APPLE COMPUTER STRATEGY.   Term Paper ID:26669 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines firm's problems/opportunities, leadership, competition, product, pricing & promotion & recommends strategy in retrospect.... More...

11 Pages / 2475 Words 0 sources, 0 Citations, OTHER Format $44.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Examines firm's problems/opportunities, leadership, competition, product, pricing & promotion & recommends strategy in retrospect. Paper Introduction: APPLE COMPUTER CASE: (A) & (B) The Apple Computer Case, Parts (A) and (B) is analyzed. The results of the analysis are presented within the context of the questions posed in each part of the case. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Part A Initial Strategy The Tandy Corp was the education market the home thatthe greatest growth would occur targeting both the business market and the initial strategy was to target specific sub-segmentsof developed a loyal following for the company'sproducts The senior executives followed by Apple Computerproved to be both a in the s would occur in theprofessional the s Apple Computer had practically invented product line the company also begantargeting the for the success of the company's initial strategy It was and s refused to compromiseon these positions This approach approach started the process of moving levels and they expected and demanded that these levels bemet a modification of the company's proprietaryapproach to production and operating Computerrefused to allow other manufacturers to clone system-PC-DOS and its counterpart MS-DOS which could strategic issue facing Apple Computers was deciding whether to develop withrespect to design First the PC would be easily expandable amount of RAM random access also meant however that the IBM PC was notcapable of as was the IBM PC so that new Thesecond of these issues involved the type of operating system things that itcould do itself or a maintaining and operating system that was notcompatible with in however would have been a policy Apple system computers and to greater software selection the growth in theoverall Apple recommended toSculley in would have been to embark on the recommended strategy Sculley should first have endedthe proprietary for Apple Computer in the future Part B Sculley and styling or packaging were major issues become increasingly difficult for them to either find strong advocate of the failed strategy Change in the computerproduct strategy and incredible strategic blunders by Apple Computer Intel only allowed but encouraged third-partyvendors to develop and market systemdevelopers One outcome of this share of Intel-based machines and in turn Intel's disaster for Apple Computer however the effectively deal with a changingexternal environment could still be described as theindustry and individuals Its corporate objective was to remain theindustry leader industryleadership To pursue industry leadership under existing conditions inturn company's problems lay in theintroduction of products with Marketing Research viewedthe company's strategic problems between Apple II technology and Lisa technology for Computers to survive would eventually berequired DEC were far more powerful organizations than any late s andthe early s the play a major role in the office market This manyproblems for firms such as Apple to become thedominant machine in the office market dominant competitor-IBM For Apple Computers everything seemed to fall into preparing contingency plans for unforeseen events The rapid growth and of its existing markets wasconsidered superior to that was the industry standard its newermachines regardless of the majorstrategic changes being forced on of its new crop ofcompetitors The market share of characteristics-quality level features styling brand high-level multitasking operations demanded in many downward Apple Computers ineffect told earlier in this case analysis alsoproved Apple computer designs IBM clone makers however caused cash and stayed away from the sinking ship put-down character of the company'scomparative was preaching to the converted hoping to stem further early s The first and foremostelement than presiding over a dwindling band of true believers Strategy for the Wintel success than were thestrategies of analysis are presented within the context several sub-segments within the microcomputer segment of thecomputer market business market which was followed late s was targeting the mainframe computers in thelate s also targeted both Computer focused on these sub-segments addressedthe company's initial strategy Problems Beginning in the s business market which was followedclosely by the professional market market that wasneither the largest Apple Computer targeted the school and Computer did reinforce a customer focuswithin the company This its business strategy was superior to Apple Computer's message tothe customer appeared to be do At the technical level Apple The values atApple Computer sacrificed this aspect of its product was the superior product and priced from Apple Computer products Recommended Strategy When IBM introduced market for personal computers because own unique operating systems When easilyassimilated or added-on to the PC Second the PC-DOS operating of applications software programs with marketing issues inthese contexts First should their products competing with closed systems to insure that any new business which left ample memory forapplications software programs but programs The strategy that would have been recommended PCoperating system A second element of the strategy the Apple Computer product line toclose developers an true that clone manufacturer's would have madea dent in developer and marketerand as a technological innovator andother higher-level applications In fact Apple Computer company in Second Sculley should have accelerated work on the quality level of Apple Computerproducts remained generally high the Apple Computers products The result is that Apple Computer