Apple Essays (Examples)

Apple Corporation SWOT analysis
Apple Inc. is one of the well-known and recognized enterprises by not only the business community but populace from all over the world are cognizant about this corporation. It started off its business from the decade of 1970 that has been involved in the designing, manufacturing and offering its consumers with a wide range of innovative and technologically refined products like computers, software, music players and its related accessories, peripherals, and networking solutions. Macintosh computers, iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac are few of the popular and admired range of product lines that is offered by Apple Inc. (O'GADY, 2008).

Apple Inc. did not intend to cater a small target audience but aimed at a larger population with target audience in multiple segments. In this regard, Apple targeted vast group of consumers incorporating home users, small and medium sized business users, education sector and young generation population. Apple Inc. has…

Apple Inc. that was previously known as Apple Computer, Inc. is an American multi-national corporation that deals in consumer electronics, personal computers and computer software and was founded in 1976. Steve Jobs was the co-founder of Apple. During his stay as CEO, company launched series of revolutionary technologies. He died on October 5, 2011. Currently, Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple. efore being on this position, Cook was Apple's Chief Operating Officer. He was responsible for managing the company's sales and operations including supply chain, support services, and sales activities all over the world.
As according to the September 2011 stats, Apple operates more than 300 retail stores in 11 countries. In addition to the retail stores, there is an online store that deals with individuals and corporate customers in hardware and software products.

The company had computer in its name but removed it on January 9, 2007 when it achieved…

Apple Inc. Company Analysis
Current situation

Currently, Apple Inc. focuses on designing, manufacturing, and marketing media and mobile devices, digital portable music players and personal computers. The company sells varied related services, software, networking solutions, digital application, content and peripherals. Products manufactured by the company include Mac, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, different varieties of professional and consumer software, OSX and iOS operating systems, support and service offerings, as well as various iCloud accessories. The company manufactures and markets digital applications and content through Mac App Store, App Stores, and iTunes Software. These products and services are sold globally on the company's online stores, retail stores, and direct selling through sales representatives. They also sell through third party networks such as value added sellers, retailers and wholesalers. ecently, Apple Inc. acquired a new Chomp search engine (Linzmayer, 2008).

Current changes

After the death of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. has maintained and expanded the leadership as…

Apple in the Enterprise -- their role in B2B Markets
Apple in the Enterprise:

How They Are Succeeding in the Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketplace

Apple Inc., has shown through the consecutive series of innovations in the smartphone, MP3 and tablet markets that their propensity to create profitable business models is now a core competency. While investment and analysts debate just what the critical catalyst of their successes are, nearly everyone agrees on the ability to create products that deliver exceptional customer experiences (Brown, 2011). In addition, Apple has long been one of the most integrated companies within the network of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and engineers (Saxenian, 1991). Combining a unique new product development and design process with the intensive levels of engineering, social and technology-based connections throughout the industry has given Apple a defensible, highly profitable position in the industry. All of these factors are exactly what Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Directors of IT…

Apple Inc. Organization's Product Life Cycle
Samsung, Google, and Microsoft are the three predominant competitors for Apple Inc. These giant firms are fundamentally auspicious in making Apple Inc. lose its market share. They are utilizing price competition methodologies and more current and quick line expansions. The rivalry is exceptionally extreme because of current players and the presence of substitutes, which have the capacity to snatch ten percent of the market share of the overall industry (Melnyk & Narasimhan, 2010). The explanation for such solid rivalry from substitutes is the low switching expenses of the clients. This is because they can effectively shift from one brand name onto the next by being attracted to lower commodity prices.

Clearly, these alternative brands do not charge premium costs like that of Apple's branded items. The organization confronts the threat of new entrants in the business sector. In any case, the industry requires high venture for…

Apple is a consumer technology company that markets a wide range of branded consumer electronics. According to Porter's typology, Apple utilizes a differentiation strategy, wherein it markets to a mass audience but focuses on finding ways to differentiate itself from its competitors (QuickMBA, 2010). ith this strategy, it is the degree to which the company is able to successfully differentiate itself that allows it to make money.
Apple's most important activities are product development and marketing. The company develops its products at its California headquarters. The development process is highly secretive, but it also contributes strongly to the company's differentiation (Lowensohn, 2012). The products are developed individually to appeal to consumers on a number of different levels. Slick design is important to the success of the products, as Apple aims to have superior aesthetic value to its competitors. The company also utilizes proprietary operating systems and software in order to distinguish…

Apple iPad 4
Questions from the Survey Used to Conduct Qualitative esearch

On a scale of one to five with five being an extremely strong desire and one representing no desire, what is your desire to purchase an iPad?

What is the main use for which you are buying an iPad?

In your opinion, why do you see the iPad as being more expensive than other tablets?

What other apple products do you own?

What word first comes to your head when you hear the word "apple products" or see the apple logo?

What benefits does the iPad 4 have to offer you?

What other issues are a concern to you when purchasing an iPad other than price?

Who else do you know that owns an iPad 4?

What feature of the iPad 4 do you anticipate using the most?

Will your iPad 4 be used mostly for work-related issues or for personal tasks?

Subjects were recruited at random from a pool…

Apple
Founded sometimes in 1976 by Stephen Wozniak and the late Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. has today become one of the most popular companies in the personal computers industry. Today, the company designs, manufactures and offers for sale a wide variety of consumer electronics including but not in any way limited to portable communication mobile devices and personal computers. Further, the company also avails to consumers a number of related peripherals as well as software and other related services. In this text, I review Apple's marketing strategy and make recommendations on the changes the company needs to make on the same.

