Organizational Leadership: Chief Executive Officers of of Apple Inc - Coursework Example

Organizational Leadership Chief Executive Officers, commonly known as CEOs, are the most senior corporate officials within organizations, taking charge of administrations and management of both profit and non-profit organization. In most instances, CEOs are appointed by an organizations directors board, for which they work and report. Ideally, the success or failure of an organization in most instances lies with the CEOs and their strategies of operation for a particular organization. Their roles and responsibilities are clearly structured by the directorate board, or any other legally instituted body according to an organization’s policies (Lashinsky 12). In most organizations, CEOs have four major roles that the play in an organization. These include decision-making processes, leadership, management, and the executor of different activities within an organization. It is the mandate of CEOs, with the help of other top management officials, to develop and implement different strategic developments aimed towards the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Lashinsky 61). Different organizations employ CEOs depending on various needs by the organization in addition, the abilities of particular individuals towards a positive management of an organization towards realizing its strategies. One of such CEOs is Tim Cook; the current CEO of Apple Inc. Cook took over the leadership of Apple Inc. after the resignation of Steve Jobs, who later took up the position of the chairperson of the organization. Before his job at Apple, Cook was the Director of North American Fulfillment at IBM, a company where he worked for 12 years (Lashinsky 41). Apple Inc. was previously on the verge of collapse before Cook took over the position of CEO. However, since he took over the office, Apple is considered the most successful and profitable technological organization. The partnership between Cook and Steve until Steve’s death worked so effectively towards the increase of the company’s revenues from $11 billion to the current $100 billion figure by revenues (Lashinsky 42). As such, Tin Cook has been one of the most successful CEOs in their duties considering the developments that Apple has realized under his leadership. One contributing factor towards Cooks performance at the helm of Apple is operational strategy and the corporate design structure in Apple Inc. Cook believes success comes about from focus and specialization, which enable one to concentrate on a particular activity by giving the best. One of Apple’s major success strategies is specialization. All Apple employees work in their various departments of specializations, without any exposure to any functions outside an individual’s area of expertise. Such an approach ensures that the best employees are always available in every role that the company engages in (Lashinsky 28), a factor that has significantly contributed toward quality enhancement in the different products by the company, as well as increased innovation and invention of new products and services into the global market. In order to succeed in the currently high competitive markets, one has to stay alert and responsive to the numerous changes occurring in the outside environments. Strategic nimbleness is one aspect that Cook has ensured that Apple affiliates. Strategic nimbleness refers to a company or organization’s ability to establish quick adaptive measures to the changing environment as a means of maintaining the completion by establishing faster and more proactive measures in countering such changes. Apple has established its operations on three major aspects; vigilance, versatility, and velocity, which work to reduce rigidity of the organization towards its operations (Lashinsky 104). All of the approaches have mainly been the contributions of Cook, in establishing Apple high up the hierarchy in the stiff competitive markets. Apple has frequently been making improvements on its products in response to an increase in technological development as a means of retaining its current clients and acquiring new clients. Vigilance involves the recognition of emerging competitions and developing appropriate mitigation strategies. Apple has been able to identify various loopholes in the other competitor’s strategies and making improvements in them and capture on the new markets. Falling out of touch with customers and over-emphasizing on competitors is one way of losing the track with success (Lashinsky 123). Apple has been able to establish strong links and ties with its customers as such as the greatest contributing factors to organizational success. Versatility is another contributing factor towards success in Apple as a contribution of Cook. Unlike many organizations that develop appropriate ideas for success but fail in the implementation or delay because of lack of resources, Apple has indeed capitalized in such new ideas and then made improvements. Cook since his appointment as Apple’s CEO, established a constant flow of resources, with a good percentage put aside for research and development. In such prospects, Apple through Tim Cook has been able to fund most of the new ideas, some of which are its competitors’ ideas, though the competitors fail in the implementation aspect (Lashinsky 95). Velocity is yet another strategy by Cook in increasing the organizational performance and productivity. One of the