Case Study #2
Case study # 2: The apple of your “I”
This case study will describe why Apple Inc. is a very successful company and has become the second largest public company in the world. It all started in the 1980's when Apple started producing home computers. This helped those who were full-time students and workers by also producing a particular computer, the Macintosh computer. However, in 1985 Steve Jobs lost against the Apple board, and because of the unfortunate negative outcome of the meeting, Steve found a positive outlook from the situation. He then founded another PC company called NeXT while Apple took a turn for the worst. In 1996 Apple reconnected with Steve and bought his NeXT Company and gained the technology that would later help create the MAC. The Apple bounce back was far from over though; Apple needed to step away from their comfort zone with the computer PC's and think outside the box in order to achieve the goal of being on top once more. How were they going to do so though? What changes and where? These were the types of questions that needed to be answered before that leap was taken. Q1. Which of Porter’s four competitive strategies does Apple engage in? Explain.
Porter’s four competitive strategies are described as an organization that can focus on being the cost leader, or it can focus on differentiating its products or services from those of the competition. Further, the organization can use the cost or differentiation strategy across an industry or it can focus its strategy on a particular industry segment. Apple engages in better product/service across the industry, because Apple values their customer’s visits and loyalty. Apples retail stores have a very modern look to them and appeal to many people from young to old. Apple is always coming out with a better/newer product that can bring more customers in. Apple is constantly offering some form of a newer product every six months to a year. Apple is always on top of new
This case study will describe why Apple Inc. is a very successful company and has become the second largest public company in the world. It all started in the 1980's when Apple started producing home computers. This helped those who were full-time students and workers by also producing a particular computer, the Macintosh computer. However, in 1985 Steve Jobs lost against the Apple board, and because of the unfortunate negative outcome of the meeting, Steve found a positive outlook from the situation. He then founded another PC company called NeXT while Apple took a turn for the worst. In 1996 Apple reconnected with Steve and bought his NeXT Company and gained the technology that would later help create the MAC. The Apple bounce back was far from over though; Apple needed to step away from their comfort zone with the computer PC's and think outside the box in order to achieve the goal of being on top once more. How were they going to do so though? What changes and where? These were the types of questions that needed to be answered before that leap was taken. Q1. Which of Porter’s four competitive strategies does Apple engage in? Explain.
Porter’s four competitive strategies are described as an organization that can focus on being the cost leader, or it can focus on differentiating its products or services from those of the competition. Further, the organization can use the cost or differentiation strategy across an industry or it can focus its strategy on a particular industry segment. Apple engages in better product/service across the industry, because Apple values their customer’s visits and loyalty. Apples retail stores have a very modern look to them and appeal to many people from young to old. Apple is always coming out with a better/newer product that can bring more customers in. Apple is constantly offering some form of a newer product every six months to a year. Apple is always on top of new
Cited: Kroenke, D.M. (2012). Using MIS. Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.