...example the Minidisc, this equipment has confirmed extremely popular in Japan and China, yet it has been unsuccessful in reaching essential mass in Europe and America, and has now been overtaken by the revolutionary digital MP3 technology. The portable audio market survives on advanced devices, thus when improvements are not made inevitably the market declines. Between 1995 and 2002, the market declined unsurprisingly because consumers were not challenged with something inspiring. However, from 2002 to 2004, sales eventually improved by the appearance of a much needed new portable music device, the MP3 player. Categorised now as a mainstream product, MP3 player sales from 2002 to 2004 quadrupled. (Mintel, 2005) 1.1Marketing Strategies of Apple's entrance in the Digital Music Industry The Apple iPod was revealed to be the most wanted portable music device. Its innovation targets consumers’ desires of sleek design, simplicity, and functionality. No longer was Apple catering for ‘geeky’ computer addicts, but now for the young, stylish and fun consumer. With high interest from other electrical manufacturers seeking to capitalise upon the interest in MP3 players, Mintel predicts that the growth will continue to rise in the market. As John F Sykes and Gaundez...
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...incorporated on January 3, 1977. The nature of Apple Inc. is to manufacture the best application software, technology and communication devices, and provide great customer service. A strong organizational structure is needed for a company to be successful. Apple incorporates a collaborative structure, which brings parties together to create a good working relationship to accomplish the current goal. A collaborative work environment leads to a variety of innovation and ideas from the efficiently qualified professionals’ working together to achieve goals. This is a new approach for Apple, while Steven Jobs was in charge, he dictated everything. One external factor is politics. Political factors for Apple Inc. provides a massive influence on decision-making, as more companies are being established worldwide. Maintaining good sales from countries other than America is important when expanding all over the world. Terrorism or bad international relations between the U.S. and other countries that consume or help manufacture Apple products would damage Apple Inc. reputation and have a negative impact on their business. The second external factors is new technology and competitors. Technology is advancing heavily on a daily basis, which makes the competition tougher to stay updated. The most resourceful and updated technology sells the fastest, and Apple updates very often...
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...Apple's Corporate Culture: 10 Lessons for Staying in Steve Jobs' Good Graces News Analysis: Apple's top iPhone executive has left the company over reports that he didn't fit into Apple's corporate culture. So, maybe it's time for a review of what Apple's culture is really all about. The announcement that Apple Senior Vice President Mark Papermaster left Apple sent shockwaves through the tech industry. Papermaster came to Apple from IBM after the companies waged a short-lived battle over exactly when he could start working at the hardware company. After that, he took over the iPhone and iPod Touch and, at least to outsiders, did a fine job of delivering products that consumers wanted. His departure from Apple was very much a surprise. But it didn't take long for some details and speculation about the reasons for Papermaster's departure from anonymous sources to make their way into news reports. One claim made by the Wall Street Journal stood out. The publication said that its sources claimed Papermaster didn't match well with Apple's corporate culture. And as those problems persisted, Steve Jobs started losing faith in his ability to lead the mobile devices division. Admittedly, the Wall Street Journal's report has not been confirmed by Apple or Papermaster, so it's impossible to say why he really left. But the source's claim of cultural incompatibility seems to be something that some employees suffer from at Apple. And that's unfortunate because Jobs has created one...
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...fact he flew in the face of the management technique of other Silicon Valley companies. While Google and Microsoft promote openness and strive to make their employees happy, Apple is incredibly secretive and most employees lived in fear of Jobs: but it worked. So how did Steve Jobs achieve such success while ignoring all traditional notions of business management? * Micromanaging Steve Jobs was unique as a CEO in the decisions he made; everything had to go through him from design to launch of a product. Not just the big decisions but the little ones right down to the design of the Apple shuttle bus and what food was served in the canteens. It has been reported that Google encourages its employees to spend 20% of their time on personal projects. The fruits of this tactic have included Gmail and Google News - both highly successful Google projects. Contrary to this, Steve Jobs ran the tightest ship in Silicon Valley. Every product was his own vision and woe betide the person who altered it. Clear vision coupled with effective communication meant that Apple's aim was to release products exactly how Jobs envisaged them. This design strategy - avoiding the group effort of most manufacturing companies is risky - if Jobs comes up with a bad idea then a huge amount of resources have been wasted. The thing is - he didn't come up with bad ideas. There have been some big flops from...
