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1. How well has Steve Jobs done as Apple’s CEO? Has he done a good job of performing the five tasks of strategic management discussed in Chapter 2? Why or why not? What grade would you give him?
Steve Jobs trascendió en el mundo de los negocios al ser el primer CEO que regresa a una compañía a hacerla grande. Jobs llegó con una clara idea de lo que sería su nueva visión de negocio, la innovación, alrededor de esta variable giró la nueva filosofía de Apple Inc.. Con la introducción de productos nuevos e innovadores, como el reproductor de música iPod, que se ha convertido en uno de los pilares del éxito actual de Apple. Jobs ha mantenido esta estrategia con el lanzamiento de nuevos productos, estilizados y de fácil uso que ayudaron a que incrementara su share, generando nuevos mercados.
Jobs ha sabido identificar claramente la tendencia del mercado hacia la sincronización entre los teléfonos móviles y PC, así como el mercado de la música digital, con una visión estratégica enfocada hacia estos cambios. Los objetivos se establecieron alrededor del éxito financiero y su medición mediante las unidades vendidas. Jobs desarrolló una estrategia de entrar en estos mercados por productos diferenciados, estilizados y fácil de usar, impulsado por una investigación de nuevos productos y la evaluación de las tendencias del mercado y su reacción con estas innovaciones.
Dado lo anterior considero que Steve Jobs se desempeñó de una manera sorprendente ya que supo redirigir a su compañía y enfocarla a un futuro muy claro para ellos con su visión. Convirtió a Apple en un rotundo caso de éxito después de que hasta el 2007 presentaba pérdidas en sus finanzas.

2. What are the chief elements of Apple’s strategy? How well do the pieces fit together? Is the strategy evolving?
Apple mantiene productos innovadores en el mercado, al darse cuenta de que innovación tiene que ser la estrategia de la empresa frente a la competencia. Jobs desarrolla tres estrategias para competir PC, iPod, y iPhone. De esta forma Apple participa de formas distintas en diferentes segmentos en un mercado constantemente cambiante guiado por la tecnología y la economía.

3. Does it make good strategic sense for Apple to be a competitor in the computer, digital music player, and mobile phone industries? Are the value chain activities that Apple performs in computers, digital music players, and mobile phones very similar and “compatible” or are there very important differences from product to product? Which of the three products lines —computers, digital music players, or mobile phones —do you think is most important to Apple’s future growth and profitability? Why?
Es correcto el sentido estratégico de Apple para competir en los diferentes mercados que participa, telefonía móvil, PC y música digital. Apple ha sabido mantenerse consistente en su plan estratégico basado en la innovación; ya que esta actividad la ha llevado a mantener un crecimiento e incrementar sus ingresos al ofrecer productos del gusto de todos los consumidores. Una ventaja competitiva que ha mostrado es el diferenciar muy bien sus productos del resto de la competencia. Actualmente el producto que tiende a significar un crecimiento está en la telefonía móvil, que es aquí en donde se encuentran apuntando las tendencias. Y es un mercado rápidamente cambiante y competido en donde jugando bien sus cartas y estrategias puede mantenerse por otros 5 años a la cabeza de este segmento.

4. In which industry—computers or digital music players—is competition more intense? Prepare a five-forces analysis of each industry to support your position.
ENTRADA
* Desarrollo de sistema operativo - Bajo * Costos altos por tecnologías patentadas - Bajo
RIVALES
* Competencia de Dell y Microsoft. - Alta * La tecnología cambia rápidamente - Alto

PODER DE COMPRADORES * Compradores comprometidos con la marca - Baja * Apple vende productos a precios premium - Alto * Los productos que se ofrecen van dirigidos a diferentes segmentos - Medio
SERVICIOS
* iPod está respaldado por la tienda más grande de música a nivel mundial, iTunes. - Bajo * Solo productos Apple pueden accesar a esta tienda. - Bajo * iPod posee el 70% del mercado - Bajo * iPod es altamente diferenciado de entre otros productos similares. - Bajo
PROVEEDORES
* Muchas compañías comparten proveedores - Medio * Los países donde se desarrollan las piezas cruzan por situación económicas que afectan los tiempos de producción - Altos
SUSTITUTOS
* Marcas como Dell ofrecen productos similares a costos bajos. - Alto * CD, DVD - Baja * Tablets con funciones de laptop - Alto