Apple Inc.'s Marketing Strategy

Arguable one of the best innovators in the personal computers marketplace, Apple offers for sale a wide range of products and services. When it comes to hardware, the company avails for sale personal computers through its Macintosh PCs line and other portable devices including the iPad, the iPhone…

Apple Inc.
About the company

The odds that Apple will be mentioned as the most innovative company are very high due to its reputation for leading edge products. It is the world's third largest mobile phone maker just after Samsung and Nokia. Apple has had a reputation since its founders who are college dropouts Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak brought it into existence. It was established in 1976 and incorporated in 1977 (euters Edition U.S., 2012). It had the name Apple Computers Inc. For thirty years until it was renamed in 2007 since the traditional focus of production of computers shifted to the production of consumer electronics.

Apple memorably invented the Mackintosh in 1984 and since then it has gone on to build a hard core brand name due to the fact that its customers who liked the good designs of their products (euters edition U.S., 2012). Apple Inc. is a company that…

Apple Inc. is a designer and marketer of consumer electronics based in California. Although the U.S. is by far its biggest market, it operates in a number of markets around the world. The company's current product segments include computers, tablets, smartphones, software and music players. Apple faces a wide range of competition, often different competitors in each business segment. The company has enjoyed considerable success in recent years, making market share gains and seeing its stock price to over $640 at one point (MSN Moneycentral, 2012). This paper will analyze Apple from the perspective of both its qualitative strategy and its financials. Some of its competitors will also be analyzed. The objective of the report is to make a determination about Apple's financial health. It is expected that, given the run of success that Apple has had, that the company is in good financial health.
Income Statement

There are a few different…

Apple Corporation and Ethics
Apple Corporation and Its Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies

Apple Inc.(2014) is an American corporation, which designs and produces computer hardware, software and other consumer. Its best-known products include the Macintosh personal computer line, Mac OS X, iTunes media applications and the iPod personal music player. Its headquarters are in Cupertino, California and has 284 retail locations in 10 different countries. It was opened on April 16, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. Since then, it has enjoyed a unique reputation in the consumer electronic industry. Forbes (2014) placed Apple Inc.'s market capital at $416.62 billion (Apple).

Current Position on Ethical and Social Responsibilities

Apple formulated and enforced a Supplier Code of Conduct in 2005 a year ahead of accusations of sweatshops' violations (Myers, 202; Shapiro & Nova, 2014; USSEC, 2011; Apple, 2014; Satariano & Culpa, 2014). This Code…

Creating applications that are interesting, fun and productive for its customer segments is a high priority that Apple continually invests in over time (Apple Investor elations, 2013). By analyzing a series of Apple filings with the Securities and Exchange (SEC) in addition to the latest annual reports the following market segmentation analysis of the Apple customer base has been created. Figure 1, Apple iPhone, iPad, iPad2 and MacBook Series Demographics 2013 illustrates the distribution of sales by market segment. Males 18 -- 45 are the largest market segment with 37% of all sales worldwide.
Figure 1: Worldwide Apple iPhone, iPad, iPad2 and MacBook Series Demographics, 2013

Market Segment

Share

Males 18-45

37.0%

Females 18-45

28.0%

Males 45

2.0%

Based on an analysis of sources:

(Apple Investor elations, 2013)

Apple uses these specific demographics for planning product strategies and also defining segmentation strategies by product line. Apple has shown in their filings with the SEC and throughout their annual reports that the…

Apple iPad Promotional Activity Analysis
Promotional activities are extremely important in terms of how a company gains and maintains customer traffic. The use of promotional tactics have the capacity to make or break a company, along with being a driving force in placing a company on the map in terms of competing industries. Apple is a company that has utilized clever and timely promotions for its products that have allowed Apple products to become the standard in terms of high quality and recognition within the technology industry. Such vital promotional activity can be seen more specifically in Apple's work with their iPad campaign. In understanding the campaign fully in terms of its reach, frequency, message, target, etc. one can better gauge the overall success of the campaign in order to understand if Apple's promotional tactics have paid off in the long-run.

Promotional Goals

In viewing the promotional goals of Apple in marketing the…

Apple's success leaves little room for improvement. However, there are few areas where improvements can be made. Pricing strategy is one of them. There are two common tactics that Apple is reticent to make use of. One is discounts -- aside from Black Friday most of Apple's core products are seldom discounted. One example is the MacBook Air. When launched, it was a best in class machine with a best in class price. Premium pricing is logical when the company has a monopoly, which was the case for the second iteration of the MacBook Air for around a year. Now, however, new competitors are entering the market including Toshiba, Asus, Samsung and Sony. It is recommended therefore that Apple makes more use of competitive pricing, including discounts.
The argument can be made that Apple offers a highly-differentiated product at a premium price point, and in many cases this is true. But…

Race to the Top is less harsh, but more rewarding to better schools, and provides a huge amount of incentive to improve. (Race to the Top, 1) Only time will tell if President Obama's education program will be successful or not.
Those who oppose using federal money to buy Apple Computers, which are notoriously expensive, are against the idea of education as being a source of pride for America, and a tool for expanding the capabilities of America's new 21st century leadership. Usually, these groups are against public education as a federal mandate, believing that local districts should carry the entire burden of education. This view is popular amongst conservatives, but will tarnish the ability of thousands of schools and tens of thousands of students to acquire an adequate education when they are living within poor school districts. These devices are necessary because they hold in themselves the magic of…