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...Apple's Social Performance BUS475 Professor xxxxxxxx 02-07-2016 Apple’s Social Performance Social Performance Management (SPM), as defined by Myers (2013), is the process of effectively managing an organization so that the institution can achieve a desired social mission. SPM is a management technique that pays significant focus on the customer as the core indicator of its operations' decisions. It starts with a clear social strategy which is executed by the board, management, and employees of the institution. Corporate Social Responsibility is intertwined with Social Performance as it involves the firm utilizing its resources to respond or solve a social problem and achieve a social goal at the same time (Myers, 2013). The discussion highlights the elements of social performance and responsibility linked to Apple Inc, and shares insight on various corporate social responsibility concerns associated with the firms' past operational practices. Apple Products Over the last decade, Apple has managed to build a recognized brand in the communication industry. The electronics industry is very competitive with various companies offering diverse and innovative products and services (Myers, 2013). Apple Inc is an established American Hi-tech firm that has been in operation for over four decades with its headquarters in Cupertino California. The multinational corporation offers general hardware products, but it specializes in software and technology relied on...
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...online stores, and direct sales force, as well as through the third-party cellular network, wholesalers and retailers. Until 2012, the net sales of Apple had increased by 31.5% to $142 billion. This report is a case analysis based on Apple’s competitive advantages and the measurement of their performance in both financial and non-financial fields. Competitive advantages 1. Industrial design: Turn the Ordinary into Something Beautiful Apple was the first company to introduced all-in-one computer with colourful translucent cases with a distinctive eggshell design. With the remarkable design, Apple’s product became “an icon of the digital age”. Apple values the whole consumer experience more than the actual technical performance. Many of Apple's competitors take pride in creating products that feature a superior technical performance. Apple products are often described as "brilliant and sex," and its users talk more about this sexiness than they talk about pure technology features. In essence, Apple has mastered the art of keeping the relationship of consumers with technology easy and exciting, while still maintaining a firm grip on the "engine's" performance. 2. Deeply in focus, narrowest product lines Unlike the vast majority of Apple’s rivals on...
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...The effect of the ACLU Imagine living in North Korea with no freedom and no idea of an outside world, having no rights and no way to communicate with anyone outside of the country. Without groups like the ACLU keeping the government in check and going to court for our civil liberties, that could very well be America. When a government has the power to take away their citizens rights, they start to no longer see their citizens as people. The ACLU fights for civil liberties and has championed many court cases over the violations of our constitutional rights. The ACLU was founded to defend our civil liberties and has successfully done so in the face of opposition from our own government. The ACLU was founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin and many others....
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...preferences, government regulations, and social demands. Not only are consumers vigilant about the quality of products, but a great influence in their purchasing decision has been the social and ethical behavior of companies they choose to patronize. Many consumer focus on the corporate social behavior of these companies, and whether they give back to the communities from which they make a profit. They also pay attention, to the impact these companies have on the environment and if they have any philanthropic causes. Also observed is the treatment of their employees and society on a whole, ethically and morally. Ethical and social responsibilities are therefore no longer a choice for businesses. They are obligations, which directly affects the brand and the overall success of these companies. The pages ahead will focus on the current ethical and social responsibilities of Apple Inc.™ and how the publication of violations and responsibilities made by Apple’s suppliers have affected Apple’s reputation over the past few years. Methods will be suggested which Apple can utilize to ensure its suppliers adhere to wage and benefits standards going forward and, will Apple customers be willing to pay even more for its products to ensure better wages and benefits for suppliers’ workers? Lets’ explore. Finally, ahead, Apple’s marketing strategy will be analyzed and recommendations will be made to improve its competitive advantage in the global market place. Overview...
