Innovation and Creativity in Apple Inc - Case Study Example

Apple Inc. is an American technology firm that manufactures and sells computers and smart phones. Apple Inc. has been in existence for some time and it has been seen as a very creative firm in many regards. The firm was started by Steve Jobs and his friend Steve Wozniak. In its early years, the firm was only involved in manufacture of personal computers, at a time when the personal computer was almost unheard of. In fact, the firm has been credited for being the pioneer of personal computers because before its fist personal computers, there were no personal computers and there were only server computers that were very big and so expensive that only large institutions could afford them. Apple Inc. is very creative in many ways. The first are of creativity is in its products. The firm has a range of very creative and innovative products. A good example is its smart phones. Apple’s smart phones, commonly known as iPhones have been the best iPhones in the world. Not only was Apple Inc. the pioneer of smart phones but these smart phones have remained to be the world leading smart phones (Davila, 2012). Maintaining itself as the world’s number one vendor of smart phones is not an accident; it is something that has depended mostly on its creativity. The firm’s products have always been very creative and forward-looking. Apple Inc. was the first technology firm to realize that serving a technology market is about being proactive and giving the customers what they don’t even know they need (Abraham, 2013). With the inception of its first smart phone, it delivered to the market a product that nobody had ever anticipated. The product was well received and many users liked it. The creativity of the firm’s products can also be seen in its first product, a personal desktop computer. In the mid 70s, computers were for very educated people, and the ownership was only left for big organizations such as university, government institution and big companies (Philip, 2014). Computer manufactures at the time only manufactured for this market. Apple Inc. was the first to realize that the computer can be made personal and this computer can be owned and used by everyday person. In line with this vision, they did not just crate a small affordable computer, but also created software that would make the uses of computer easy and intuitive. With this came the first graphical user interface. Prior to this, only highly educated and trained people would be able to use computers because using a computer even for a simple task such as adding two numbers required some computer programming skill. This is because the computers used command like instruction as a way to give instruction to the computers. Wring these commands on the computer text based interface was no easy thing, especially for these who were not computer savvy. Apple Inc. was the first to introduce the graphical user interface and the others followed suit in making this happen. At the same time, the other computer manufactures also started manufacturing personal computers. However, Apple Inc. with this creativity had already set the pace and was to act as the continuous trail blazer in the technology growth trajectory in the world. Human Resource Policy The other ways in which Apple Inc. can be said to be very creative is by its human resource. Apple Inc. is among the minority firms around the world that have a human resource that is structured (Ashok, 2013). This helps the firm to improve creativity and innovation. In Apple Inc., every employee has a say and they can contribute to the ideas of the firm (Maxwel, 2014). This becomes effective when the firm does not use a hierarchical human resource structure. The firm uses a flat structure and everyone, right from the CEO to the lowest employees are given the chance to contribute. Instead of the CEO being an unreachable boss who works from the corner office, he is a very reachable person. Although this might look like a simplistic solution, it motivates the employees to be very creative and innovative. In fact, the firm is said to have gained its creatively of its products by this because the employees could be able to provide for a way to make the firm have creative products (Moses, 2014). Price skimming The market strategy for Apple Inc. is also another evidence for its creativity. For instance, the firm is the only major phone manufacturer that only deals with smart phones and does not manufacture the low end feature phones. Most other firms such as Samsung and Nokia manufacture both smart phones and the feature phones for the low end market. Apart from not manufacturing the low end phones, Apple Inc. also concentrates on the high end smart phones. This makes it possible for the firm to be able access the high end market. The firm announces its new smart phone a few months way before it launches it. This allows for market price skimming. While those who are willing to pay for the expensive latest iPhones can buy them, the lower end market is not able to access the previous versions (Basulto, 2013). This kind of market price skimming is so relevant for a technology firm like Apple Inc. I it is necessary to note that even other smart phone manufacturers have also copied this creative marketing method, however, they have not done it as well as Apple Inc. has been able to do it. Production Apple was also one of the first firms to realize the importance of exporting its labor so as to experience the advantage of cheap and affordable labor in the developing countries (Morris, 2012). Apple Inc. structures its manufacturing and packaging such that it has the best fit for its labor and market. This makes the firm to be able to save on labor costs as well as on shipping costs. As a result, the firm is not only able to reduce its operational costs but is also able to optimize the way it is able to aces the raw materials and this gives a strategic edge over its competitors. Bibliography:Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Abraham, P. (2013). Modern Economics of Creative Manufacturing. New York, NY: Perason Books. Ashok, G. (2013). Managing Human Resources for Innovation and Creativity . Research-Technology Management, 36, 3 , PP. 56-61. Basulto, D. (2013, September 11). Apple’s new strategy: Trickle-down innovation. 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Journal od Human Resource Management, 9, 5 , PP. 89-94. Morris, P. (2012). Modern Manufacturing Strategy: The Question of Outsourcing . New York, NY: earson Books. Moses, P. (2014). Creativity and Modern Business: A look at the Apple Creativity Model. Journla of Management and Markting, 56, 9 , PP. 14-19. Philip, P. (2014). The Growth Trajectory of Technology; How Apple Spearheaded the Technology Growth. New York, NY: 2015 Weart, S. R. (2003). The discovery of global warming. Cambridge, Mass, Harvard University Press. Read More