Con esta revisión rápida de las fuerzas de la industria considero que en donde hay más competencia podría ser para la industria de computadoras. Ya que hay una mayor variedad de productos similares, una gran variedad de precios y productos que ofrecen la misma o mas tecnología con precios bajos. A parte las tecnologías en el ámbito de computadoras cambia constantemente y muy rápido, lo que requiere de mayor inversión en innovación.

5. What does a competitive strength assessment reveal about Apple, as compared to the leaders in the personal computer industry? Use the methodology in Table 4.4 to support your answer. Among these competitors, who enjoys the strongest competitive position? Who is in the weakest overall competitive position? Has Apple’s strategy resulted in a substantial competitive advantage over its rivals in the computer industry? What is the basis for whatever competitive advantage it has?
Apple tiene fuertes ventajas competitivas en el segmento de computadoras al ofrecer: * Un excelente servicio al cliente. * Pantallas muy nítidas * Productos innovadores. * Un excelente posicionamiento de marca. * Una forma muy amigable de manejar sus sistemas operativos.
La estrategia de Apple de ofrecer productos altamente diferenciados e innovadores a través de fuertes inversiones en investigación y desarrollo ha dado una clara batalla a los líderes de la industria, así como el reconocimiento de marca a través del diseño de sus producto y la rápida aceptación en el mercado. Pero esto no es suficiente ya que sus competidores le llevan mucho camino y enfocan todos sus esfuerzos a mantenerse lideres en el segmento. La estrategia que está ejecutando Apple de manejar diferentes líneas de equipos es un escalón mas en esta batalla. Pero a diferencia de otros dispositivos un equipo de cómputo se adquiere en base a ciertas tareas que el usuario desea desempeñar y Apple siempre a caracterizado a sus computadoras como equipos poderosos y con atributos que mucha gente puede pensar en no utilizar, por lo que la opción de otras marcas con equipos mas económicos seria la opción. Apple todavía tiene mucho camino que recorrer desde el posicionamiento de su marca Mac ya que los consumidores los ubican con equipos muy especializados y caros.

6. What does a competitive strength assessment reveal about Apple, as compared to other main players in the digital music industry? Use the methodology in Table 4.4 to support your answer. Among these digital music player competitors, which company enjoys the strongest competitive position? Who is in the weakest overall competitive position? Has Apple’s strategy resulted in a substantial competitive advantage over its rivals in the digital music player industry? What is the basis for whatever competitive advantage Apple has?
Apple tiene fuertes ventajas competitivas en el segmento de la música digital al ofrecer: * Un excelente servicio al cliente. * Una amplia gama de dispositivos iPod * Productos innovadores. * Un excelente posicionamiento de marca. * Una forma muy amigable de adquirir la música.
La estrategia de Apple de ofrecer productos altamente diferenciados e innovadores a través de fuertes inversiones en investigación y desarrollo ha dado una clara ventaja como líderes de la industria, así como el reconocimiento de marca a través del diseño de sus producto y la rápida aceptación en el mercado.