Apple's Pricing Strategies
Analyzing the World of Marketing & Technology:

Apple's Pricing Strategies

Technological gadgets govern life in American society. With every step, one is bombarded by advertisements touting the newest and the best in electronic devices. Smart phones, for instance, are seemingly everywhere, from a teenager's texting hands to a board meeting presenting growth figures. Yet one company has managed to outdo all others. Apple has survived through decades of changes in governance and fluctuating stock values, and has finally surfaced as the enterprise with the most coveted electronic devices. Apple has not only created a new vocabulary for this segment of business with its omnipresent "i," but has managed, with Steve Jobs' shrewdness, to advance, in mass numbers, things that society absolutely does not need, at ridiculous prices. One must, thus, wonder, how Apple does it. For this reason, the paragraphs below will focus on analyzing how the company creates value…

Apple
Company Overview

Apple Inc. is a designer and marketer of consumer electronic devices. The company's main products are the iPhone smartphone, the iPad tablet, the iPod line of music players, and lines of personal computers. The company is vertically integrated with respect to design, so it also has a significant revenue source from its software, most of which complements its devices. Apple has its design headquarters in California. The company operates retail locations in several countries around the world, including dozens of locations in the United States. here there is no Apple retail outlet, the company uses third party retailers. Apple is also one of the world's largest Internet retailers.

Vulnerability to Financial Threats

The consumer electronics industry is heavily driven by new product development. The product life cycle is generally short, and must be extended with new product iterations every year or two. Consumption of consumer electronics is increasing globally, and rapidly.…

" (Quick MBA, p. 1)
Quite in fact, few companies have ever demonstrated the effectiveness of this principle better than Apple, a technology firm which ultimately succeeded in dominating a flagging music market by substituting its technologically driven delivery innovations for the role played by record companies, distributors and music retail stores alike. In a sense, iTunes and the iPod have superceded all of these forces in determining the thrust of the current music industry. Today, there are many different streaming and subscription digital music services. Likewise, there are a wide array of mobile devices, media playing devices and listening platforms which might be perceived as potential substitutes for different aspects of Apple's music product lines and services. However, to present day, Apple owes a great deal of its success to the fact that its product differentiation is nothing less than iconic. Such is to say that its sleek design, singular…

Apple and Dell used to compete directly against one another in the personal computer business. Apple has since moved on to become a consumer electronics powerhouse, earning most of its billions from the sale of smartphones and tablets, while Dell's business has all but stagnated, the company not even being a player in those two high-growth segments. Analysis of the financial statements of these two companies can shed light on how this bears out on the financial statements.
Apple has seen a sharp increase in its operating cash flows over the past three years. In FY2009, the company earned $10.1 billion in cash flows from operations, then $18.6 billion in FY2010. FY2011, however, represented a significant increase over that amount, to $37.2 billion. This represents an increase of 100%. The company's total cash holdings on the balance sheet, however, decreased by 12.8% to $9.8 billion. The major change was in the…

Apple
Analysis of Nominal and Common Size Statements

In terms of nominal figures, Apple's financial statements indicate that the company has experienced an exceptional run of success. In the past three years, the company's revenues have increased by 152%, from $42.9 billion in 2009 to $108.2 billion in 2011. This rapid escalation in revenue derives primarily from two products, the iPhone and the iPad, both of which have sold tens of millions of units in the past three years and driven the phenomenal growth in the company.

The growth in other line items on the income statement has mirrored the growth in revenue. Cost of goods sold has increased from $25.6 billion in 2009 to $64.4 billion in 2011. Selling, general and administrative expense has increased from $4.1 billion in 2009 to $7.6 billion in 2011. esearch and development expense has increased from $1.3 billion to $2.4 billion over the same period. The…

Apple is rumored to be designing a video player and accompanying video store, which will provide even more multimedia content for the digital hub.
In order to insure future success, Apple only needs to continue on its current path. Steve Jobs recently announced that Apple would switch to the same Intel processors that power most other personal computers. Despite concerns from some in the technology press that the switch will reduce Apple's ability to differentiate its products from competitors, the move should benifit Apple. Relative performance will not be an issue as it has been in the past. Apple products have suffered from the perception of being slower than Intel PCs for much of their recent life, yet customers stil wanted Macintoshes. Apple will continue to differentiate itself from commodity PC manufacturers through careful design, high quality and the Macintosh operating system, which is generally regarded as superior to Microsoft's…

Apple's Training And Development: An Assessment Case Study
Apple is one of the most well-known brands on the planet. It provides amazing technology with stellar service to countries all over the globe. Apple has a high consumer reputation for representing the highest quality products and the most innovative technologies. In many ways, Apple is well on its way to fulfilling its goals of being the best in the market. In order to continue getting closer to this goal, it is imperative for Apple to develop and maintain a training structure that will best provide efficient and innovative minds to help contribute to the overall success of the company as a whole.

