Assignment on Integration of Business Function at The Apple (GC0800)
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction.
2.0 Apple’s overview.
3.0 Leadership, time frame, and changes in Apple.
4.0 Application of models and theories.
4.1 Apple’s Leadership.
4.2 SREEP Model analysis of Apple.
4.3 Porter’s Five Forces Model analysis of Apple.
4.4 Stakeholder Analysis of Apple.
4.5 Apple’s organizational culture.
4.6 SWOT Analysis on Apple.
5.0 Role of Apple’s business functions.
5.1 Apple’s HRM.
5.2 Accounting and Finance.
5.3 Apple’s operational management
5.4 Apple marketing activities.
6.0 Apple’s strategy for the next decade.
7.0 Conclusion.
References.
1.0 Introduction
For being a successful organization including sustainable advantages, changes in strategies, and strategic direction is a very important issue for Apple. According to David (2016), businesses in a competitive marketplace face challenges from several factors. The key factors that force a business to bring strategic changes are organizational structure and culture along with both business’s internal and external environment. In addition, the variations in organizational functions (such as HRM, R&D, IT functions, Sales and Marketing, Operational Management, CSR Activities) also force the businesses to bring changes in their strategies and strategic direction to achieve organizational goals and objectives. This paper discusses and analyses how strategic changes and strategic direction affect business performance in the case of Apple Inc.
The first part of this paper provides an overview of Apple’s strategies and strategic directions over the last 10 years focusing on its organizational structure and culture along with its business environment. The second part of this paper outlines Apple’s strategic changes and direction in its functional areas including HRM, Sales and Marketing, Accounting and Marketing, and Customer and Employee motivational factors. The third part of this paper gives an overview of Apple’s future strategies and their directions towards Apple’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives.
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2.0 Apple’s overview
Apple is the leading brand in the global mobile and technology industry. A guy, called Steve Jobs, founded Apple in 1976. The main activities of Apple are designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling different kinds of technology products including smartphones (iPhone), personal computers (like Mac Computer), portable devices (like iPad), music players, and other mobile and media communication devices. It is also a manufacturer and seller of different kinds of hardware and software, networking solutions, and accessories. It is operating in the global markets by covering almost all of the regions. Apple has about 115000 skilled and experienced staff who serve millions of customers in a week and bring Apple success by offering quality products and services with integrity and excellent customer service.
Apple has been growing up slowly and steadily with the customer base, revenue, and profits. It has now been the third world’s largest technology company and 3rd biggest Smartphone manufacturer. Apple gained $12.639 billion of revenue, $60.024 billion of operating profits, 45.687 billion of net income, $321.686 billion of total assets, and $128.249 billion of total equity in 2016 (Apple Annual Income, 2016). According to Morningstar (2017), in 2016, the revenue increased by 12%. By gaining 13% market share Apple becomes in third place and behind Dell and HP.
3.0 Leadership, time frame and changes in Apple
According to Apple Annual Report (2016), Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer, is responsible to deal with all Apple’s departments (including retail, R&D, sales and marketing, operations, accounted and finance, and HRM) and subordinates including senior vice presidents, chief design officer chief operating officer, vice presidents, and their subordinates. Apple leadership follows is hierarchical structure along with function-based grouping, products based grouping. Subba (2015) classified the main types of organizational structure are the hierarchical structure, flat structure, and matrix structure. By following the hierarchical structure Apple Inc is able to meet great success. The main benefit of the organizational structure of Apple is Simplicity. Federal decision-making is the main focused issue of the structure of Apple. According to Meyer (2017), every single employee is bound to follow every single decision of the company that is made by the CEO and board of directors. This structure helps Apple to get all the changes that are found by their CEO and board of directors. Thus, it can be said that the structure of Apple is very useful and effective………………