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...reinvented its products, it has reinvented their organizational structure as well. The following is an analysis of Apple at an organizational level: its culture, leadership, ethical practices, and the use of power and political behavior. It is important to understand these factors because they represent a real-life learning opportunity for anybody involved in organizational management, based on one of the most recognized and successful companies of our time. Innovation is definitely at the core of Apple’s success. It was the first company to introduce a Personal Computer and the first and currently the leading company to introduce mobile technology such as the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad (CITE). However, Apple was not always the leading company in profitability. It struggled behind the more affordable Microsoft. It is interesting to note that as Apple struggled or succeeded with selling its products, it also made changes within their organizational structure. Throughout its history, Apple’s success has been influenced by its leadership, most famously of its co-founder, Steve Jobs. When one thinks of Steve Jobs, innovation comes to mind, which is at the heart of a leader’s role within an organization: “agitate for change and new approaches” (Nelson 187). Steve Jobs is a charismatic leader who regained control of the company in 1997, making several changes within the organization, from streamlining its products (for example, eliminating 15 of the company’s 19...
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...Q. 1 | Required | Marks | (a) | Students must delve practically to the progress and prosperity of Apple. Must dwell on the strategy of reliability and sustainability. Sustaining strategic change | 15 | (b) | Reveal the characteristics of a visionary leader – relate corporate strategies to corporate vision. Cite right-and wrong strategies and practically link to visionary leaders – mission and strategic direction. | 10 | (c) | The strategic notion of creativity, the birth of invention. Demonstrate comprehension of innovation and pioneering, the needed strategies for technological sustainability | 10 | Q. 1 | Required | Marks | (c) | Students must delve practically to the progress and prosperity of Apple. Must dwell on the strategy of reliability and sustainability. Sustaining strategic change | 15 | (d) | Reveal the characteristics of a visionary leader – relate corporate strategies to corporate vision. Cite right-and wrong strategies and practically link to visionary leaders – mission and strategic direction. | 10 | (c) | The strategic notion of creativity, the birth of invention. Demonstrate comprehension of innovation and pioneering, the needed strategies for technological sustainability | 10 | Case Study 1 APPLE COMPUTERS Apple was started in 1976 by a young entrepreneur, Steven Jobs, and his partner, computer nerd Stephen Wozniak. They began by making personal computers (PCs) in a garage. In 1983...
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...Running head: Apple’s Social Performance of Organizations 1 Social Performance of Organizations Shiquita Sanders Professor Donna Kilgore Ly Business and Society August 4, 2015 Specify the nature, structure, and types of products or services of Apple, and identify two key factors in the organization’s external environment that can affect its success. Provide explanation to support the rationale. The nature of the business is producing innovation gadgets, working programming, application programming and giving administrations. Apple is not only an equipment organization. It's a stage organization. It exceeds expectations at outlining items, be they equipment or programming or administration, if it can plan the entire experience. Apple’s nature is to create (in which they have) and keep the most popular devices globally and enjoy brand loyalty. For an organization to be fruitful it needs an in number authoritative structure. How the association is situated up will specifically affect the achievement or disappointment of the organization. They should be organized and composed in a manner that will best meet their objectives and needs. Despite the fact that the authoritative structure is centered around the organization's objective it likewise directs how to report needs and methodologies of...
