...PART C: MINICASE (30 MARKS) Apple Inc (AAPL) Apple Inc. (Apple) designs, manufactures and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Company's products and services include iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod, Apple TV, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and OS X operating systems, iCloud, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings. The Company also delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store, App StoreSM, iBookstoreSM, and Mac App Store. The Company distributes its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, as well as through third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. Information on Equity 102.99 +0.52 (0.51%) After Hours: 103.13 +0.14 (0.14%) Oct 22, 7:59PM EDT NASDAQ real-time data Currency in USD Range 102.60 – 104.11 52 week 70.51 - 104.11 Open 102.84 Vol/Avg 68.26M/64.08M Mkt cap 601.11B P/E 16.02 Div/yield 0.47/1.83 EPS 6.43 Shares 5.87B Beta 0.89 Inst. Own 63% Q3 (Sep ’14) 2014 Net profit margin 20.10% 21.61% Return on average assets 14.95% 18.01% Return on average equity 29.22% 33.61% | | | Info extracted on 23rd Oct 2014 from https://www.google.com/finance...
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...That culture has also been tied to the innovation created at Apple and how they became the pioneer of the “Work Hard Play Hard” ethic. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, he totally change the whole organization. With the help from his Human Resources Director, Jay Elliot, he reorganized the hierarchy of the company from the more traditional functioning vertical organization designed by the previous CEO to a flat organization, launching open communication policies and recruiting employees who were genuinely excited about creating products for the company (Shelly, 2011). Steve Job’s leadership skills and the principles for hiring the right people and developing management policies were the basis for Apple’s start and what has helped shaped the organization and defined their corporate culture. Apple's human resource management attracts a quality workforce by attracting visionary people that think freely and can see the potential in different objects. It does this through excellent human resource planning, job specifications, recruiting and the selection process. It all begins with hiring the right people, so how does Apple go about finding the best people who are passionately committed to the brand and the customer experience? The company hiring managers start by gauging candidates based on some basic requirements. The first is whether the individual has the ability to perform under pressure – “Grit” as Apple calls it. The courage and confidence that the individual...
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...SWOT Analysis for Apple’s new iphones Apple is a very successful producer of computer software and hardware that leads in its competitive industry. To evaluate the progress, success, and faults of the company, the SWOT analysis is used. The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the organization. This model is used to help it identify internal and external areas that need improvement and internal and external areas that prove to be successful. Strengths: Over the years, Apple has grown by offering superior products compared to competitors. Apple has positioned itself to be a pioneer in the personal computer industry. It is one of the original hardware producers in the market that controls both the manufacturing of its products as well as its operating system. Apple is self- sufficient and creates its own internal components for the core of its iphones. Apple has set standards for high quality products in order to meet customer satisfaction. It is dedicated to research and development in order to create new products, which are expected to make Apple’s products more efficient and feasible to use. As a result of the company’s commitment to excellence, most of its products are compact and simple to operate. Apple is known for its loyal consumers who purchase its products for quality, regardless of price. Apple has ascended to a brand of distinction in the computer industry, which yielded a successful...
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...Mac Memory Management For rough draft Mac OS is available on two processor architectures: the Motorola 68k series and the PowerPC. Mac OS has a flat address space, shared between all processes. There is no per-process memory protection. Application code runs in supervisor mode, so there is no instruction protection. Mac OS has virtual memory, in the limited sense that a larger fixed address space can be simulated, by storing the entire address space on disc. This size of this address space is fixed at boot time. The lowest part of memory is occupied by the system partition. This contains some system global values which applications should not access directly, although there is nothing to prevent them doing so. Historically, the Mac OS used a form of memory management that has fallen out of favor in modern systems. Criticism of this approach was one of the key areas addressed by the change to OS X. The original problem for the engineers of the Macintosh was how to make optimum use of the 128 KB of RAM that the machine was equipped with. Since at that time the machine could only run one application program at a time, and there was no fixed secondary storage, the engineers implemented a simple scheme which worked well with those particular constraints. However, that design choice did not scale well with the development of the machine, creating various difficulties for both programmers and users. References: The Memory Management Reference Memory management in Mac OS, en...
