How Sustainable is Apple’s Competitive position Introduction Apple started out simply as a computer company producing Macintosh computers and software, but has since evolved over the years to manufacture other products. It introduced iPods in 2001 for music players, in 2007, it started producing iPhones. Its products are consumer oriented and this has contributed to the success of the company. Apple also views innovation as basis of survival and business development (Yoffie, 2012). What historically have been Apple’s competitive advantages? Apple Inc. has rare case of building a real sustainable competitive advantage in comparison to other brands. These include brand appeal, and strong customer loyalty (Barney, 1991). Apple has successfully enabled strong customer loyalty through effectively fulfilling their customer needs using their unique designs and product innovations. This has given it apple a competitive edge in relation to its rival. They are able to keep their customers up to date with inform of the updates in the existing products and new product innovations. Apple uses a vertical integration strategy that enables it to develop its software and hard ware apps, and own operating system (IOS). This allows apple to have control over all the users that are hard to replicate by its rivals (Meyer, 2012). Brand appeal of apple by …show more content…
The android version has large number of users from Samsung, HTC and Sony, make it difficult for them to keep all users up to date with the latest versions for instance lollipop, which only a small percentage use.The protected ecosystem gave a competitive edge to apple therefore making Samsung want to create their own Tizen (a closed ecosystem). It could only be installed in limited smartphones appliances that most users did not own (Ren, Xie & Krabbendam,
This is because they look to interact directly with the final customers. The book states that a firm should vertically integrate business activities where they possess valuable, rare, and costly-to-imitate resources and capabilities. With competition consistently playing a factor, Verizon had to find a way to gain a competitive advantage. In this case, network reliability, products and services, customer service, and familiarity are the different paths Verizon has chosen to differentiate products and secure a competitive advantage. The forward integration strategy stands to benefit the larger cellular providers more.
Apple states in their Form K-10 Report (2017, p.1) they are “committed to bringing the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software and services.” In an Industry where profit margins are low, technologies are constantly evolving and competition is high it is essential that Apple continues to offer innovative and simple products that increases customer experience (Heracleous, 2013) so to maintain a competitive advantage. A variety of tools have been used to evaluate Apple’s external and internal environment, including the PESTEL (Appendix 1), Porter’s Five Forces Analysis (Appendix 2), SWOT (Appendix 3). It is envisaged that the information derived from these tools and the associated analysis will support Apple’s CEO to make strategic decisions that addresses the challenges ahead in the short term, ensuring Apple can be competitive in the long term (Rothaermal, 2017).
Q1a. MARKET STRUCTURE OF APPLE INC Apple Inc. operates different types of market structure in terms of their different products. In the smart phone business, they happen to be one of the major players with their different models of the “iphone” which makes them operate in an oligopolistic market. Oligopoly arises when there is an imperfect competition in which there are just few firms producing similar products. As a result of high competition, monopolies, interdependence among firms there are just a few big players having the market power and making it very difficult for new firms to penetrate the market with their products.
Apple Company Apple Inc. is a private company, and it is one of the world 's most famous technology and computer companies, located in the United States of America. It is a multi-national company. Its main business depends on specialization in manufacturing, producing, developing, improving and selling software, smartphones, computers; It has a series of electronic devices, such as iPad, iPhone and Mac. The origin of Apple Company Founded by Steve Jobs and his co-pilot Steve Wozniak, Apple Computer was able to design a computer in the form of the beginning of Apple computers in the time period Between the years 1981 to 1985; since 2005 until now, Apple has seen many developments; successive successes.
Apple’s organizational structure Introduction Attention Getter Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation, which designs, manufactures and sells personal computers, consumer electronics and software, and provides related services. The company has experienced a tremendous growth since it introduced an iPhone smart phone in 2007, it is considered to be the most successful electronics company in the world. [1] Thesis Statement During the last few years, Apple company has achieved great successes in the electronic domain.
has millions of buyers and the company continues to woe more consumers to buy its products. The threat to buyers is not a big concern to Apple Inc. The competition on this area falls on the pricing system and differentiation of products to meet the unique needs of the consumers. The move to differentiate the products of the company aimed at addressing the diverse needs of the consumers (Bergvall-Kareborn and Howcroft 2013, p.280).