Mission Statement and Goals

Apple's mission is ambitious. The company aims to make "the best personal computers in the world" (Apple, 2012). Apple wants to combine amazing and innovative technologies with quality hardware to best serve the numbers of consumers who know…

Alternatives and olutions

Clearly, Apple is a successful, multidimensional and global corporation. ales have more than doubled between 2005 and 2009 domestically and more than tripled internationally. The company has adequate income to fund R&D, but could reduce cost of sales considerably and funnel those funds into future projects and/or advertising. olutions for their issues may be broken down into four general areas: Reduction of COG through outsourcing, Improving Market hare by boosting iPhone line, and oft Push Advertising Campaign to Improve Global Image, and Improving trategic Partnerships:

Reduction of COG - When Jobs was still at the helm, Apple said that American workers were no longer "flexible" enough to assemble their products at a cost-effective rate. witching to a Chinese manufacturing base could save millions; instead of spending money on new domestic factories, use lower wages, government (Chinese) incentives and tax breaks to build iPhone, iPad and other Apple products at…

Stock Buybacks/Repurchase
Stock buybacks or repurchase is exercised by companies for a variety of reasons including to increase EPS, undervalued stock, mergers, takeovers, acquisitions, and stock options. Over the past few years, companies have been buying back stocks in record-breaking figures. An example of a company that has recently exercised stock buyback or repurchase is Apple Inc., which recently launched a $300 billion stock buyback program. In the 2017 financial year, Apple repurchased some of its stocks from shareholders through privately negotiated and/or open market transactions. Apple’s stock repurchases program has been influenced by various factors in relation to enhancing the firm’s profitability and growth. First, the company launched this program to help buyback undervalued stocks or shares. Apple considered stock repurchase as an ideal measure toward scooping up its undervalued shares (Shen, 2017). Secondly, Apple engaged in stock buyback in 2017 to help boost its EPS and enhance shareholder value…

What Is It About? Apple’s Supplier Responsibility 2017 Progress Report includes a section on supply chain logistics, management, and ethics. In a special section entitled, “Manufacturing with the World In Mind,” Apple asserts its commitment to working with suppliers that can help them reach their environmental goals. Part of the global supply chain strategy is to help all partners switch to renewable energy. Ultimate goals include “driving programs that minimize carbon emissions, eliminate landfill waste, conserve water, and replace unsafe chemicals,” (p. 11). Apple also describes its paper supply chain management, in which almost all (>99%) of their paper packaging materials come from “recycled wood fiber or sustainably managed forests and controlled wood sources,” (p. 11).
Who Is Impacted?
In addition to Apple itself, all members of the company’s current and future supply chain are impacted by its policy. The Tech-Com case study shows how Apple helped this one major Shanghai final assembly…

Introduction Apple Inc. pays considerable attention to its conduct code. It wishes to ensure its offering is manufactured and sold in an ethical and efficient manner. The technology giant evaluates every element of its conduct code, personally undertakes audits for making certain its offering is produced correctly, and ensures the employees engaged in the manufacturing process are accorded ethical and fair treatment. Over time, the company has modified its conduct code a number of times for ensuring its goods are appropriately supplied to end customers. Suppliers who fail at complying with the corporation’s code simply end up endangering their dealings with the company. They may end up losing their license to manufacture and market Apple products (Moren, 2014; Apple Inc., 2017a). The company wishes to deliver to customers the entire package, and to guarantee their manufacturing process is eco-friendly. Finally, they wish to ensure their finished goods are in line with…

Financial Research Report A: Introduction
There are several factors that one ought to take into consideration before investing in a firm. These factors include, but are not limited to, the enterprise's performance, the caliber of the management in place, the financial condition of the Company, and future prospects of the business. However, it is essential to note that one key factor that could be overlooked, despite its relevance, is the profile of the client seeking to invest in a firm. This is an incredibly important consideration given that each client has different temperament and investment objectives (i.e., protect savings from inflation, grow wealth, etc.). As a financial manager whose key functions include researching investments for clients, I intend to highlight the rationale for selecting Apple Inc. as the stock of choice and why the preferred stock is a suitable investment alternative for my client.
B: Rationale for Stock Selection
Apple Inc. happens to be…

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE Accounting and Finance: Apple 10KAs the mission of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is to safeguard its investors, which it does through offering mutual funds, retirement plans, and various other types of investments (SEC. gov, 2021). They believe in treating everyone equally and fairly, for which orderly market maintenance is believed to be mandatory. It is done by being responsive to the market needs that might sometimes face challenges or be following certain trends. Technological advancement in this change regulation is considered imperative to stay updated and monitor changes continuously. Also, the facilitation of capital formation is another facilitation that it provides to its investors for which, the mission is accomplished by giving access to the investment needed. Entrepreneurs are supported with the life-changing financial opportunities or technological assistance that need to be mentioned in their reports as they are enlisted with SEC; similar action…

APPLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND LEGAL ASSESSMENTExecutive SummaryApple Inc. is among the most significant corporate companies globally, listed among the top profitable firms. This results from the high-profit margins that the company makes annually from selling its products at a premium rate. It is also seen as a revolutionary company due to the various innovative products that it has launched over the years. The firm operates at a global scale and is perfect when demonstrating the aspect of globalization. Several socio-economic and legal factors affect the companys operations and, to a large extent, act as the drivers of the companys success. Among the most crucial is the flexibility of work and its changing nature since more people are now adopting remote working. This has brought about increased demand for Apples products. Middle-class populations are also growing in emerging economies like Ethiopia, China, and India. These countries have prominent people and are recording…

