.80 in 2013 and $5.30 in 2012 - even though dividends have historically been negligible. From 1996 to 2012, the company declared no dividends at all, signalling a period of expansion and investment in the company (Apple, 2014). During this time, Co-founder Steve Jobs returned to Apple as CEO led Apple in remaking itself into the industry leader they are today. Job orchestrates an immediate success to the company, as he announces that Apple will sell computers directly to the consumer through the Internet; it becomes the third largest e-Commerce site in the Internet (Mesa, 1998). They revolutionized the music industry with the launching the iPod campaign in 2001 and the phone industry by introducing the iPhone in 2007 (“Steve Jobs”, 2011).