Free Case Study About The University Of Michigan Leadership Model

The University of Michigan Leadership Model (UMLM) was developed by researchers at the Michigan University in the late 1940s. The researchers identified two leadership styles: job-centered leadership and employee-centered leadership. In the job-centered behavior, the manager is concerned more with the needs of the job as opposed to the employee-centered behavior where the manager is concerned more about the needs of the job. This paper seeks to identify how UMLM has been used in the case of Apple Inc.
One of the organizations that have made use of the UMLM is Apple Inc. Apple has a culture of enhancing individuality and excellence in its employees. This has seen it attract highly talented and qualified employees to its work force. As a means of appreciating and motivating its employees, Apple developed the Apple Fellows Program. The program rewards employees that have made outstanding leadership or technical contributions to the company. The company also ensures that employees specialize in their line of work. This strategy helps employees concentrate on their areas of expertise for maximized productivity.
Apple Inc. has successfully made use of the employee-centered approach of the UMLM. Employees feel appreciated and in return, they have taken ownership of the company’s business strategies. It is important to note that employees are the most valuable resource in any given company. They are the implementers of the company’s strategies. Employee motivation, capacity building and competence development are vital in ensuring that employees give their best towards achieving an organization’s objectives. Apple Inc. took note of this and as a result, today it is the second largest information technology company (by revenue) after Samsung Electronics. Omnicom Group’s Best Global Brands report 2013 ranked Apple Inc. as the world’s most valuable brand.