The dynamics of the PC industry from the 1980s through the 1990s saw the emergence of the personal computer, led by Apple (Jobs, Wozniak and Markkula), who produced a high-end PC that revolutionized the way people thought about computing. IBM then entered into the marketplace using Microsoft’s OS and offered the public a cheaper version of what Apple was doing—one that was more compatible across the broader market, too. Apple’s product was efficient and technologically superior, but it was also very specialized and its high price coupled with this specialization caused the company to gradually lose market share to competitors during this time. During this time, desktop publishing was a major part of the industry, and Apple was a leader here too—but competition was fierce. Apple and IBM actually formed a joint venture in the early 1990s to produce a new OS together, and Apple also looked to leapfrog use of…

Industry Analysis for Apple The Apple began in the IT industry as a personal computer manufacturer with the Apple I series of computers in the 1970's. The company was not the first to design a personal computer, but it managed to revolutionize the home computing industry by releasing a personal computer that was designed for amateurs and not hobbyists and engineers (den Hartigh, Ortt, van de Kaa, & Stolwijk, 2016). This was in complete contrast to what other manufacturers were doing and this is what set the company apart from the rest. The company went further and developed personal computers that had a graphical user interface, which was unheard of during those times. This endeared the company to many home and business users who preferred to work on the Apple computers.
Apple has managed to transition itself from a purely hardware manufacturing company to a hardware and software company that revolutionizes the…

Apple Inc. is a technology company widely known for the designing, production and selling merchandise to do with mobile phones, music and computers. Apple has become some sort of a cult-brand over the past few years with its lifeline being retained and marinated by iTunes, Imac line, and QuickTime. Apple has increasingly concentrated on increasing the market share of their iPhone which has a range of smartphones of varying specifications. In the long term pursuit, Apple wants to be the highest seller of their merchandise at the global platform, and it is this long-term goal that informs this analysis to see the challenges and opportunities that Apple faces in this pursuit. The porter’s five forces model of analysis of markets often takes into account five major areas, just as the name suggests. These five forces are as follows, with the ratings alongside in the concept of Apple smartphones; Competitive rivalry or…

Apple exists in an oligopoly market structure, wherein a small handful of companies control the market. Apple, along with Samsung, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google) and Nokia, essentially control the tech industry (smart phones, computers, portable devices, etc.). While smaller companies do exist, it is these larger companies that set the stage for prices, products and innovation. To what extent Apple’s current status as a blue chip stock may be representative of the company’s actual true value and is a question that an analysis of micro- and macroeconomic trends and conditions may be able to determine. This paper will analyze economic data and business data to explain how the core economic principles impact the sustainability of Apple, Inc. and what actions the firm can take now to ensure success in the future.
Apple’s current market share of smart phone market stands at 19.2% and the company leads all others with 77.3 million phones…

Apple remains committed to its differentiated positioning, and that will inherently limit their share of the market.
Tablets are Apple's second-largest market. The iPad was launched in fiscal 2010 and in fiscal 2011 it enjoyed 311% growth. It has now begun to emerge as a substitute for personal computers, even in the corporate market (Etherington, 2012). This has helped to drive growth. The iPad has always been a differentiated product within this market, based on its rich features and high price point. As with smartphones, Apple faces competition primarily from Android for this business, with Blackberry and indows trailing. The tablet business has better low-end options than the smartphone business. For example, Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook are low-end tablets that evolved from e-readers and have taken a large share of the tablet market. Apple is also going to face increased competition from Microsoft in this market, as…

Apple is considered one of the best companies globally at using a product lifecycle management (PLM) based approach to planning and executing new products, often leading to new patents being created in the process (Tariq, Ishrat, Khan, 2011). This first strategy concentrates on understanding just what is required from the new product teams in terms of support and services, then aligning hiring plans accordingly to ensure the highest possible level of performance to hiring and recruitment goals.
A second strategy that the company can rely on to effectively plan H esources is to develop a series of check points throughout the hiring process to ensure the needs being evaluated with potential employees accurately align with the broader needs of the company as well. This continual, and recursive approach to developing a very clear idea of what is needed from a recruiting standpoint will be critical to overall success of program.…

Apple
Recruiting

There are a number of different ways that Apple can recruit the talent it needs to design chips in-house. The first is through acquisition. The article notes that Apple has bought a small chip maker in order to acquire some talent and patents. This approach is often good because the talent is already in place, and the team is already familiar with the technology. There is still the need to get that team up to speed with Apple norms, but acquisition is often the fastest route to talent and technology acquisition. A second method would be making inquiries via the company's existing talent pool. Tech people often know other tech people, with whom they have worked over the years. People in this business will have worked at multiple companies and their contacts could prove valuable for Apple in trying to find the chip-design talent that it needs. The third method…

Apple and Google: Interpretation of Financial Statement Changes
Based on the computations presented in Table 1, Apple comes across as being the best performer. My assertion is in this case largely based on the changes in the revenue figure. In the two years under consideration, the company registered a 66% increase in revenues. The enhanced revenue could in this case be an indicator of enhanced sales as a result of aggressive marketing or new product launch. An increase in unit selling price of the company's products could also have contributed to the change in revenue. Google on the other hand managed to increase its revenues by 29% within the same period. It is however important to note that in each case, the cost of goods sold also increased significantly.

