...the leading brand for phones, laptops, and mp3s among other technological devices. Macbook, iPhone, iPad, and iPod, the inventions and properties of Apple, are dominating and influencing the mind of teenagers and even the elders alike with its advanced functions and applications that aren’t replicable by brands. Apple’s attainment in this century has led the people to wonder the reason behind its achievements. What kind of organizational and corporate structure does Apple pursue to possess the successes? How does Apple motivate its employees in the work environment? Some give credit to the innovator of Apple, Steve Jobs, whose unorthodox style of leadership is the foundation of the company’s management. Although Apple’s organizational structure, corporate culture may seem to be a new style of management, it is inherently a cultural approach. In addition, it is Steve Jobs who is at the top of the chain of command reinforcing cultural management through his leadership, pursuit of skilled employees, and his firm grounding of corporate culture. Apple is a US-based consumer electronics company known for its ability to come out with path-breaking products. The work culture, propelled by a passion for new products with no trepidation to challenges and obstacles, exemplifies its intense work ethics. The employees are seen as small teams working for the larger organization. With each division working on a special task, one team might be responsible for designing and testing the newly...
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...Rareş Pamfil Sociology 25: Sociology of Organizations Prof. David Ager TF: Shawna Bowden Paper 2: Option 1 Apple’s challenges and its dependency on market Apple was founded in 1976 and has, since its founding, offered a line of products that was distinct from that of its competitors. In the very beginning, it was actually the first company to sell an easy-to-use, desktop computer. The Apple II was very successful, and started the market for personal computers, bringing it to over $1 billion in less than three years.[1] However, within a few years, IBM and Microsoft entered the market, and by 1982 the IBM-compatibles had driven down Apple’s share to just 6.2%[2]. Since then, Apple has launched several other successful product lines, such as the PowerPC, iMAC or MacBook. But in retrospect, one can only wonder why despite Apple’s initial success and its easy-use, versatile product line, its market share in the PC market has remained so low. Even in the past few years, it has produced less than 5% of the PCs sold worldwide.[3] According to resource dependency theory[4], organizations are often controlled by external forces, and their ability to transform their goals is limited by those who they depend on for their survival. These outside actors range from suppliers to venture partners to advocacy groups and to competitors. The path of Apple has been influenced by the demand for a particular kind of computers and by the PC model that was prevalent in the market. In my paper...
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...International Management Project - Apple - Summary In a context of “fast growing technological market", what could be the futures perspectives of Apple over the strategic issues in order to maintain its competitive advantage? Introduction I – A Sociology of Steve Jobs A) Steve jobs: the perfect illustration of a charismatic authority B) Steve Jobs: does he really is an inventor? C) From death to succession II – How does Apple react about the uprising competition on the consumer electronic market? A) Understanding the market B) External and Internal analyze through specific models C) Major changes on the market D) Apple’s strategic positioning: a specific target audience III – Recommendations and Justifications A) Drawing of frightening competitor B) Possible strategies C) What Apple is looking for and how to reach it? Conclusion Appendix Introduction In a period of financial turbulences, the consumer electronics market is facing several challenges where every company have to differentiate themselves and bring something more through innovation in to be able to maintain their competitive advantage and to grow their market share. In this case, Apple, great name, is probably the most innovative corporation established on this market by staying aware of the trends evolutions as well as of the electronics consumers’ needs to gain competitive advantages. Indeed, its orientation...
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...Evidence Based Management and Psychological Contracts: The Success of Apple. Aaron Wood Ottawa University * Introduction For decades, the application of organizational behavior theories to business management has been an ongoing process of discovery and innovative thinking. Concepts like evidence based management (McShane, 2013) and psychological contracts (Braekkan & Tunheim, 2013) are being employed in some of the world’s leading corporations. For the purpose of this paper, the synthesis of material into conceptual application will be applied to a single corporate entity. By choosing a company with global interests who continues to espouse very personal, individual based value perspectives, Apple is a good representational fit. This paper will highlight not only how Apple in some cases is using these concepts successfully in the market place, but also ways in which their former CEO failed miserably in utilization of these concepts while achieving enormous corporate success. This paper will also look to Apple’s future and how study of these theories along with others may be further developed. Multiple references from a wide array of media sources and fields of study have been researched to show the breadth of Apple’s stakeholder and business positioning strategies from the earliest days up to resources compiled as late as November 2013. As the development of information threads lead to fields like manufacturing, education, supply chains, demography, and even...