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...money and floundering in a market it had once dominated. Shares in Apple were trading at an all time low of $7. The company had just announced its first layoff in history and1200 employees were being let go (Goodell, 1996). To make matters worse, Steve Jobs, Apple’s visionary leader had just lost control of the company to John Scully, the former CEO of Pepsi Cola, in a boardroom show down. Jobs was too erratic, it was claimed, and Apple required more steady leadership. Eleven years and two CEO’s later, Apple had still not recovered and teetered on the brink of extinction. It had lost was more than half its market share, and the company now only commanded only 16.5% of sales (Whelan, 98). In addition, it had just posted a $708 million fourth quarter loss and announced a reduction of one-third of its workforce for the second quarter (Goodell, 1996). A shadow of its former self, Apple needed a miracle. It needed a strategic vision and new direction. Ironically, this arrived with the acquisition of NeXT Step Computers Inc. in 1997 and its CEO, Steve Jobs. So, how did the company that invented the personal computer find itself in this situation, and how did it recover? An environmental analysis of Apple’s corporate history will examine the reasons including its competition with Microsoft, leadership changes, predatorial marketing and pricing practices, and...
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...An Inside Look on Apple Jocelyn Perry BUS 330 Principles of Marketing Cynthia Goussak October 6, 2015 When defining value, you have to have a precise understanding of how your customers describe it. When it’s time for consumers to purchase new products, they take heed to a lot of different things. First being is will they receive great value for what they are purchasing? They are spending their hard earned money on this product so the question they ask themselves is, “Does the value validate the amount I’m about to pay?” Next, they also evaluate the supplier of the product and their performance on a related criteria. If a business is working to gain and maintain customers, they must extremely understand what customer’s find important. When discussing value in terms of utilities, four core points are talked about. First being form, and “this is the utility that is the primary responsibility of purchasing and operations managers who acquire inputs and transform them into products or services of greater customer value (Fawcett, page 2.)” When consumers see the latest Apple products, they see a nice sleek finish. You always know what to expect when paying for the latest products with Apple. It won’t always be the exact same as the previous model, but it will have a twist to it. For example, the latest models of the iPhones come in the standard colors in addition to the newest one, rose gold. Whoever came up with this marketing strategy was brilliant because it worked. The rose gold...
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...BUS 475 Complete Course BUS475 Complete Course Click Link for the Answer: http://workbank247.com/q/bus-475-complete-course-bus475-complete-course/25712 http://workbank247.com/q/bus-475-complete-course-bus475-complete-course/25712 BUS 475 Week 1 Discussion "Assessing Stakeholder Positions" Please respond to the following: * Apple is about to release its latest technology. The company needs to develop a plan to communicate with key stakeholders about the release. You have been tasked with identifying those main stakeholders and selecting the method for communicating with each group. Summarize your plan in a two to three paragraph post. BUS 475 Week 1 Quiz 1 * Question 1 | | | All of the following are external stakeholders of the firm except: | | | | | | | | | * Question 2 | | | Departments, or offices, within an organization that reach across the dividing line that separates the company from groups and people in society are: | | | | | | | | | * Question 3 | | | When something stands out from a background, is seen as important, or draws attention it is: | | | | | | | | | * Question 4 | | | With the explosive growth of technologies that facilitate the sharing of information, this kind of stakeholder power has become increasingly important: | | | | | | | | | * Question 5 | | | Which argument says that stakeholder management realistically depicts how companies really work...
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...Revenue recognition – the accounting term for determining the amount of revenues to be “booked” for purposes of calculating a firm’s earnings in a given period – is an important, complex and controversial issue. The importance of revenue recognition stems from the accountant’s approach to calculating earnings, which is to first calculate recognized (“booked”) revenues, and then deduct the accounting costs of earning those revenues (a process known as “matching costs with revenues”). Consequently, revenue recognition directly affects reported earnings and indirectly affects balance sheet numbers and several important financial ratios. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) includes some general revenue recognition principles as well as many specific rules for recognizing revenues in particular circumstances. Even then, there frequently is scope for interpretation and judgment by the company’s managers and auditors. For various reasons managers can be expected to have preferences for the amount of reported earnings, so when the rules provide some latitude they can be expected to exercise judgment in a fashion that reflects those preferences. In addition, when there are rules that provide explicit revenue recognition guidance, managers sometimes knowingly or unknowingly violate them. Not surprisingly, approximately 60 per cent of all accounting malfeasance involves revenue recognition issues. Revenue recognition is particularly important in the software industry,...
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