STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AT APPLE

Apple and International Strategic Management

[Instructor name]

[Course]

Table of Contents

Executive summary1

Introduction2

Value chain analysis of Apple and Dell3

Inbound logistics and procurement3

Operations, marketing and sales4

Human resources and customer services6

Strategic alliances and mergers and acquisitions7

Achieving breakthrough innovation9

Conclusions and recommendations11

References14

Executive summary

Apple Inc. is the best innovative business in the world. Apple has consistently come up with new and innovative products and technologies like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Apple has achieved this success through its constant focus on innovation.

Apple also has multiple core competencies and dynamic capabilities in its value chain. These exist in the inbound logistics, procurement, operations, marketing and sales, human resources, and in customer services of the business. Similarly, Dell is another successful business and like Apple, it also has core competencies and dynamic capabilities in the given areas.

Then, Apple also adopted the strategy of mergers and acquisitions. Through this method, Apple was able to acquire multiple small related businesses. These ranged from record companies to video production businesses. Then, Apple also created strategic alliances with other businesses. These alliances of Apple have mostly been very successful.

Lastly, Apple has the relevant leadership to provide the breakthrough innovation in its business. Apple must use the top down approach to change management to bring about innovation ability in the enterprise. It is clear that a bottom up approach to bringing about breakthrough innovation will not be possible.

Finally, Apple needs to better itself through filling the current leadership gap. Then, Apple must also reduce its product development times and must introduce more technology. Lastly, Apple must open up its products to competing products like Windows. This would enable its users of Mac Book and its operating system to use other products of competitors with interoperability. Apple and International Strategic Management

Introduction

Apple Inc. is one of the leading companies of the world in computer technology and other hardware, software, and portable technology products. Apple has constantly focused on innovation and has come up with state-of-the-art hit products that ranged from the Mac Book, the Mac OS X, iPod, iPad, iPhone and other products. However, Apple continuously focused on in-house product development and innovation. It aimed to build entire systems in-house while it did not outsource any part of the technology development process. Accordingly, Apple was able to develop hit products that took the global markets by storm.

Apple has also encountered multiple competitors in its business. First, the competitors in the PC industry included Dell, HP, Acer, and Lenovo. Then, IBM was another big competitor of Apple with respect to its PC business. However, IBM exited the PC business which it sold to Lenovo to focus exclusively on the business market segment with its server technology and consulting services. However, Apple's unwavering focus on innovation led Apple to develop innovative products that had no match on the market. Consequently, Apple was able to lead the market through the global sales of these innovative products that included the Apple Mac notebook, iPod, iPad, iPhone, and other associated services and technologies.

Still, the success ...