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...1.0 Executive Summary Formally known as Apple Computer Inc., this company was founded April 1, 1976. In January of 2007, the word “Computer” was removed from its name to reflect on its shifted focus towards consumer electronics. Being the World’s Most Valuable Brand today Apple manufacturers a host of hardware products such as the iPhone, iPod, Mac, and as if that isn’t enough they offer quite a bit on the software side as well such as their iOS6 and services such as iTunes. The purpose of this Marketing Plan focuses on the iPad through implementing various marketing strategies and innovations to improve sales and increase its tablet market share. We have found these goals to be attainable through enhancing the iPad’s features. More specifically by making it Adobe Flash compatible, the addition of a USB port, along with an expandable memory slot. 2.0 Situation Analysis Apple’s mission is to be committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. Currently Apple holds the title of, “World’s most Valuable Brand.” It is evident that being committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to all its customers is paying off. Focusing on the company’s most recent addition to its products, the iPad; we would like to come up with new features to not only boost sales...
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...An Apple for an Apple CGD 218 Apple “A sign is anything that stands for something else...Logos are designs that are used to stand for and help reinforce the identity of a corporation” (Berger, page 49-50). Apple has achieved just that, by using an apple as their logo. However, the use of an apple can go so much deeper than just a logo-it is an indexical sign, causing consumers to feel loyalty, trust, and an association with knowledge. I first remember seeing the logo of an apple in grade school on old computers manufactured by Macintosh, the same corporation that is known today as “Apple”. For centuries, apples have been associated with knowledge. For example, Isaac Newton used an apple in his famous experiment, students often gift their favorite teachers apples, and “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” anecdote to follow for a healthy life. It is only fitting that a company would capitalize on this infamous fruit and associate it with technology-especially a company that is as cutting-edge as Apple. In this way, the apple is an indexical sign which logically connects it to what it represents-knowledge (Berger, page 49). The logo itself uses very simple graphics and design elements-basically the logo is just an apple with space between the actual fruit and the stem. The open, blank, or “white”, space between the fruit and the stem represents wealth, and in this case a wealth of knowledge (Berger, page 77). By using just one color for the apple (white or black depending...
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...things that seem to work well for apple: They have a diverse product line. They have opened jop oppunities. In africa and asia they have wear houses that produce parts of there products. They have also been known to hire musicians and historians. They also parner with the competition. Most noteable samsung and microsoft. they have achieved massive success. People wait year round for there keynotes and conferances. They have a dinimic business plan. They are allways trying new ideas. Apple stores: There are over 250 stores all over the woruld. Apple gives there customers that face to face interaction with an employee that can fix,setup and troubleshoot any of there products. Another reason why they are so successful is because there products just "work" together. In other wirds, if you plug an i phone into a mac it's easier to figure out how to import your music photos and oher media. I cloud is another reason why appple is so successful. They are a firm believer in having all your documents, music photos and even your settings in sync for transfering or setting up a new device. 2 products that have contributed to apple's success are the i phone and i pod. Steve jobs has said that he wanted the first i phone to be "An iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator," A brand that inspires innovation, engineering, user experience and design. Like any other Apple product; iPhone has set new standers on every front living up to and surpassing user expectation. This...
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...One of the most renowned companies in the technology word today is Apple. Created by Steve Jobs, Apple revolutionized the computer in 1976 with the release of the Apple 1. From that point on Apple has always been on the top of the market with its products. Presently they lead the market in Smart Phones, Tablets and Personal Computers. With the huge demand for their products, there comes an enormous responsibility for manufacturing the devices in a quick and cost effective matter. With the rapidly growing market of Apple computers and the technology/electronic industry as a whole, Apple eventually had to rethink how they manufactured their products to create the most efficient outcome; the highest revenue with the lowest cost. The competitive nature of the technology industry causes companies to look for a competitive advantage, which will make them much more profitable than their competitors. For the majority of the company’s history, they have been known to manufacture their products in the USA and even prided themselves with building the Macintosh computer which Steve Jobs described as “a machine that is made in America”. In 2004, when the company was not nearly as financially profitable as they are today, they decided their best option was to start manufacturing their products in other countries. The company, who is now a leader in foreign manufacturing, was lagging behind many American companies in terms of manufacturing abroad at that point in time. The majority of...