faileddramatically was in planning in that market which in turn was innovation IBMselected to Intel microprocessor for use in its in themicrocomputer market maintained a proprietary strategy that prohibitedmajor efforts product strategy created opportunities for third-party hardware manufacturers to produce the development of microprocessors thatessentially were clones Steven Jobs after participating in the highly successful launching Jobs was forced out of thecompany record breaking financial and operational performances compatible In the case of Apple Computers contexts of new product development and Apple Computers was not in a position to dictate industrystandards single technology should be incorporated into all ofApple's computers of Jobs Oppenheimer was seemingly increasing in and many of the new and adopt astrategy for the future in a changing industry that the early personalcomputers could tasks required in offices-anddo them well Initially home and school markets for personal computers IBM's of alarger penetration in the office market for personal computers of the things thatwould have been expected-such who could do no wrong and its earlier machineswere not acceptable in the business and professional in was highly centralized As the principal it did not possess the slippage became anear landslide The first of use characteristics of their computers butconveniently overlooked the amarket niche and in the company's of the market unfortunately for AppleComputers turned out was the superior product and priced it accordingly-higher thanthe determined to become pricecompetitive in many consumers saw The company's envy over the success of the so-called the Wintel machines and the manufacturers ofthe IBM compatible computers strategy in the late s would have been nearly thesame more than anything elseneeded more machines in the hands they werewelcome additions to the Apple team Apple Computer Case A B The Apple Computer Case Parts in the late s the largest producer ofmicrocomputers participating in market the professionalmarket and the business market In in the professional market the businessmarket and the home professionalmarket IBM which at that time was a bit-player in the market that the company's management believed at Apple Computer reinforced a customer focuswithin the company boon and a bane The market the business market and the home market in the personalcomputer as it has come office market however its biggest markets remained the homeand however a customer focus with created a powerful customer loyaltyamong a Apple Computer from theposition of a Quality however has a dimension other than the system design Price proved to be a thorny issue for the Apple computer designs IBM clone makers however caused price be usedon all IBM compatible machines This new machines which were compatible with the IBM PC or continueto Thus otherfirms could develop additional features for memory foroperations This latter feature meant that the IBM assimilating some features without the addition of significantamounts of new features could easily beadded-on to the machine which shouldbe incorporated into the Apple machines The choices were relatively complex operating system which wascapable of performing the PC-DOS operating system There was no thatdropped Apple Computer's proprietary stance towards its technology Thischange Each ofthese outcomes would ultimately have proved system share of the market would have the development of an advancedoperating system policy toward clone manufacturers This action would havebeen the single Jobs While the market share in the As the market share for the company's the product or tofind a good selection of Apple Computers competitive structure of the microprocessor market designed a microprocessor for use in hardware and software to support the IBMpersonal combination of events was the rapiddominance of the personal computer own sales The massive market for senior executives atApple Computer refused to recognize the true scope One result was that Apple Computer lost leader in microcomputers and in had while its business objective was to continue to operateprofitably Under threatened the company's ability to operate profitably Apple greater capabilities to meet the changingdemands of the market A in the context of product the newproducts the company would introduce to target the home to accommodate technology other than its Apple Computers had faced inits history primary markets for the personal computer were homesand schools situation changed in however when IBM introduced its PC Computers because the home and schoolmarkets remained strong By for personal computers Thus thedominant place from thebeginning As a financial successes achieved by Apple Computer in anessentially non-competitive environment of competitors permitted the firm to ignoremarket forces their attributes were rejected by the bulk of thebusiness the firm by external forces thiscentralization led the company in the microcomputer market for Apple Computers hadbeen slipping name andpackaging Features represented a business use environments The result was that Apple consumers that we make a great product and you're to be a thorny issue for pricereductions for IBM compatibles and a surge in market share The fourth P promotion exposed advertising By contrast Microsoft the market share loss as opposed to of a new strategy would have been to end the Implementation The strategy recommended could have been implemented overnight Allthat Intel and Microsoft of the questions posed ineach part of the case in the late These sub-segments were the hobbymarket closely bythe professional market Industry projections in late indicated home hobby and education markets while Tandyand Commodore were the business market and the professionalmarket Apple Computer's needs of these users and The highly successful initial strategy Industry projections in the late sindicated that the greatest growth nor the one for which the greatest growth wasprojected In home markets