Apples Business Strategy, Work Model, Employee Management and Leadership Practices - Essay Example

?running head: Apple’s Final Assessment Apple Inc. Final Assessment Ronnie Brickey WIU MGT-440 Lawrence, Doreen 26 January Contents Executive Summary 3 Effects of Globalization & Organizational Culture on Employee Selection and Training 4 Apple’s Vision and Mission Statement 5 Employee Satisfaction and Job Attitudes at Apple 5 Apple’s Values & Strategies to Motivate Employees 6 Product Development & Supply chain Management 6 Communication and Leadership: Cultural Impacts and Challenges 7 Conflict & Stress Management 7 Conclusion 8 References 9 Executive Summary This research paper entails a thorough analysis of Apple’s business strategy, work model, employee management and leadership practices. These core areas define its related HR practices that further affect employee selection, motivation, development and retention. Furthermore, examination of Apple’s leadership shed light on how Apple’s culture affects its employees and business practices along with its product development and supply chain partnerships. During critical analysis of its vision and mission statement, examination of Apple’s compliance to business ethics was also performed. Overall outcome of this analysis elaborates that Apple has made innovation and simplicity a foundation of not only its products, but its organizational philosophy as well. Effects of Globalization & Organizational Culture on Employee Selection and Training Apple is an ideal case study for understanding globalization in terms of business model and related processes. With workforce and supply chain scattered all around the globe and access to every part of global mobile and electronic gadgets market, Apple has managed to emerge as a market leader in mobile appliances and related applications. In addition to that, Apple’s organizational culture further supports its global business model and extended market access. Apple’s culture thrives on robust business practices, innovative appliances with simplicity as their foundation, independent yet accountable workforce and rigorous managerial strategies. Its culture is defined by its leadership as its founders have considered simplicity and innovation to be the core element of every innovation and hard work and creativity to be the ultimate traits required to be borne by every employee and manager. Globalization has further strengthened the foundation of this culture. As a result of globalized model, Apple has introduced strategies like ethical partnership with the suppliers and home-based jobs for students and other professionals in order to avail opportunities offered by global business model. As far as employee selection is concerned, Apple uses market competitive strategies to attract and retain talent but only recruit employees that are not only job fit but an organization fit as well. As far as training methods employed are concerned, its leadership uses a simple regime of Tell, Show and Do. Employees undergo on-job as well as academic trainings for enhancing their skill inventory and using them accordingly. On the other hand, as an ethical organization, Apple has also introduced educational programs, i.e. graduation, associate and bachelors for employees working for its suppliers. Training its own workforce and suppliers’ employees is influenced by its philosophy that says, “When people gain new skills and knowledge, they can improve their lives (Apple, 2012a).” Apple’s Vision and Mission Statement Apple’s vision is based on an optimistic ideology of being a market leader in technology and communication devices. It has managed to offer products that cover every aspect of technology usage and allows the consumer to have an impeccable experience with its products becoming an integral part of customer’s life style. Beginning from MacBooks to iPhones and iPads, Apple has attempted to amalgamate convenience, functionality and style in a single gadget. Furthermore, its commitment to have a motivated workforce and supply chain is another area that provides participatory direction to its business strategy. Furthermore, Apple has also showed commitment to diversity as an integral business value. Its product line, workforce, business segments and suppliers displays that it values customers and their needs that emerge from racially, ethnically and religiously diverse backgrounds (Apple, 2012b). Employee Satisfaction and Job Attitudes at Apple Apple has attempted to foster a work model that allows its employees to take risk and align their motivations with attainment of respective goals. This particular culture is influenced by leaders’ philosophy. Apple has further introduced suitable employee benefits, flexible work models that help employees in deriving satisfaction out of their workforce. Furthermore, since employees thrive on risks and unbeatable standards, therefore resultant is an impeccable product line. Its adherence to diversity and equal employment opportunity further motivates employees. Monetary and non-monetary benefits along with suitable work arrangement and exceptionally clear guidelines provided by business leaders helps in keeping employees’ goals aligned with organizational objectives. It has also attempted to affect employees’ moods and emotions by fostering a culture that is innovative and energy-driven (Grossman, 2005; Tobak, 2010). Apple’s Values & Strategies to Motivate Employees Careful evaluation of Apple’s recruitment strategy reflects that Apple hires potential talent that is an organization fit and culturally competent. Through its recruitment drives, it hires talent that is risk-oriented, has innovative philosophy and delivers impeccable products with creativity. For this purpose, it recruits young talent and develop them into Apple’s model accordingly. Since recruited talent possess a flair for risk and innovation, relevant and suitable intrinsic and