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...Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Organisational Culture 3 3.0 Theoretical Framework Used 5 4.0 Reason for Using Schein’s Framework 6 5.0 Analysis of Apple’s Workplace Design 8 6.0 Conclusion 11 7.0 References 13 8.0 Appendix 16 1.0 Introduction Apple Inc was found by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne in 1976. Apple is a successful and well-known company that designs, creates and produces consumer electronics, computer software and personal computers. Apple is also well recognised for the used of technology that is cutting edge and the innovation that take place on the products. Macintosh computers, iPhone, iPod and iPad are the best-known hardware products of Apple. As the slogan that used in the advertising in 1997, “Think Different” and Steve Job’s creativity and passion in making innovation and differentiate the products from competitors has been the culture of Apple. The leadership of Steven Jobs and the culture that embedded inside the company have drive the success of Apple and become the market leader. As culture informs success and leadership drives culture (Elliot, 2012). 2.0 Focus of Report on Culture on Organisation Practice Nowadays, it has been recognised that different organisations have distinctive culture that embedded in the organisation. Every organisation has the unique cultures that makes it different from the other organisation and give people a sense of direction in achieving the goal. Therefore, it is essential...
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...Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 8 ( 1991 ) 67-83 Elsevier Towards a new theory of innovation management: A case study comparing Canon, Inc. and Apple Computer, Inc. Ikujiro Nonaka Institute of Business Research, Hitotsuhashi University, Kunitachi, Tokyo, Japan Martin Kenney Department of Applied Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA Abstract This paper argues that innovation can be best understood as an information process which is then concretized as a product that meets demand. Two very different firms, Canon Inc. and Apple Computer Inc., are used as case study illustrations. Innovation does not proceed through logical deduction, but rather is furthered by the use of metaphors and analogies. The bureaucratic and staid structures of the firm can be challenged and broken up to provide the space for innovations to emerge. The leader’s role in the innovating firm is as a catalyst and facilitator, not as an allknowing despot. The importance of innovations is not merely in the new product, but also the “ripple” effects of innovations which can propel the firm into a self-renewal process. Keywords: Innovation management, High-technology, Case study. 1. Introduction Increasingly, corporate competitive success is hinging upon the effective management of innovation. Innovation has been the object of considerable academic study from a variety of perspectives. However, innovations are usually considered as objects. We...
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...Almost everyone in business is aware of Apple’s amazing product success and the extraordinary leadership of Steve Jobs. Some would say that it’s the corporate culture of the company that has allowed them to go from solely a computer company to being known for its ability to come out with path-breaking products. That culture has also been tied to the innovation created at Apple and how they became the pioneer of the “Work Hard Play Hard” ethic. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, he totally change the whole organization. With the help from his Human Resources Director, Jay Elliot, he reorganized the hierarchy of the company from the more traditional functioning vertical organization designed by the previous CEO to a flat organization, launching open communication policies and recruiting employees who were genuinely excited about creating products for the company (Shelly, 2011). Steve Job’s leadership skills and the principles for hiring the right people and developing management policies were the basis for Apple’s start and what has helped shaped the organization and defined their corporate culture. Apple's human resource management attracts a quality workforce by attracting visionary people that think freely and can see the potential in different objects. It does this through excellent human resource planning, job specifications, recruiting and the selection process. It all begins with hiring the right people, so how does Apple go about finding the best people who...
