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Harvard Business Apple Case Study

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Harvard Business School Case Study Analysis

Harvard Business School Case Study Analysis

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At the end of 2014, Apple Inc. recorded the most profitable quarter of any firm in history, and its market capitalization soon topped $700 billion. 'Apple Inc. in 2015' explores the history of Apple, its successes under Jobs, its continued growth under Tim Cook, and the challenges facing the company in 2015. With iPod sales continuing their freefall, tablet sales in decline, and the Macintosh's market share remaining small, Apple was increasingly dependent on the iPhone to drive its growth. Could Cook continue Apple's dominance in the smartphone market in the face of growing competition? Could he revitalize the iPad business, become a leader in payments, with Apple Pay, and replicate Apple's success in other device categories, such as the Apple Watch, the first new product the company had released since 2010?

Introduction:

Apple Inc has been an icon in American industry over the last three decades. The CEO Steve Jobs did a remarkable job turning around the company that was nearly bankrupt in 1996, however after his death in 2011 the questions has been brought forward of how sustainable will Apple be without Steve Jobs. Apple has always been trying to be simple and bring easy to use products to a large market of consumers.

On the beginning Apple focused on producing low-cost computers merged with IBM’s operating system and Intel as the platform but these early years where not successful. Later on Steve Jobs became CEO and refocused Apple’s original strategy, focusing on gaining a competitive advantage by controlling software, hardware, digital asset management retail strategy, product differentiation and marketing. Steve Jobs kept evolving his strategy implementing on its direct selling

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