Apple is one of the most successful computer companies around today. The company was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne. Many people are unaware of Wayne’s role in the company’s establishment because he within a few months of the company’s existence. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were both college dropouts with dreams. Wozniak designed the company’s first product, the Apple I computer, while working for a previous employer, Hewlett Packard, which also rejected his idea. After trying to sell the idea to Hewlett Packard with no success, they then decided to sell their most valuable possessions in order to start their own company. Their first company location was in Jobs’ garage. Their first order of business was a modest order of 50 computers. And this was the beginning of a very successful company that has yet to end. Amid the success of the Apple I computer, the company released the Apple II computer in 1977 and sales grew just as quickly, rising from more than 35, 000 computers in 1979 to approximately 78, 000 computers in 1980. The company went public in 1980 with a successful stock offering. Apple offered 4. 6 million shares at $22 a share that sold out in minutes. In May 1981, they offered 2. 6 million shares that sold out just as quickly. But this did not mean that Apple was without flaws. After releasing the Apple III without adequate testing, the company experienced a decrease in sales, causing many defective units to be sold. Even though the issues with the Apple III were resolved, it was discontinued in 1984 because it still was not selling as well as the Apple II.
Over half a million Apple computers had been sold worldwide by the beginning of 1982, becoming the first computer company to reach $1 billion in annual sales by the end of 1982. Apple released the first Macintosh computer in 1984. The Macintosh was amazingly popular boasting sales of 70, 000 units in the first 100 days after its release. In 1985, Steve Jobs left Apple after a power struggle with senior executives. Yet in still, they (Apple) continue to one of the leading computer companies in the business today.
The success of Apple can be contributed to many things, but the structure of the company is the driving force. The company is comprised of the CEO with about 10 senior vice presidents under this management. Everyone reports to the CEO, who controls most of the company. There is no one person that makes the most decisions, but a group of people that meet on a daily basis to address the business of the company. The company must present each product in the best way that also allows for maximum sale of the product. It must also be critical and triple check the product thoroughly to ensure that the product is not in any way defective. Some of the major objectives of Apple are to outperform the competition and succeed. In order to do that, Apple adapted a sort of motto that basically meant that an individual with very little supervisory management will work harder for the company and get more accomplished. It in part allows the company to expand and bounce back faster than the normal competitor. With very few people to answer to, the response time to crisis was quicker. Policies were made at the corporate level, but the normal day to day operations were made by people at the ground level. This caused some ruckus with their finances, and they had to work fast to avoid bankruptcy. However, the structure, or lack thereof, has not changed very much since the company has been in place.
The company basically targets businesses, young people, and children. Businesses use the software of Apple to improve both products and services of the company. They found that some of Apple’s products allowed for greater maximization of their time and money as well as management of their companies. For example, the iPad allows for one to store notes into, as well as maybe organize one’s schedule and receive updates and alerts as to which meeting or event happens when or where. As far as young people go, the iPhone is more popular as you can use it for music, taking pictures, or talking. Children are now using laptops and notebooks in school to do their work. Schools are purchasing mass amounts of these particular products for maximization of education. Communication consists of the media, newspapers, Facebook, various advertisements and word of mouth. Probably the most effective means of communication is word of mouth. In this way, people can praise or condemn a product and that praise or condemnation is bound to make people either want to try or not try a product. No one product is immune from condemnation. Many improvements can be made to Apple’s organizational strategy. The first thing that they could do is to appoint a manager of some sorts to each area, therefore giving each employee someone to report to and someone to hold them accountable for their actions in case something goes wrong. They also need to appoint certain duties to certain people and organize those duties by their level in the company. In this way, everyone knows who to answer to, in other words, everyone has a go to person that is readily available for assistance. With no one to report to, when the head person in charge is gone, everyone will slack and do what they want to do instead of doing what it takes to run the company. Nothing will profit and the company will be headed for a definite disaster. If they had a type of structure that puts everything in perspective, the company will still encounter problems from time to time, but at least it will have a chance at prosperity and growth.
In order to function effectively, a business must have at least a minimal team selection under their belt. The team selection must be based on what serial entrepreneur Ajaero Tony Martins considers the most important characteristics:
Definiteness of purpose- People must know their role definite role in the company
knowledge of business- Teams have adequate knowledge of company business
Commitment- Teams must be committed to the success of the company
Goal Oriented- Teams must know be determined to yield to goals of the company.
Individual Thinkers/Critical Problem Solvers- Teams must be able to think independently without an abundance of supervision and solve critical problems’
Team Players- Teams must be able to get along well and interact with people.
Bonded with Business Statement- Team members must be acquainted with the company’s business statement.
Strategic in Approach- Team members strategize to maximum effectiveness.
Competitive- Team members are always on the watch to cut off moves of the competitor.
Responsible and Accountable- Team members must be responsible and accountable for their decisions.
Opportunistic- Team members must be able to spot and act on all opportunities.
Excellent Communicators- Team members must be able to communicate and bargain through spoken words.
These are all good tips, but these tips must be enforced through proper preparation and enforcement. If the business does not select teams according to practices that maximize their output, there are bound to be problems in paradise. The company must put in place methods that everyone must abide to in order for decisions to become concrete. Methods within a company that have decisions that are not concrete will not be able to deliver as solid a message to
employees and may send a mixed message to the majority of the employees within the business. The company needs to be united in their every endeavor in order for things to run smoothly.
Apple is ranked number one within the current industry, with record sales. It is the top grossing company right now. There are many companies in competition with Apple, but according to Fortune Magazine’s World Most Admired Companies, Apple computers are ranked number one for best reputation under new CEO Tim Cook. They are boasting an annual revenue of $108 billion per year with all of the products out there. Evidently, even in the event of criticisms, they have more than a stellar reputation. One of the quotes from www. money. cnn. com stated that Apple strives for excellence. The company still holds up to that standard today. Under old CEO, the late Steve Jobs, who was also the co-founder of the original company, Apple Computers, the company flourished, creating not only computers, but expanding to include various forms of technology. He often quoted that he created Apple to mean much more than money, and the company has surpassed the expectations of many.
Human capital is very important in the survival of a company. It is a necessity to the success of a business, and, without it, a definite precursor to the failure of a business. Every company needs human capital to run. The performance of each employee based on education, skills, knowledge, and expertise in all areas of the business are vital to the aspects of the company. There are various and numerous parts to running a company, and the more people you have that are knowledgeable and dedicated to the company. Apple computers have the concept of human capital locked down tight. They recognize the power of human capital. They hire people highly capable of doing whatever job they are qualified for, and they try to only hire the best. When these people get together to market ideas and products, magic happens because the company made sure they were well-prepared to perform the duties for which they were hired. Views for this company, or any company for that matter, have been and will be greatly improved with the correct kind of human capital. As a company, they have to think about all of the odds and ends in respect to the company, and make major decisions based on the necessary projections based on the human capital hired. Human capital is vital to the survival of a business.
Ethics is very important in a business. If a company is not operating in an ethical manner, it will eventually be stopped in its tracks. Apple has been seen as a monopoly but it is not really fair to make that call. This is a company that capitalized on each and every opportunity afforded it. It made the most of its human capital, and its organization as a whole to become one of the most successful businesses around today.
