Individual Case Analysis of Apple Inc
Many companies operate in the mobile phone industry. One firm that many people around the world know and recognize to be the best in this industry is Apple Inc. The company is known to be market leaders in the sector in which it operates. The firm has a range of products, which include Smartphones such as the iPhone range of products, headphones, Mac computers and laptops among others. Those clients who have used products from the firm speak highly of them. On the same note, most people know that Apple’s products guarantee client satisfaction and are of high quality. The organization has remained competitive in the mobile home industry because it uses the most effective methods of faster competition. With this in mind, this paper aims at discussing the strategic decisions used at Apple that makes the firm more competitive and successful in their operations.
Strategic decisions refer to long term complex decisions formulated by the senior management of an organization (Whittington 58). The strategic decisions usually have major impacts on all operations of the firm. They touch on the firm's decisions and create clear way and direction that the organization wishes to take in their operation. One of the strategic decisions used at Apple Inc is to be a market leader. The firm also relies on generic competitive strategies such as pricing, marketing, value creation, quality, excellence, research and development, and product differentiation (Robert, Duane and Michael, 134).
A research study indicates that the leaders at Apple rely on innovation as one of their generic competitive strategies during their operation in the mobile phone industry. The leaders of the firm believe that the mobile phone industry is changing at the same rate with changes in technology. On the same note, they understand that client needs, demands, and preferences also changes as technology evolves. Therefore, the leaders I the company therefore relies on innovative ideas to create new phones (Adam 124). Being a market leader is another important strategy that the firm has used to gain competitive advantages. Apple Inc aims to be a leader in the mobile home industry by creating high-quality products. They also aim to achieve market leadership by value creation and client satisfaction. On the same note, creating customer value and meet their demands is another strategy that the firm has used effectively to achieve their success.
On the other hand, Apple also uses pricing as a strategy to gain competitive advantage (Mariham and Esraa). Research shows that the firm had products whose prices are relatively higher than the same products within the industry. Leaders at the organization use relatively higher prices for their products as they believe that the quality and excellence of their merchandise serves the needs of their clients. Similarly, the firm relies on product differentiation as another strategy to achieve competitive advantage I the mobile phone industry. Product differentiation had enabled the firm to create goods and services that are valued by their clients (Adam 123). They achieve product differentiation by employing people who can use effective skills in manufacturing high valued products that will resonate and serve their customers well. I return, their customers will be satisfied with the wider range of their products based on their values.
Another strategy used to achieve a competitive advantage at Apple Inc is research and development. The leaders of the organization rely on in-depth research skills and studies to promote their abilities to produce high quality goods and services. They believe that and technology changes, so should the way in which the firm makes their products and render services to their clients (Adam, 125). Through research, the leaders of the organization are able to know the changing needs of their clients and hence create products that meet their demands. Similarly, conducting research also makes it possible for them to create goods that have modern and up to date technological advancements.
Value creation is another strategy that Apple uses to achieve completion and stay at the top of its operations in the mobile phone industry. Value creation is a strategy that the firm uses to accord high values to their products. They understand that clients only want to buy products that provide value and usability to them. With this in mind, they ensure that they meet customer needs by creating value not only for their products but also in the services provided to their clients. On the same note, customer satisfaction is another strategy used by Apple to achieve competition. The leaders at Apple understand that they can only reach a large number of loyal clients ensuring client satisfactions (Meyer). First, they ensure that their products meet the needs of their customers. Secondly, they ensure that services provided I all their organizations also make it possible for clients to be satisfied.
Another important strategy that the firm has used to achieve competition in their environment of operation is by ensuring excellence. The founder of the firm stated that they aim to ensure that their product achieves excellence. On the same note, they intended to make sure that their clients accord excellence regarding the performance of their products. On the same note, the firm aims to be excellent in all their areas of production and service delivery. Marketing is another strategy that the firm uses to gain competitive advantages (Meyer).
The strategic decisions used by the organization has made it possible for the firm to achieve global and international presence in is areas of operation. The firm is known to be a market leader not only in the American but also in the global markets. For example, the firm has other officers in regions such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. On the same note, products created and sold by the .organization are not only available to clients in t home country but with people around the world. Thus, the strategic decisions to be a market leader have made it possible for the firm to achieve global competitive advantages (Robert, Duane and Michael, 145). Similarly, many people around the world recognize the fact that the products of the firm offer value to its clients irrespective of their higher prices. Research shows that many people around the world use products such as the iPhone range of products in a global arena. On the same note, many officers and individuals around the world also use Mac Computers and laptops as some of the most trusted .office equipment in their offices.
Similarly, the organization has achieved global leadership in the mobile phone industry by ensuring that it has suppliers and manufacturers from various parts of the globe. For example, research reveals that the firm gets some of its raw materials from overseas countries that gave well developed technologies. They get their raw materials from a country that also has a reach mobile phone industry (Adam 135). Another aspect of globalization occurs in its sales of its products and services. For example, they have shops in regions such as the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Effective use of international strategies such as marketing, research, development, and customer satisfaction has made it possible for the firm to gain international presence and competitive advantage in the global arena. On the same note, the company has continued to gain effective market share both locally and internationally.
Conclusion
Strategic decisions are those methods used by different firms to gain competition in the industry in which they operate. The strategic decisions used by Apple include being a market leader, research, and development, value creation, excellence, customer satisfaction and pricing among others. Strategic decisions used at Apple have made it possible for the firm to be a leader not only in their local but also in international market industry. Using marketing, cost leadership, and market leadership are some of the factors that have made it possible for the firm to gain a competitive advantage in its market. On the same note, the firm has achieved international market presence by using strategies such as getting their raw materials from overseas countries. They have also opened shops in many countries around the world. These companies opened by the firm ensure that they produce high quality products to satifsy esteemed clients in the global arena.
Works Cited
Adam, Lashinsky. "Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired--and Secretive--Company Really Works." New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2013.
Mariham, Helal and Elseidy Esraa. "Apple Inc. Strategic Case Analysis." Organization case Study. 2015.
Meyer, Pauline. "Apple’s Generic Strategy & Intensive Growth Strategies." Technology. 2016.
Robert, Hoskisson, Ireland Duane, and Hitt Michael. Strategic Management Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2015.
Whittington, Richard. What is Strategy - and Does it Matter? Belmont: Cengage Learning EMEA, 2001.