7. What is your assessment of Apple Computer’s financial performance the past three years? (Use the financial ratios in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4 as a guide in doing your financial analysis.)
Apple a mantenido un crecimiento constante en el segmento de computadoras. En el periodo de 2010 al 2011 los equipos de computo PC incrementaron 1% a diferencia del periodo anterior que presentaba un 45%. Pero esto no es de alarmarse, ya que si bien el crecimiento fue moderado, el incremento en laptop fue del 34% a diferencia del 25% del periodo anterior. Por lo que se puede observar cual es la tendencia de compra además de competir las laptops con el segmento de las iPads que ha tenido excelente resultados. De continuar innovando los equipos desktop vendrán a desaparecer de su oferta de producto e impulsarán la venta de laptops con accesorios como monitores de 22" y 27". 8. What accounts for Apple’s noteworthy success in the markets for mobile smart phones and digital music players, but its overall weak showing in the computer industry?
Apple ha mantenido consistente la evolución y las innovaciones de nuevos productos. Apple anticipó la tendencia desarrollando un producto altamente diferenciado con un diseño único y reconocible y siguió mejorándolo. Apple en la industria de las computadoras, se enfrenta a una competencia dura en donde existe una amplia variedad de las mismas, software más compatible y más extensas las redes de usuarios. Ha sido notorio que la prioridad de Apple se encuentra en otros dispositivos, ya que la innovación en PC se ha visto rezagada, permitiendo a sus competidores alcanzarlos. Para Apple obtener el reconocimiento que tiene, tanto en la industria celular como en la industria digital y reproductores de música, debe aumentarse la variedad de opciones, así como desarrollar nuevas innovaciones para diferenciar aún más la marca y racionalizar el valor de precio premium.

9. Is Apple’s strategy in its computer business strong enough to compete successfully against Dell and HP?
La estrategia que había manejado estaba muy lejos de ser la correcta al ofrecer una gama limitada de computadoras y muy focalizadas a cierto tipo de cliente. Si aún está lejos de competir contra Dell y HP, va por buen camino al empezar a ofrecer diferentes equipos con características diversas que les permita ampliar su espectro a los diferentes consumidores que buscan un equipo con ciertas características que anteriormente no encontraban en Apple.

10. Does Apple’s strategy for its iPod business seem capable of allowing the company to remain on top of the digital music player industry over the next 5 years?
Sí, siempre y cuando se mantenga firme y constante con su estrategia de innovación y desarrollo de nuevos productos, así como manteniéndose como una marca premium de calidad y con diferenciación; entonces será capaz de mantener su share aún con los cambios en la industria e inclusive crecer. Pero al igual que con cualquier otra compañía, si se rezaga con sus productos y deja de ofrecer esos dispositivos llenos de sorpresas y tecnología, permitiendo que sus competidores sean agresivos y desarrollen innovación para competir con los productos de Apple, el panorama podría cambiar.

11. What steps should Apple take to improve its corporate performance and to strengthen its position in its most important markets?
Para asegurar la rentabilidad futura y un mayor crecimiento la empresa debe: * Mantenerse cerca de sus consumidores y ver qué es lo que quieren y conocer las tendencias del mercado. * Seguir en el camino de la innovación, desarrollando nuevos productos. * Seguir ofreciendo una gama variada de computadoras. * Ofrecer un iPhone completamente innovador o a la altura de alguno de sus competidores. * Mantener su biblioteca de iTunes y conservarla fresca para que siga siendo la tienda de música mas grande del mundo.
Para un futuro, Apple deberá seguir centrándose en su estrategia de desarrollo de productos innovadores y elegantes con una constante evaluación de las tendencias del mercado. Si Apple es capaz de mantener sus productos relacionados con las tendencias de la industria, así como incrementando usuarios, la empresa podrá seguir creciendo y aumentando su rentabilidad y ventaja competitiva, colocándola en una posición más estable para resistir las fluctuaciones del mercado en constante cambio. La clave para el éxito futuro de Apple es inherente a su estrategia: la innovación constante.

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...S w W12774 APPLE A1 Tom Watson wrote this case under the supervision of Professor Mary Crossan solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality. Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation prohibits any form of reproduction, storage or transmission without its written permission. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; e-mail cases@ivey.uwo.ca. Copyright © 2012, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Version: 2012-03-05 APPLE INCORPORATED In the fourth quarter of 2011, Apple Inc. posted record results and overtook Hewlett-Packard as the world’s largest vendor of personal computers, thanks to booming demand for its tablet computer, which helped drive global industry sales to 120 million, up 16 per cent from the same period a year earlier.2 The Cupertino, California-based company’s sales of 15.4 million iPads and 5.2 million Macintosh computers accounted for 17 per cent of total shipments. Apple, which also sold 37 million iPhones during...

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