extrinsic benefits helps in retaining such talent. Values such as empathy for users, achievement, innovation, individual performance, team spirit and management are made part of Apple’s culture and related trainings further helps in amalgamating these values into Apple’s culture. Since Apple’s employees are made their own bosses by providing them with complete autonomy with equal accountability, therefore independent decision making allows employees to work with efficiency and effectiveness (Duerson, 2012). Product Development & Supply chain Management One of the key features of Apple’s management and leadership is its secrecy. Managers and leaders are made aware of the relevant product or project. Tasks are tasks are broken down into jobs and assignments are given to individual project teams. Managers only share necessary information with different teams working on the same product acting, as a liaison (Woodside, 2011). On the contrary to the product development, product delivery and access in market is a result of high team integration. It is the close coordination between production, logistics, sales and inventory management that has given rise to state of art supply chain model, well-assisted by automated inventory management programs at Apple Inc. Communication and Leadership: Cultural Impacts and Challenges Apple’s mode of communication is simple and sober; free of extra glamour of celebrities and technological additives. It only lets its product speak through various forms of media while keeping its communication to a minimal extent. It’s distinctive packaging, online and offline communication through social marketing helps in creating sufficient hype for its product line. Careful analysis reveals that Apple’s leadership uses classic doctrines of trait theory to enable learning in its employees. Its philosophy that says, “Everybody works with self-determination and perseverance” has further framed a leadership model that instigates innovation, hard work and continuous learning from setbacks. Transition in leadership and cultural differences act as the major challenges that Apple is facing as of now (Reddy, 2012; Mourdoukoutas, 2011). Conflict & Stress Management In order to curtail stress and conflict in its employees, Apple has fostered a culture of independence, autonomy and accountability. Furthermore, clarity in job roles, chain of command, clear guidelines and practical examples by leadership during change management also helps in managing conflicts among employees and reduces their stress. It has a concrete code of conduct which bears clarity for employees as well as its suppliers. Its adherence to environmental protection, safety of whistleblowers, and equal employment opportunity are some of the simple examples of Apple’s commitment to compliance of ethics (Apple, 2012). Furthermore, its negotiations are well-supported by thorough strategic planning and collection of market intelligence (Johnson, 2013). Conclusion The research helped in understanding the vision and philosophy behind Apple’s employee management, product development and strategic partnerships with its suppliers. Careful analysis revealed that Apple is an astute believer of independence coupled with accountability. Therefore, its leadership has developed a culture that bears clarity not only in product line but in its vision and business model as well. As a result, Apple’s HR and business policies help in managing conflict and stress among employees whereas its leadership acts as the role model of desired behavior. It answers challenges caused by absence of old leadership and diversity introduced by global business model, through its clear and well-defined policies entailing employee motivation and selection, supply chain management, product development, designed in the light of its classic vision and mission statement. References Apple Inc. (2012a), “Supplier Responsibility”, Retrieved 26 January 2013 from http://www.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/empowering-workers.html Apple Inc. (2012b). Diversity at Apple. Retrieved 26 January 2013 from http://www.apple.com/jobs/us/index.html [10 December 2012]. Apple Inc. (2012c). ‘Ethics’, Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://www.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/code-of-conduct/ethics.html Duerson, M.H. (2012), The Making Of An Apple ‘Genius’: Secret Training Manual Reveals Tech Company’s Sales And Service Techniques, Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/making-apple-genius-secret-training-manual-reveals-tech-company-sales-service-techniques-article-1.1147042#ixzz2FrnSSKhO Grossman, L. (2005), How Apple does it? Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1118384-1,00.html Mourdoukoutas, P. (2011, October 05). Apple's four challenges. Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://www.utntyh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Whttp://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2011/10/05/apples-four-challenges/hen-Cultures-Collide.pdf Reddy, S. (2012, February 03).Gaining collaborative advantage. Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://resources.ipott.com/ceospeak/2012/02/03/gaining-collaborative-advantage/ Johnson, A. (2013). ‘Account sheds light on how Apple conducts buyouts, Steve Jobs's negotiating strategy’, Retrieved 26 January, 2013 from http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/155532/account-sheds-light-on-how-apple-conducts-buyouts-steve-jobss-negotiating-strategy Tobak, S. (2010), Apple’s Steve Jobs: A lesson in motivating the troops, Retrieved 16 December 2012 fromhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-28243724/apples-steve-jobs-a-lesson-in-motivating-the-troops/ Woodside, S. (2011). Apple Inc.: What is the internal culture like at Apple? Quora.com. Retrieved on 26 January 2013, from http://www.quora.com/Apple-Inc-2/What-is-the-internal-culture-like-at-Apple Read More