greatest strategies for a successful organization includes the ability to identify new opportunities and grab such with the fastest speed before others in the industry grab the opportunities. Cook as a key decision maker in Apple, goes with speed in grabbing new opportunities, considering the increasing competition in the industry. Based on such a perspective, Apple has been able to increase its innovation and invention prospects, factors that have contributed significantly towards the increased performance of the organization in the technological industry. Cook in his position, as Apple’s CEO, is both a visionary and change-oriented leader. In October 2012, Cook made major changes to the top management of Apple in an urge to increase productivity in the organization. Such was a decision taken after the company’s revenues and fell below the targets. One of Cook’s major success strategies is to increase performance constantly, despite the numerous obstacles that exist on the way. In such a way, all individual starting with the executive must be focused in all activities within the organization, in ensuring that the targets are realized. Indeed, from the changes that Cook made in the top management, changes were realized as the company started increasing in their profits through increased innovation as Apples ability to innovate comes from tension and disagreement (Lashinsky 44). Apple has been able to establish a stronger customer base majorly from the contributions of Cook. As earlier stated, Cook was a senior Director at IBM, another technological company dealing with the manufacture and sale of computer products. Having established a strong an all-inclusive engagement approach to both employees and customers, Cook has improved the bond existing between the organizations stakeholders and its shareholders in the company, a factor contributing towards improved service delivery. Such is a structure that has driven Apple towards capturing new markets. The all-inclusive corporate structure setup by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has significantly benefited the organization, most especially in reference to the customers. Apple’s customers have a role to play in determining which particular products the company needs to develop and what improvements are needed for current products (Lashinsky 82). Getting customer views on what changes are necessary is a positive approach towards fulfilling customer needs, the greatest contributor to organizational success. From such a corporate structure, Apple has been able to increase its sales as most of the products produced are aligned to customer needs and requirements and equally, contribute towards enhancing environmental sustainability using environmentally friendly materials. Additionally, Apple has increased its establishment in the global platform through the increase of its charity work. Through charitable participations, an organization bonds with the clientele as well as other potential customers by getting their views on the various products and services. The increased donation to charity is as a contribution of Apple’s new strategy towards the development of renewable energy, which would work towards the reduction of environmental pollution (Lashinsky 107). With the current increase in climatic change through increased global warming, many customers prefer the production of environmentally friendly products that minimize environmental damage. With such an approach, it is evident that Apple has its customers in mind and their involvement in the promotion of clean energy movement for the industry. The company’s share price refers to a single shares price of the number of stocks available for sale, which in most instances compares with an organization’s cash flow status. Most organizations offer compensations to the CEOs in comparison to the performance of the CEO as well as the organization’s share price value. Following Cook’s impressive performance by contributing towards the organization’s success since, he took over the position as company’s CEO; the company in 2013 rewarded him for his good work. In that year, Cook received $4.25 million compensation as a 2% increase to what he got the previous year. Such amount received is at the company’s share price of $100.85, with a change of change +0.12 +0.12% and a volume of 982,769 (Lashinsky 121). Judging by the contributions that Cook has been able to make in the organization, getting such compensation is indeed a justified action. A company CEO has to put aspects in an organization on checks at all times in order to ensure that all programs and processes run as required for the meeting of the strategic goals and objectives. Conclusion Mr. Cook has indeed been very success at his job as he has contributed significantly towards the success of the Apple. Through the structure he has established in the organization, which ideally is in line with Apple’s corporate strategy, great achievements have been realized. Cooks is a visionary leader, who established a number of innovative and inventive initiatives towards the realization of the organization’s goals and objectives. Additionally, considering the progress Apple has realized through the leadership of Cook, it is conclusive that the compensation he receives is indeed justified and reasonable. Work Cited Lashinsky, Adam. Inside apple how americas most admired--and secretive--company really works. New York: Business Plus, 2014. Print. Read More