STRATEGIC MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Strategic Marketing Management



Abstract

This paper aims at providing a detailed description about the concept of strategic marketing management and its underlying principles and approaches. The paper offers a brief insight about the marketing management strategies of Apple Inc. and related ways and means that the company uses and has used over the years for achieving sustainable competitive advantage.

Strategic Marketing Management

Introduction to the Company

The business organizations are run on various long and short term strategies of various types. In order to manage any sort of business, irrespective of its nature, size and scope, it is necessary for the management of the organization to outline and formulate sophisticated strategies. These help the organizations move further and direct them to achieve their mission and accomplish their goals (Laudon & Kenneth, 2009, 83). The main purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed account of the marketing management strategy of a company. The company chosen in this paper is Apple Inc. Apple was founded in the first of April 1976 at the hands of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne for the sale of personal computers called "Apple-1" (Hannan & Freeman, 1989, 212).

This assignment contains the description of Apple Inc. as an organization along with the marketing strategies and strategic options. Apple Inc. is a computer manufacturing company that is working globally. Apple grew very fast in a little time due to its strong culture, hierarchy; policies and innovation which truly made the company achieve prosperity. The organizational structure of the company is made is such a way to be more competitive in a critical juncture, in the company's history. The organizational culture of Apple is unique with the drive to outperform and succeed with the high involvement of the employees. Apple has been continuously involved in the innovation process and is hoping to be the market leader very soon because of its strong encrypted culture and structure.

Background of the Business

The business world of the modern day is ferociously competitive in nature. The success of a company depends upon its ability to outwit its competing firms. That's why the role of a company's management team is essential to its performance. Not only does it define the scope of its routine operations and work, but also the responsibilities binding on those people, who perform these.

The most important task of management is to devise effective and efficient plans and strategies that help the organizations achieve its mission and objectives. It is the job of the manager to run their department or unit in lines with the organization's overall approach (Amit& Schoemaker, 1993, 33). Proper and careful planning allows the managers to set their own targets, and formulate programmes and guidelines for achieving them. These targets are actually derived from the organizational goals and hence, contribute to the overall performance of the company.

A good organizational scheme ensures that the company enjoys considerable profit advantage over its rivals. This is achieved through competitive marketing strategies aimed at increasing the firm's market share for ...