Free Essay: Apple Inc.

Introduction

Apple Inc. was established by Steve Jobs, Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in 1976 (Gilbert 2-5). It is an American company started by Wozniak who advised Steve Jobs to put his computer on sale. The computer was known as Apple 1 computer. In 1977, they were able to sell their computer during trade shows because they were also able to publicize it.

The organization however faced many risks including lack of a good room for operation and capital. Consequently, pioneers of the company made different innovations including borrowing from family and friends, selling calculators as well as scrounging. It also took the risk of requesting credit from a local credit manager who offers cash as security. How did the organization function? The company started off by delivering its orders (for a single brand) paid on deliver to The Byte Shop.

The company then rapidly expanded because it had an initial public offering in 1980 (three years after inception). Apple Inc. is today a global enterprise with many clients, sales and a wide range of products.

Research and Development

The company employs different strategies in its research and development. In other cases, the company collaborates with two Irish subsidiaries where they cost share their research and development to make innovative products to be sold globally. Sharing of the costs is important for the company because it reduces its research expenses. The company is additionally known for innovation because it was one of the organizations to develop smart phones (Lehman 330).

Inside stories also indicate that Apple Inc. will in the future produce design watches. Additionally, it has been upgrading its Smartphones so that they stay on top of the game. Research and development has played a crucial role in the success of the organization. As a matter of fact, it is through the research that the company has been in a position to invent generation computers besides Smartphones (News para).

Brand

Apple Inc. used freshness of its products and satisfaction among other emotions to attract and maintain clients. This owes to the fact that it used an apple to reflect the satisfaction and freshness that its products will offer to its clients after purchasing. ‘Making people’s lives easier’’ is the company slogan and it creates a very unique and genuine connection between Apple Inc. and its clients (Schneiders 68). The company additionally uses emotions as its brand strategy and centers on daily life of a person, desire, creativity and objective. Additionally, it includes individual empowerment through hopes, technology and a person’s dreams.

Marketing

Apple Inc. markets itself efficiently through the implementation of various strategies including market segmentation into portions. It also focuses on the market as a crucial affinity for its products. The company also uses digital TVs and the internet for its advertisement. This is based on the fact that the company’s marketing team is well aware that many of its clients access internet sites and post latest inventions prompting potential clients to purchase the products (Interactive Daily para 3).

The company also advertises itself by informing potential clients of its products for example the phone and how its applications are used, available models and the prices. This helps the clients to understand the pros and cons of the product thus, ensuring awareness. It is also notable that sponsoring different events helps the general public to learn of the product therefore, increasing its potential and buying potential.

Strategic planning

The company has different strategic plans that help in execution of its objectives and missions. It has marked out market, business plans and available annual reports indicating the company’s performance on different platforms and in various trading periods. One of the long term strategic plans employed by Apple Inc. is having a communication plan comprising of chains of communication aimed at restoring previous status of the company.

Communication strategies used by the company include employee, investors and employees as a way of informing stakeholders of developments in the company. Other strategies that the company employed include marketing, retail and research and development strategies (Ireland C-3). These strategies have increased opportunities for the organization to grow its client base, increase the range of products and its total capital base (Jun 890-904).

It has also reduced threats that it may face in the future by ensuring thorough awareness of quality and superiority of its products and reduced its prices concurrently.

Corporate Culture

Apple Inc. is an American company with its headquarters based in Cupertino, California. In terms of company values, it values individual performance every employee is expected to contribute to its success. Additionally, the company values aggressiveness and innovation. This is a factor that enables it to produce new products at intervals to the market.

It also has empathy for its users, clients and its positive social contribution factor. It has a unique corporate culture that emphasizes on the need for employees to view it as a unique organization. The company in its setting has different values including focus on design where it focuses much on the designs it produces in the market.

They also have their clients in mind and produce products matching their needs (Chapin 55-64). It is also imperative to note that Apple values and treats its employees well for them to reciprocate in the same way to its clients. Team spirit is also encouraged in the company as well as good management (Stanford 57).

Training and development

Training and development of employees on their rights in the organizations are also other additional aspects that the company strongly upholds. The managers are trained on their supplier education and obligations. What’s more, the company adheres to very strict safety standards and provides workers with safety training so that they can nurture safety in the workplace. It has also been offering programs aimed at enhancing their general wellbeing (Schneider 33-34).

Lessons from Apple Inc.

The company was developed because of client satisfaction, passion and appreciation of its employees. It is therefore evident that its pioneers were passionate about electronics and it laid a very strong foundation for the company. Similarly, You Inc. will also have its foundation based on passion, client satisfaction and appreciation of employees.

Works Cited

Chapin, Meldrena K. Creating Innovative Places: Organizational and Architectural Case Studies of the Culture Change Movement in Long-Term Care, 2008. Print.

Gilbert, Sara. The Story of Apple. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2012. Print.

Ireland, R D, Robert E. Hoskisson, and Michael A. Hitt. Understanding Business Strategy: Concepts and Cases. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.

Jun, Sunghae, and Sung Park Sang. “Examining Technological Innovation of Apple using Patent Analysis.” Industrial Management + Data Systems 113.6 (2013): 890-907. ProQuest. Web. 2 Oct. 2013.

Lehman, Carol M, and Deborah D. DuFrene. Business Communication. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western, 2008. Print.

News, Bloomberg B. “COMPANY NEWS; Apple is Planning Research Center.” New York Times, Aug 14 1991. ProQuest. Web. 2 Oct. 2013.

“6. Apple Uses Online Branding Strategy.” Interactive Daily (1996): 1. ProQuest. Web. 2 Oct. 2013.

Schneider, Jay W. “Boosting Business with Employee Training and Development.” Building Design & Construction 50.3 (2009): 33-4. ProQuest. Web. 2 Oct. 2013.

Schneiders, Sascha. Apple’s Secret of Success – Traditional Marketing Vs. Cult Marketing. Hamburg: Diplomica-Verl, 2011. Print.

Stanford, Naomi. Corporate Culture: Getting It Right. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2011. Print.