From a managerial perspective, the information derived from the computations and comparisons in Table 1 are useful for a number of reasons. To…

(How they're grown) Vigilant trimming or clipping is required for Apple trees for the period of the first five years of growth. As the trees flower, the fruits require shield from insects that damage the apples. General practice is to use chemicals to look after the orchard. The apple tree requires a period of dormancy or rest. This is the reason for non-growth of Apple trees in areas where average winter temperatures are more than 48 degrees F. In the spring, frost can spoil the apple flowering. The best areas for Apple trees to grow are hilltops or slopes as the frost shifts downward the slope prior to the undoing of flowers. The apples' food delivery from the tree is stopped two weeks before reaping and the apples turn into sweeter. Mainly during September and October, the majority of apples are cropped by hand. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees:…

Apple Computer is one of the great corporate success stories of the past decade. On the back of a successive string of hit products, the company has experience rapid growth over the past several years. In its last fiscal year, ended 9/25/2010, Apple earned $14 billion on revenues of $65.2 billion (Apple Inc. Fiscal 2010 Form 10-K). These figures increased 70% and 52% respectively in fiscal 2010. Apple has a stellar balance sheet and its stock price is now at a lofty $315 per share (MSN Moneycentral, 2010).
Apple's primary business is in consumer electronics. The company's core businesses are in personal computers, mp3 players, smartphones and electronic media. Apple's leading products include the Mac line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad tablet computer. The company's media properties include the iTunes music store and the iPhone App Store. Apple operates a number of proprietary retail outlets and markets…

Apple (Mac) Finances and Globalization
Apple's goal is not making money, claims Sir Jonathan Ive - Apple's head of design. For a mega company that is worth a reported $539 billion, this might pass as a frivolous statement and Ive admits this. However, he asserts that his sentiments are true and factual. Ive clarifies that their goal is producing excellent products. These statements were made at the British Embassy's Creative Summit and were reported by The Telegraph. He stated that in being successful at this goal, consumers like the products Apple produces and when the company operates efficiently then revenue will definitely follow.

What happened in a courtroom in California does however negate these statements as Apple has engaged Samsung in several patent law suits in a number of countries the world over. In one such case against Samsung tablets and smart phones, Apple claims that Samsung products are blindly copied --…

High customer satisfaction rates are attained through meticulous planning. The customers are not only made happy by easy to use and robust products but also have the desire to buy more in the future.
Conclusion

In the computer industry, most people still perceive Apple as the runner because of the significant influence Microsoft has on personal computers. However apple has been able to diversify its product line in the technology scope i.e. from computer hardware to software, gadgets and online media. This makes apple able to serve most of the consumer needs not only in variety but also in the quality in design and performance of its products. Through adopting a division form of business, apple makes it hard for it to be acquired since this will require a massive buyoff. Thus it has been able to retain most of it leadership for a long time. Strategic partnerships have also been…

The customers have often been left at dead-ends in the company's product strategy with only high-priced options left for moving into a next-generation product (Jonash, Koehler, Onassis, 2007). Suppliers have often been given inadequate information on new products, and if they are given new product designs, held to very stringent standards as to how they are used (Apple Investor elations, 2011). Apple admits in its financial statements and filings with the SEC that their practices with regard to new product development and supply chain integration with Foxconn in China have been exceptionally tight, yet they content that is to maintain confidentiality of development practices (Apple Investor elations, 2011). Foxconn has seen Apple iPhone prototypes stolen or lost with potential damage to the product leadership of the company as a result (Balfour, Culpan, 2010). Foxconn workers who were responsible for iPhone prototypes that had been stolen or lost have been…

Apple is vey inteested in the selling pocess. As a consequence, Apple has made significant investments in pogams designed to impove eselle sales. One of these pogams is the Apple Sales Consultant Pogam. This pogam consists in placing Apple employees and contactos at selected thid-paty eselle locations.

The eason behind this stategy consists in the fact that Apple's manages conside that one of the key factos that sustain a successful geneal stategy is epesented by diect contact with tageted customes. This is a geat way fo Apple to pove the advantages of its poducts in compaison to the poducts of the company's competitos.

In ode to incease the numbe of customes, Apple stoes ae vey impotant. Regading the company's stoes, location is vey impotant Apple stoes can be found in high taffic locations, quality shopping malls, and uban shopping disticts.

The company's poduct line is consisted of the following categoies: hadwae poducts (MacBook…

In China, that is not the case and there are tens of millions of peasants who would read such descriptions and think those workers lucky. Such context would have made for a more balanced and honest article.
Indeed, the initial article is one of the more flawed in the series of reports that the Times put out on the Foxconn issue. The article begins with an anecdote about a worker who was killed in an accident. The reality is that workers are killed on the job every day in America, too. The company paid his family quickly with a check as compensation. Again, the article makes this sound somewhat harsh, but an American firm might drag the case through the court system for years. There is no sense of contrast provided in the scathing original article that would allow a reader to have a better sense of why China's working…

