Human Resources
Strategic Management At Apple Inc
The article opens with the illustration of thousands of people laid off from Apple, Inc. The firm did not especially focus on working with its management and marketing strategies in the course of operations. This situation changed when talented marketers (Jobs and Sculley) were absorbed into the company's operations. Apple started expanding into broader markets through joint ventures and acquisitions. The issue was not to change the working strategy in the short run. The work positions contributed to the firm's effectiveness and keeping their employees would contribute to faster attainment of success. The following study shows that appropriate strategic management strategies can only help a company to realize its goals and mission through qualified and motivated personnel.
According to Yoffie and Slind, (2008), the firm started with a comprehensive product line reaching broader computer markets. The development team launched the iPod, 3G network, and the iTunes to advance the technological presence in competitive marketplaces. The organization became an industry leader through leadership of Wozniak for the Macintosh brand. The technology became a slow take on (Yoffie & Slind, 2008). The Apple did not defeat its competitors in the efforts. Sculley brought in desktop publishing that focused on educational markets that sold at top prices. The fact that Sculley was a guru in marketing, he hit the tech markets through personal assistants gadgets. One of the smartest moves Apple made includes forming a joint venture for the competitors. The tech products dropped...
In contrast, Microsoft invested millions of dollars in human resources after the formation of Microsoft Office. iMac produced a three-hundred-million dollar campaign to revive Apple's image again (Mello, 2010). The marketing strategies focused on differentiating their products from the competition. The firm adopted a strategy of producing few but uniquely designed products under Steve Jobs.
In the strategy, the senior company managers would be involved in the final decision of determining the core technologies included in the products. The economics of the company ensures that decisions could be changed especially when the products were difficult to market. Additionally, there were different technological change stages. Fast growth stages were implemented when products started with concepts followed by fast innovation. Consolidators were based on steady evolution stages that were propelled by mature life cycles, as well as usage of economies of scale. Creative stages allowed Apple to introduce new competencies and knowledge besides seeking partner industries to participate in the joint venture (Mello, 2010).
Marketing teams reached mature life cycles where economies of scale were widened along the product lines. The firm went through all technological change stages. The firm began as the industry's concept driver after reaching new markets that showed fast growth of its…