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...HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY S.Y. 2012-2013 YORGBEV PIXAR MAGIC CASE STUDY Submitted to : I. Viewpoint II. Significant Case Facts * Robert Iger, Walt Disney Co. new CEO, first task was to acquire Pixar Animation Studios. * Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio that brought us Mickey Mouse and The Lion King, had become moribund over the past decade because of Pixar’s award-winning productions. * John Lasseter, now the Chief Creative Officer of both Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, explained that from the very beginning, they had to get the best people from the computer science world and from the artistic film making animation world and get them working together. * In this case, Pixar also stated how they enabled people to work together in several ways; First, is the company relies on long-term employment rather than short-term project contracts. Second, Pixar’s campus in Emeryville, California, was designed to cluster people into teams yet also encourage chance encounters with people from other projects. And third, Pixar’s egalitarian, no-nonsense, perfectionist culture is another reason the animation studio’s staff work effectively. III. Problems / Questions 1. Explain Pixar’s effectiveness as an organization using any two perspectives of organization effectiveness. 2. Scanning through the chapter titles of this book, which topics seem to dominate Pixar’s organization practices? Why would these practices be emphasized...
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...Re: Apple, Inc. Issues 1. Apple, Inc.’s reputation after Steve Jobs is no longer head of Apple, Inc. and keeping a competitive advatange. Recommendations 1. Maintaining and adding value to Apple with their intellectual capital. Rationale 1. It all starts with the culture of the company. Apple has the best of the best in technology, marketing, ect. Finding that person who has a vision and is not afraid of his ideas like Steve Jobs could carry on innovation aspect of the company. Apple has the partnerships with their suppliers and the consumer’s base that keeps looking out for Apple products. They are known worldwide and even though Apple is being questioned as to whether they will make it without the mind of the man who created Apple, this company will succeed if they think ahead of the market. They have to look at their opportunities and take them to build something great for their customer base. With Apple’s awesome supply chain management they have been able to stay competitive in their wide variety of market entries. To keep the company up float they need to engrain the company’s mission and values to their employees and partners. Apple has to trust their employees that they could come up with innovative ideas just like Steve Jobs. In doing so their employees will have more confidence and show the world that is putting their capabilities to question that they can still keep up with what Steve Jobs created and go beyond. Treasuring your workers and everyone...
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...dinimic business plan. They are allways trying new ideas. Apple stores: There are over 250 stores all over the woruld. Apple gives there customers that face to face interaction with an employee that can fix,setup and troubleshoot any of there products. Another reason why they are so successful is because there products just "work" together. In other wirds, if you plug an i phone into a mac it's easier to figure out how to import your music photos and oher media. I cloud is another reason why appple is so successful. They are a firm believer in having all your documents, music photos and even your settings in sync for transfering or setting up a new device. 2 products that have contributed to apple's success are the i phone and i pod. Steve jobs has said that he wanted the first i phone to be "An iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator," A brand that inspires innovation, engineering, user experience and design. Like any other Apple product; iPhone has set new standers on every front living up to and surpassing user expectation. This unfair (yet truly justified) feature has made iPhone rank highest in customer satisfaction. source: Taken from J.D.Power http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/07/jd_power_smartphone_survey/ The i pod has been so successful because of total integration. Itunes and th mac plus the ipod itself has changed the game for portablity of music. It's simple to use. The first ipod contained a...
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...One of the most renowned companies in the technology word today is Apple. Created by Steve Jobs, Apple revolutionized the computer in 1976 with the release of the Apple 1. From that point on Apple has always been on the top of the market with its products. Presently they lead the market in Smart Phones, Tablets and Personal Computers. With the huge demand for their products, there comes an enormous responsibility for manufacturing the devices in a quick and cost effective matter. With the rapidly growing market of Apple computers and the technology/electronic industry as a whole, Apple eventually had to rethink how they manufactured their products to create the most efficient outcome; the highest revenue with the lowest cost. The competitive nature of the technology industry causes companies to look for a competitive advantage, which will make them much more profitable than their competitors. For the majority of the company’s history, they have been known to manufacture their products in the USA and even prided themselves with building the Macintosh computer which Steve Jobs described as “a machine that is made in America”. In 2004, when the company was not nearly as financially profitable as they are today, they decided their best option was to start manufacturing their products in other countries. The company, who is now a leader in foreign manufacturing, was lagging behind many American companies in terms of manufacturing abroad at that point in time. The majority of...