Apple, Google
Analysis of each company

Apple is a designer and marketer of consumer electronic devices and software. The company is also vertically integrated with respect to retailing, operating its own stores and functioning as one of the biggest online retailers in the world. Apple's primary products are the iPhone ($80.4 billion), iPad ($32.4 billion) and portable computers ($17.1 billion). Other billion-dollar products are desktop computers, iPod music players, iTunes, peripherals and software (Apple 2012 Annual Report). Apple's customers are primarily consumers who purchase through retail channels, either from Apple or authorized third party retailers. Customers also include small and medium-sized businesses, educational institutions and government. Geographically, Apple is geographically diversified. Leading regions are the Americas (36%), Europe (23.2%) and Asia-Pacific, ex-Japan (21.2%). Suppliers to Apple include manufacturers like Foxconn that assemble the products and the different component suppliers, of which they are dozens for any given device. Most suppliers are located…

Apple Computers Influence on Popular Culture
Apple Computer, Inc. is recognized worldwide for creating powerful solutions that are based on user-friendly personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, personal digital assistants and Internet content (Apply Pp). Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple is an innovator in the information industry and a leader in multimedia technologies (Apple Pp). It develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in roughly one hundred and fifty countries (Apple Pp). Apple has had a profound influence on popular culture. Macintosh users are not just users, they are devotees, who use the computer to express their beliefs on the relationship between technology and society, for they believe the Mac is not simply an object by which to think, it is a spiritual path to a future where technology and humans co-exist in harmony (Lam Pp).

As opposed to…

It is common for enterprise-level customers to get an 800 number and be asked to bring their systems into a store for support. When a corporation has literally thousands of them this is clearly not feasible, and it has only been recently that Apple has addressed this with an enterprise-level support plan.
The bottom line is that Apple still attracts those workaholics looking for a cause to fully commit themselves to, and despite the shortcomings of scaling to the enterprise area, their introduction of iTunes and iPods have revolutionized personal digital entertainment, and continue to propel the company to the highest levels of financial performance it has ever attained both in terms of p[profitability and sales performance.

Apple's Financial Position in 2006

As of November, 2006 Apple's financial performance is exemplary for the sector it competes in, and appears to be ready to move away from the purely digital entertainment positioning it…

Given the monopoly of Microsoft on the IT market, Apple needs to implement highly attractive promotional strategies. For instance, given that Apple software runs on Linux operating system, the company freely distributes compact discs containing Linux and other similar versions such as Ubuntu. Those who desire to possess these CDs will register online and within one week they will receive the products at their residence.

Another issue regarding Apple's marketing mix regards the distribution and selling of the products. The producer sells their products within their own retail stores as well as within other IT specialized stores. In addition to retail stores, Apple also distributes their products towards the final customers throughout the Internet and specialized magazines. In the case of specialized magazines, the reader of an IT magazine can place an order with the aid of an order coupon in the magazine and have the products delivered to their houses.

Category…

Apple Case
Apple represents the business of the future - a business that provides solutions to problems a customer may not even know they possess. Apple has shown how to be first in the market with devices, content and communications and has changed life, as we know it with each product introduction. From the early days of the Macintosh computer to the present day Mac ook Pro, iPhone G4 and the iPad, Apple has differentiated itself from Microsoft and is now in the data access, generation, portability and sharing business rather than just software and hardware.This paper will update the case of Apple-Merging Technology, usiness, and Entertainment" and examine the strategies used by Apple and their impact on information system managers.

Case Update

The iPod was launched in October, 2001, since that time Apple has launched multiple variations of the iPod including the most recent iPod 4th Generation, iPod Nano 6th Generation, iPod…

Apple Company
Apple Computer, Inc. is a multinational corporation with its roots in the United States. It designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers (Shetty, 2011). The company has grown to rival the likes of Microsoft in the world of consumer electronics and computers. As such, its physical, monetary and human resources, as well as its knowledge and technology are used in such a way as to ensure the growth and sustainability of the company. Despite several criticisms, the company's current size and stature in the public eye remain testament to its effective use and management of the resources at its disposal.

According to Shetty (2011), the company's best-known hardware products are its Macintosh computers and the iPod, iPhone and iPad. It also promotes a range of software, including the Mac OS X operating system, iTunes media browser, iLife multimedia, and iWork productivity software, among several others.

In terms of…

In doing this, Apple was able to successfully create even greater differentiation through an innovative approach to product positioning that captured new customers while retaining the trust of its large, profitable installed base. Apple has been able to precisely do this by holding into their old-line customers who are more like unpaid evangelists and the new generation of customers who are focused on the iPod and iPhone. Apple has been able to successfully use their insights into new product, supply chain process, and manufacturing innovations to create a highly defensible product and services strategy. The use of intelligence to create a synchronized and differentiated strategy is what differentiates market leaders, and this is seen from the case study in how well Apple has been able to do this with their suppliers and channels.
2. If Apple does have a competitive advantage, is it likely to be sustainable? (Why? What makes…

The MacBook, which came out five months after the MacBook Pro, is slightly smaller than the MacBook Pro, and the critic at Macorld.com, Jason Snell, writes that the black MacBook has a matte finish and is "clearly preferred" over the classic white version. The MacBook that Snell reviewed has an "incredibly reflective" screen; is the reflective screen an improvement over the old style "anti-glare" screen? "Some people will love it, and others will hate it," Snell explains. hen seen in the right conditions, Snell continues, the glossy screen "looks absolutely gorgeous"; however, it can also be distracting when you can constantly see your own face reflected back at you from your laptop's screen, Snell points out.

The keyboard, with its keys that are perfect squares, is appealing to Macorld. But what is not appealing is the mouse button, which left Snell wanting "more tactile feedback" when he clicked the mouse. He…

Apple Innovation
Innovation at Apple Inc.

