Apples Biggest Successes and Failures - Case Study Example

Although Apple attempted to tap the market with Macintosh clones the initiative was gone. In 1997, when Steve Jobs rejoined Apple as the CEO, the company took some bold steps. Apple joined hands with Microsoft and introduced Microsoft Office for Macintosh. This moved attracted customers as Office was the most used software at that time. Perhaps the big turning point in Apple's history was the introduction of iMac. Customers were intrigued by the aesthetics of the machine and about 1 million units were sold in a year.

To enhance marketing efforts, Apple opened up company-owned retail stores in various parts of the United States in early 2001. The introduction of iPod and then the iPhone has put Apple back in customer's minds. These products have revolutionized the industry. 2. How much of Apple's success can be linked directly back to its culture WhyApple emphasizes relaxed culture with casual dress code but an intense work environment. Employees have to work long hours and on weekends but they do not have to worry about wearing formal dresses for the office.

The culture is fun-filled yet there is no compromise on the quality of work and output. Apple management promotes this culture knowing that an individual does best when he/ she is free to act. When Jobs rejoined Apple as CEO in 1997, he promoted independent and creative thinking within the organization. This has resulted in the introduction of iPod and iPhone products which have captured big market shares. These success stories can be linked to the workaholic yet the casual culture of the organization.

"It is better to be a pirate than join the navy" (Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO)3. How do the actions of Apple apply to the TCOsThe Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes the cost to purchase the equipment, cost of upgrades, maintenance, support, and training. Apple systems, though, are costly as compared to other brands; yet provide longer durability, lower downtime, increased reliability, and built-in support against viruses and spyware (Apple Inc. 2009). Thus, the TCO for Apple is generally considered to be lower than other brands.

This is made possible due to continuous and dedicated hard work and commitment to creativity which are cornerstones of Apple's work ethics.