Strategic Planning through Competition Analysis



Strategic Planning through Competition Analysis

Introduction

Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that develops and manufactures consumer electronics, software and personal computers. Since January 2010, the company operates 284 stores in ten countries, as well as an online store where hardware and software products sold (Apple, 2012).

Apple's innovation, creative design, and marketing genius, coupled with strategic partnerships and a streamlined distribution channel including direct sales via the Internet, through specialized agents and through retail stores have collectively led to what is today one of the mightiest technology and consumer electronics companies on the planet (Lashinsky, 2011).

Objectives

Sections below would present a SWOT analysis of Apple, Inc. This would be done in consideration towards formulating a strategy for a hypothetical technology company that is in direct competition with Apple, Inc. The strategy would essentially purpose a product that would aim to take advantage of the vulnerabilities of Apple, Inc. products. These weaknesses would be identified through a conclusively researched SWOT analysis. The purposed strategy would also purpose implementation plans to introduce the product, as well as bring notice to the ramifications that would result from the strategic implementation. The process of evaluation would discuss the feedback mechanisms that would be used to measure the success or failure of the purposed strategies' implementation.

Discussion

SWOT Analysis of Apple, Inc.

Strengths

Strong brand name and equity

Loyal customers

High quality and innovative products with refined aesthetics and unique design.

The most famous products of hardware include Macintosh computers, iPod, iPhone and iPAD. Apple Software includes Mac OS X operating system, browser ITunes Media, iLife suite of multimedia and creativity software, office suite software IWORK, Aperture, a professional photography package, Final Cut Studio, a set of professional audio products and film-industry software, and Logic Studio.

Strong vision and charismatic leadership of Steve Jobs reaped long term fruits for the company.

True renaissance of Apple happened in 2001with the introduction of the iPod. This was Steve Jobs invention. This technology essentially changed the landscape of the music industry and how music would be consumed from then on. Further, 2007 marked Apple as an innovator in the Smartphone industry. This happened through its invention and launch of the iPhone. 2010 brought along iPad as another revolutionary, paradigm shifting technology invention that brought significant changes in the marketing ecosystem of technology products.

Global brand awareness (Mishra, 2012).

Weaknesses

Low market share

Purely caters to a niche market with high priced products.

High pricing strategies

Failure of products like Mac ...