This can be achieved through many avenues including offering a better-quality product or service, lowering prices and increasing marketing efforts. Sustainable competitive advantage refer to maintaining a favorable position over the long term, which can help boost a company’s image in the marketplace, its valuation and its future earning potential. Competitive advantage occurs when an organization acquires or develops an attributes or combination of attributes that allows it to outperform its competitors. These attributes can include access to natural resources, such as high grade ores or inexpensive power or access to highly trained and skilled personnel human resources. New technologies such as robotics and information technology can provide competitive advantage whether as a part of the product itself as an advantage to the making of the product or as a competitive aid in the business process for example better identification and understanding of
ACHIEVING GLOBAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF APPLE INC. Apple Inc. is an American conglomerate company located in one immeasurable loop, Cupertino, California in the middle of the Silicon Valley. (OPPapers, 2012). Apple is motivated on their designing, developing, innovating new products like the personal computers, other related software products, and the electronic products such as MP3 players and iPods. Apple Inc.’s main products are iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPads and its latest advanced product is iWatch, which is on the edge of creating another revolution after iPhone. Apple Inc. has transformed its image from an inventive computer manufacturer to a fully-fledged consumer 's electronic company.
Apple has segmented products vertically, creating on product for one particular use. Apple also targets according to brand loyalty, considering that Apple has quite a cult-like following just due to it's image/brand name. • Benefit Segmentation: Apple brings an newness and innovation with each of it
3.0 Macro Environment that Effects Apple Social-cultural, technology, economic, political and legislation is the elements of macro environment that effects Apple which are described as below: 3.1 Social-cultural ITunes is Apple’s biggest virtual media store. In general, the image of the Apple also depicts the modern individual lifestyle, combining function and conception, resulting in brand recognition and commitment. In conditions of the demographic features, Apple is targeting the two major generations. One generation is mainly consists of working adults, where they might sustain a higher and stable income to purchase Apple’s expensive and complex equipment. Thusly, the sophisticated and high-tech Apple products would definitely
Then, this company started specializes in much more than just computers. Apple Company invented new products such as iPad in 2001. Therefore, this is a reason that Apple becoming the superiority market leader in music players. In 2007, Apple joined the phone industry with the iPhone. Apple is a huge consumer goods company that evaluating its value requires understanding
This multi-billion dollar company models, develops, and sells high-tech electronics, computer software, web-based services, and PCs. Founded in 1976, Apple’s products have since been desired by millions worldwide. From their mp3 players to their personal computers, and everything in between, Apple has proven itself number one in the technology market. According to NBCNews (2011), Apple is number one because they constantly improve products, have strong relationships with their distribution center, and have sleek product designs. Now, they are outdoing competitors like Samsung, Dell, and Microsoft (TodaysiPhone, 2012).
They know that it will be simple to adapt to new hardware and this make them more open to making a repeat purchase. New Innovations: even though the architecture of Apple products is proportionate, its portfolio is not. Company offer customers a number of various ways to enjoy its products. By giving consumers and chance to employ Apple in their living rooms, sine and offices, Apple do it easy to keep on loyal to brand
According to Bullen and Rockart (1981), critical success factor is the significant skills, areas, or actions of a company that contributes to the competitive performance that can make it become successful. The main key success factor of Apple is its core competency, technology. The company that owns the advanced technology may get high revenue and a larger market share when imply this technology in its product or service (Roth & Miller, 1992). Apple has used this core competency to develop many highly functional and usable digital device and software which can develop the loyalty of customers to its brand (Laugesen & Yuan, 2010). For example, many electronics products in the market are use Google’s Android system, while Apple uses its own system, iOS in all of its digital devices (Johnson, et al.,
Mr Price has a wide range of competitors such as H&M, Woolworths and Pick ‘n Pay. A competitive advantage describes how the business has benefits or strengths over its competitors in the market. By having this, the competitors don’t seem as a threat to the company. It’s used