Introduction The Present CEO of Apple after Steve Jobe, Tim Cook is a great American business man. He became the Apple’s CEO (Chief Executive Office in 2011. Before he appointed as CEO, he provided the work of CEO at the time Steve Job was in medical leave to until his death. Firstly, in 1988 he joined as SVP (Senior Vice President) of World Wide Operation in Apple. He played a major role to lead the Apple Company’s success.
New products that gave Apple extremely a larger share in the market by Dominating how people will be listening to music, use computers, and call until today. Instead of a bankruptcy, Apple reversed its strategy forever to become one of the most valuable companies in the world with a huge market
Not only that, competitors of Apple will start offering cheap and alternative technology in their own products and services at a much lower cost. This will affect customers loss of interest towards Apple products as they find it no longer unique (Slideshare, 2016). Technological advancement has always force Apple Company to invest a lot in technology as it is largely invested in product research and development field to push the product’s ranking into a much higher rank through their innovative side. For example, one of the most innovative and technologically product will be the IPod touch as it is a big step towards the replacement of basic mp3 (Slideshare, 2014). If Apple Company did not put any pressure towards the research and development department, it is clear to say that without the advance technology, the company will become obsolete.
During his era, which was 1997 to 2011, he followed an autocratic leadership, in which, he micro-managed a wide range of business procedures. All decisions went directly through him. However, as Jobs’ hand-picked successor, stepped into shoes, the scenery shifted into another focus. Tim Cook, current CEO, was well-known as an unapproachable character. However, what set him apart so much from Jobs was the way he closely worked with his subordinates and was involved directly in operation processed.
Executive Summary On April 1, 1976, Apple Company was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Apple headquarters is located in Cupertino, California. Apple Inc. designs, produces, and sells various media devices (apple.com, 2014). The company’s products and services include the infamous iPod, iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple TV. Apple has a collection of consumer software appliances, various operating systems, and a variety of other services.
The industry is characterized by very intense and fierce competition against players like HP, Dell, Acer and etc. because of low switching cost. In PC segment, the key for Apple’s success is its unique positioning and differentiation from others comprising attractive design, ease of use, security, and high-quality bundled software. They also made their customers purchase complementary products that do not transfer to other platforms, thus creating a high switching cost that enhances the retention rate and loyalty. 2.
The objective of this case study is to understand the development of core competencies of Apple Inc. and how these have evolved with time. The study also highlights the importance of leveraging these core competencies to gain competitive edge in the global market by focussing on the example of Apple and how it became one of the most innovative brand and a market leader by exploiting its core competencies. BACKGROUND OF APPLE On April 1, 1976, two college drop outs Steve Job and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computers in Job’s home garage and within a span of 10 years Apple developed from a garage company to a multibillion- dollar company. The Apple II, launched in 1977, was its first real success, and the 1984 Macintosh offered a distinct alternative
This is the reason why Apple is still developed well but in Cook’s style. This is why we perceive Tim Cook as an ideal CEO of Apple, not the secondary Steve Jobs. Not only did he define his own leadership style, but he also excels and has become one of the best leaders on the planet. By “writing his own rules”, he does not approach success in a way like any other. A lesson that I have had from his saying is: If you follow the formulated methods, the best you can get is the same achievement as others, and you will never be able to overcome anyone.
Jobs ended up right where he began when Apple purchased NeXT computer for hundreds of millions of dollars. By that time, Apple was almost bankrupt. He was named CEO of Apple after a few months. Through the years, Apple has been a consistent innovator in the digital electronics industry. Jobs’s leadership brought out the iPod music player and launched the iTunes online music store.
They were at an all time low. Soon after Steve Jobs was appointed CEO once again, Apple started to go up again. Steve Jobs had fresh ideas and brought them to life with his amazing team at the company. His strategy of thinking different is what got them to where they are today. He came in and took out all the obsolete products like the Newton PDA, the complete LaserWriter printer line, and the Apple QuickTake camera.