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...Apple has been a highly successful company in the computer industry for over thirty years. It has changed the way the world communicates. With all its success, popularity, and profitability Apple is not without flaw. One of the major growing concerns for this company is that being secretive has caused a lack of communication between employees, most notably being between low- level sales people and its customers (Apple’s Communication Problem). The reason for this lack of communication is security. That’s right, they are told not to speak to each other. This may be a necessary evil in the highly competitive world of computers and electronics but it can be detrimental to the work environment. Imagine the distrust within the company when only a few employees know what it is going on. Not to mention the fact that it elevates the risk of an employee selling the secret if he is the only one knowledgeable of it. Keeping the knowledge to a minimum also reduces the creativity within the company. There are less people thinking on how to make a product better and that means less brainstorming and creative ideas. Not only is this problem found at the corporate and administration levels, but also down to the very bottom at the Apple stores. Apple is a firm believer that the less people that know about the product, the less likely it is be leaked to the public or competitors. The sales people have no idea when a product is coming out until the last minute and are ill prepared for selling the...
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...Summary of Apple Inc……………………………………………………. An Analysis of the Financial Status of Apple Inc. “Apple's recent success in the marketplace is founded on a philosophy that derives its insights at the intersection of technology and consumer values” (Wingfield, 2007). A prestige young owned company with its very own creative viewpoint to the way things should be done was founded by Apple Inc. in 1976. Apple has created among the most amazing technology mankind has ever known. Their three major products: Mac computers, iPod music player, and the iPhone. Database software, operating systems, and developer tools are all additional offerings Apple Inc. provides to their customers. Apple is a global product which has produced approximately 40% of sales from international operations. Rather than licensing the mac operating system to PC makers, as Microsoft did, apple chose to be the sole producer of its mac hardware, in the 1980's. Financially, Apple has grown into a large organization with profit growth each year. This company has taken its’ toll on how technology should be produced. Their financial status in the year 2010 and moving forward shows their growth in income and sales as well as Apple’s performance overall. This report will discuss Apple Inc.’s financial statements, assets and liabilities towards the company, and their overall income. The chart below shows Apple Inc. revenue earned by each product sold from 2006 to December 2011: Section I: Apple Inc. Financial...
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...Chinese Culture University Department of International Business International Business Administration Leadership Style of Steve Jobs Professor: Ph.D. Johnny Shaw /………………/ Group members: Tumennast (A2123706) Maria (A2125229) Thelma (A2506486) Enkhgerel (A2123731) Steve Job’s Leadership Style 1. Leadership, transformational leadership style. 2.1. Definition of a Leadership Leadership itself can be defined by many alternatives: Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task" Some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs other, while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal” . Who is a leader? At the most basic level, a leader is someone who leads other. But what makes someone a leader? What is it about being a leader that some people understand and use to their advantage? What can you do to be a leader? Here's what you need to know and do. A leader is a person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills to make it happen. Let's look at each of those in detail. The Leader's Vision A leader has a vision. Leaders see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be achieved. It may be something that no one else sees or simply something that no one else wants to tackle...