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...Chinese Culture University Department of International Business International Business Administration Leadership Style of Steve Jobs Professor: Ph.D. Johnny Shaw /………………/ Group members: Tumennast (A2123706) Maria (A2125229) Thelma (A2506486) Enkhgerel (A2123731) Steve Job’s Leadership Style 1. Leadership, transformational leadership style. 2.1. Definition of a Leadership Leadership itself can be defined by many alternatives: Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task" Some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs other, while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal” . Who is a leader? At the most basic level, a leader is someone who leads other. But what makes someone a leader? What is it about being a leader that some people understand and use to their advantage? What can you do to be a leader? Here's what you need to know and do. A leader is a person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills to make it happen. Let's look at each of those in detail. The Leader's Vision A leader has a vision. Leaders see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be achieved. It may be something that no one else sees or simply something that no one else wants to tackle...
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...living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” –Steve Jobs. (Steve Jobs Quotes) His very voice echoed in the ears of millions across the globe, his saga, leaving a lesson to be taught to the indigenous people of the twenty first century. Steve Jobs, a man whose innovative thoughts transpired to develop one of the highest technological advancements in the history of mankind. Steve Jobs cofounded Apple in his parents’ garage in 1976, was ejected in 1985, returned to rescue it from near bankruptcy in 1997, and by the time he died, in October 2011, had built it into the world’s most valuable company. (Isaacson). After the release of Job’s biography, other inspired leaders got a chance to scope out how he lived, thought, and ran his company. All the lessons that can be passed down from his life cannot be simply described in one sitting. Although, there are seven key components that helped shape his life of success; being a rebel, an optimist, a dreamer, an enabler, an adaptor, and a philanthropist. Steve Jobs was the ideal figure head of his company’s Apple and Pixar. Yet with his success there were other contributors that, without their knowledge, Apple would not be in existence. Daniel Kottke and Bill Fernandez had front-row seats to the birth of the personal computing...
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...to change the world for the better. That’s the same way that one man thought back in the early 1970’s. This man was Steven Paul Jobs. Over the last 30 years he has paved the way for an industry that is constantly changing. He was a man that came from nothing and showed the world that anybody who dreams for something can accomplish it. He is a leader not only in business but also in the world. Many people look up to him, including myself, and I would one day hope to possess an ounce of the leadership that he had. I have already attained my associate’s degree in business administration in June of 2011 from Orange County Community College in Middletown New York. While there I learned the basics to what it takes to become successful in the business industry. The reason that I chose this degree is because I work for Best Buy. When I started there I knew that I wanted to be more than a part timer. I knew that one day I wanted to work my way up the ladder and become a bigger piece to the puzzle. So I worked hard and decided to start college. Now that I am a supervisor and that I have one degree under my belt I just want to continue the push myself to do more. The next step would be management in my job, and I hope to have that within the next 6 months. While trying for that, I will be completing my bachelor’s degree at Devry University. Most management jobs, I have seen, ask for a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. This will pave the way for my future in a business field that continues...
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...profiles of two visionaries: bill gates and Steve jobs Prepared for: Rumana Afrose Lecturer Department of Business Administration East West University Prepared by: Md. Taijul Islam ID: 2009-2-10-217 Subject Code: MGT 101Section: 09 | Date of Submission: November 04, 2013 Table of content: Introduction In this assignment contrasting leadership style of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs has been analyzed and main features of the style have been described. The impact of their leadership style individual, team and organizational performance has also been explained. Various global leaders have different leadership style depending on the size and nature of the organization. The two global leaders known for their achievements in their field are Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Their leadership style has contrasting aspects as well as few similarities. Profile of Steve jobs: * Name: Steve Jobs * Full Name: Steven Paul Jobs * Aka: Steve Jobs * Aka: Steven Jobs * Birth date: Steven Paul Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. * Education: Reed College, Homestead High School * Occupation: Entrepreneur, Inventor 1 Apr 1976: Apple Computer Inc. is incorporated by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Apr 1989: Steve Jobs is named 'Entrepreneur of the decade' by Inc. magazine Jul 1997: Gil Amelio is ousted by the Apple Board of directors after a disastrous quarter. Steve Jobs is named interim CEO in his place and installs...
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