Apple Inc. is widely regarded today as an innovator in both the computing and digital media fields with its research and development efforts rippling across all dimensions of the private sector. As the discussion below will demonstrate, Apple's success can largely be traced to the internal sourcing of its research and development department and further can be connected to the orientation of Apple's visionary CEO, Steve Jobs.

Still, this internally driven innovation has benefited from some outside influence. The text by Croslin (2011) demonstrates the manner in which innovation can be fed both by External forces and Internal features. Proceeding from interviews with Steve Jobs and others at Apple, the text by Croslin tells the narrative of Jobs and Apple in a way that demonstrates both the primacy of the CEO's vision and the centrality of experiences Jobs had with forces external to his company. Croslin notes…

This understanding will help Apple to better predict future usage patterns.
Apple always wants to be out front of trends in its industry. This characterizes the type of data that it wants to receive. Market feedback data, for example, reflects old news for the company about its competitive position. Apple knows, for example, that it is losing market share to Android but uses that information to help it search for the knowledge it truly needs -- what is Android doing that Apple is not and how can Apple leapfrog Google and regain that market share.

Apple uses a variety of information sources in order to help make marketing decisions. It wants to be a leader in the field and not reactionary, so it uses the information it gathers to try and determine future trends in the industry. This information provides the basis for superior decision-making that allows Apple to design products…

Psychographics of Apple Customers

Sources: (Anthes, 2011) (Barwise, Meehan, 2010).

ecommendations

What Apple must do is re-position the iPad Mini as a viable option for the majority of its customer base by bundling in more software applications to make this latest device indispensable to anyone who owns a Macintosh, iPhone or has music purchased on iTunes. Apple has long struggled with integration across third party platforms, so making the iPad Mini a vital link to all other areas of its product liens and service strategies will help to make this device more appealing tot the customer base. It also must go beyond its current approach of manufacturing and choose to allow slight customizations of the iPad Mini as well, which will further given the Apple customer base a reason to identify with and buy the new device.

eferences

Anthes, G. (2011). Invasion of the mobile apps. Association for Computing Machinery.Communications of the ACM, 54(9), 16.

Apple,…

Apple
Case Summary

Apple in 2010 is riding high on the success of the iPhone and the iPad. The company is facing decline in some products, while others are at the front end of their life cycle. There is competition in smartphones emerging from Google's Android platform, and this platform could eventually be applied to tablets. There is some concern that the iPad tablet does not have enough features to sustain long-term growth, although Apple should be able to develop those features over time. The company has, however, enjoyed both technological leadership and exceptional performance. This performance has come as Apple has developed a suite of products that attract consumers to buy not just one product but several. Its place in the personal computer industry, however, remains as a niche player, despite the market dominance of some of its other products.

Case Analysis

Apple's overall strategy is to compete as a differentiated player. The…

Apple Innovation
Innovative Strategy at Apple

Apple Inc. is a company that is known worldwide as one of the most visionary and innovative companies in existence. This reputation is in spite of the near failure of the company during the mid-1990s, after its founding in 1976. hat sets Apple apart from its competitors is the unique CEO and founder, Steve Jobs, who set a path for Apple that was based on excellence in both technology and design. The mission statement of Apple is surprisingly simple; saying "Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, and creative professionals and consumers throughout the world with its innovative hardware and software offerings. The visionary statement of Steve Jobs, however, is more telling of the principles that guide Apple. It goes, "Man is the creator of change in this world. As such he should be above systems and structures, and not…

Apple Inc. Ethics
The Apple Inc. has grown exponentially from the years when it diversified from being strictly a computer manufacturing company to production of consumer electronics. It has then had several firms across the world and in some areas places where the labor cost is very low, hence predisposing the organization to possibility of labor abuse. This has then called for strict ethical policies followed by implementation of the same.

According to Apple Inc. (2009), the organization has strived to make sure the employees and those with whom Apple is associated with like the suppliers show appropriate conduct at all times. Its ethical foundation is that all the workers are treated with maximum respect and dignity and that the manufacturing processes are environmentally friendly from the start to the end of the chain. According to Apple, there are four components of integrity; honesty, respect, confidentiality and compliance. To ensure that this…

The launch of The Apple Store, Apple's online retail center that made it the first major computer manufacturer to sell its products directly to consumers, was the third largest online retailer within a week of its launch, signaling the success of Jobs' new vision (Sanford 2010). Having bought out many of the company's licensing agreements with other manufacturers, Jobs was focusing on making the company entirely contained in its vertical integration, and this has served the company incredibly well ever since (Sanford 2010).
The iPod was released to phenomenal sales, and these sales continue with newer models and with other products like the iPhone and the most recent iPad. No sales strategy could account for all of these products' success, however; obsession with detail is one of Jobs' overriding traits, and the aesthetic and practical design elements of these products are huge factors in their ongoing domination of sales for…

Apple: Organizational Vision, Mission and Values Statements
Apple Inc. was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who began working together in 1970 for the purpose of creating a personal computer. In the 1980s, Steve Jobs is noted as having stated as follows:

"Man is the creator of change in this world. As such he should be above systems and structures, and not subordinate to them." (About.com, 2012)

The mission statement of Apple is stated to be as follows:

"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices." (About.com, 2012)

Apple states that it is committed to "…bringing the best personal computing…