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...Running head: Rough Draft The Eye of the Apple Joseph Uszenski Critical Thinking/Coll-148-61520 August 9, 2012 Professor’s Jacqueline Maresch Business Administration is a degree that I believe fits me well. I think that to achieve what I want in life that this is the best field of study for me. I want to be successful. I want to be wealthy. I want to change the world for the better. That’s the same way that one man thought back in the early 1970’s. This man was Steven Paul Jobs. Over the last 30 years he has paved the way for an industry that is constantly changing. He was a man that came from nothing and showed the world that anybody who dreams for something can accomplish it. He is a leader not only in business but also in the world. Many people look up to him, including myself, and I would one day hope to possess an ounce of the leadership that he had. I have already attained my associate’s degree in business administration in June of 2011 from Orange County Community College in Middletown New York. While there I learned the basics to what it takes to become successful in the business industry. The reason that I chose this degree is because I work for Best Buy. When I started there I knew that I wanted to be more than a part timer. I knew that one day I wanted to work my way up the ladder and become a bigger piece to the puzzle. So I worked hard and decided to start college. Now that I am a supervisor and that I have one degree under my belt I just want to continue...
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...factors for Apple, Inc. that have made it successful in the markets that it competes in. First, the company is constantly coming up with new and creative innovations. In the personal computer industry, it created MacBooks in 2009. In the personal media player industry Apple created the iPod. This followed with the creation of the itunes store, which catapulted iPod sales. This was due to the fact that consumers could download and store music, movies, and applications and use iTunes in conjunction with the iPod. In 2007, Apple entered the smartphone industry by launching the iPhone. Finally, in 2010, Apple introduced the iPad (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, & Strickland, 2012) .The iPad is the product that put the entire tablet industry on the map. Apple's innovation was ingenious in that its products are linked together with one another. iPods, iPads, and iPhones are nearly identical in the way they are run and they all are used with iTunes. Users are able to run their songs, movies, and applications on all of the above products. This creates a huge halo effect as many consumers choose Apple products when shopping for portable music devices, tablets, and phones because there is very little learning curve from one product to the next and they can download their iTunes purchases onto all of their Apple products. These products show how innovative Apple is and leave competitors scrambling to launch products to try to achieve success in the markets that Apple has already...
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...leadership style depending on the size and nature of the organization. The two global leaders known for their achievements in their field are Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Their leadership style has contrasting aspects as well as few similarities. Profile of Steve jobs: * Name: Steve Jobs * Full Name: Steven Paul Jobs * Aka: Steve Jobs * Aka: Steven Jobs * Birth date: Steven Paul Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. * Education: Reed College, Homestead High School * Occupation: Entrepreneur, Inventor 1 Apr 1976: Apple Computer Inc. is incorporated by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Apr 1989: Steve Jobs is named 'Entrepreneur of the decade' by Inc. magazine Jul 1997: Gil Amelio is ousted by the Apple Board of directors after a disastrous quarter. Steve Jobs is named interim CEO in his place and installs his NeXT executive team at the top of Apple 5 Jan 2000: At Macworld San Francisco, Steve Jobs drops the 'interim' in his title and officially becomes Apple’s CEO. Apr 2009: Steve receives a liver transplant at the Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He was weeks away from dying when he got the surgery * Place of death: Palo Alto, California *...
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...MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY VIRTUAL CAMPUS DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT MASTER OF ARTS, GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TEST I MDS 521 GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Instruction to students * Deadline October 30th 2013 or earlier * Assignment should be typed in prose not on bullet points * Font: new times roman * 12 points * Normal margins * minimum of 30 pages 1.5 spaced * Should indicate at least a minimum of 5 reference books. * No late submission * Plagiary will lead to no grade Question Critique leadership in the public sector and suggest reforms that are needed to ensure that vision 2030 is realized. Be careful to hinge your discussion on the pillars of Kenya’s vision 2030.20marks MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY VIRTUAL CAMPUS DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT MASTER OF ARTS, GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TEST II MDS 521 GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Instruction to students * Deadline November 15th 2013 or earlier * Assignment should be typed in prose not on bullet points * Font: new times roman * 12 points * Normal margins * minimum of 30 pages 1.5 spaced * Should indicate at least a minimum of 5 reference books. * No late submission * Plagiary will lead to no grade Question Using the public/private synergy model, come up with a case study and discuss the synergy or lethargy brought about by of...
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