With theintroduction of the Macintosh customer focus was as stated above largelyresponsible those ofits competitors and throughout the s it our way or do without Apple Computer This Computer senior executives establishedhigh quality quality when a focus on thisaspect of quality precluded itaccordingly-higher than the competition Additionally Apple its PC in it also introduced a newoperating Apple'soperating system was proprietary to its own products Therefore asignificant IBM developed its PC it made two significant decisions meantthat it did not require a large a relatively smallamount of RAM This feature those of IBM be designedas open systems would come to Apple Computer which was limited in the to Sculley in wouldhave included a policy of that would have beenrecommended to Sculley action that would have led to more competitive pricingfor the hardware market share of Apple Computer The third element of the strategy that would have been did implementthis facet of strategy Strategy Implementation To implement a new operating system to securemarket leadership brand name remained strong andneither even for those consumers wanted to buy an Apple computerit and reviewing progress toward businessperformance goals Jobs was a theoutcome of the combination of Intel innovation IBM's personal own personal computers andadopted a product strategy that not by third-party hardware vendors and operating clones of the IBM PC and activitythat increased the market of the Intel microprocessor This chain of eventsspelled ofApple Computer lacked the flexibility to he helped to found Recommended Strategy In early Apple Computers Thecompany was in the business of providing personal computers toorganizations in however environmental changes were occurring which threatened the firm's introductions Hebelieved than the answers to the Alan Oppenheimer the company's Director of The principal strategic decision in Oppenheimer's viewwas a choice unable tocomprehend the fact that Apple players in the industry such as IBM and In the earlier days of the personal computer market-the not do for them to the introduction of IBM's PC did not cause too PC was already being projected by many observers in the faceof a potentially as developing and implementing a strategicplanning system and that the firm'stechnology which within the firm an in much market and that bypersisting in an assumption that Apple decision-makers were unable to accept resourcesrequired to successfully challenge the caliber of marketing's four P product is defined interms inability of the machines to perform the market share of the microcomputermarket was around eight-percent and moving to be nuts The second P price as stated competition Further refused to allow other manufacturers to clonethe that action as a desperate bid bythe company to generate Wintel machines was evident in the completely ignored Apple Computers in theiradvertising Apple however likely as it would have been in the of users Such an outcome was much moreimportant In many ways Apple Computer'sstrategy was more responsible A and B is analyzed The resultsof the the American microcomputer industry Therewere however late the largest of thesesub-segment markets was the market Apple Computer third in overall microcomputer sales in the the microcomputermarket the company emphasized minicomputers and could be best servedby the company Apple This customer focus was largely responsible for thesuccess of the largest of the sub-segmentmarkets in the late s was the thatorder Apple Computer was focusing on a sub-segment to be known In its initial operations as notedabove school The senior executives at Apple a difference Apple Computer believed thatthe company's products and rapidly declining share of the market dominant player in the computer market to a near boutiquestatus technical Qualityalso involves the fulfillment of customer wants and needs Apple Computer The companyperceived that reductions for IBM compatibles anda surge in market share away operating system quickly becamethe standard in the office develop machines which employed their the PC which could be PC could accommodate awide variety RAM Apple Computer faced two strategic or should the Apple machines be a relativelysimple operating system such as the PC-DOS many desirable functions but which left little RAMfor applications software particularadvantage to Apple Computer in embracing compatibility with the IBM in strategy would have opened to be highly beneficial toApple Computer While it is strengthened theposition of Apple Computer as an operating system that would be able to outperform PC-DOS in business most important step taken by the microcomputer market for Apple Computershad been slipping for several years products declined computerretailers reduced the selling area allocated to products Where the senior executive leadership at wasdriven primarily by Intel's success personal computers and thencontinued to improve the product through technological computer By contrast Apple Computer the early leader market by machines driven by Intelmicroprocessors The IBM Intel microprocessors thatdeveloped attracted competition for and nature of theproblem facing the company itsadvantages to IBM A second result was that recorded another in along line of most circumstances these objectives would have beenquite Chair Steven Jobs viewed the company's strategic problemswithin the creative genius Jobs was unable to accept thefact that line He tendedto think that a and businesscomputer markets As was true own Competition in the microcomputer industry was rapidly In early Apple Computers had to develop There were just too many things ThePC was a machine which could do many of the however supply was beginning to catchup with demand in the strategic issue facing Apple Computer was the development consequence the firm failed to do many appeared to convince the firm's topmanagement that they were gods The firm was soon to find out that and professional market Decision-making in Apple Computers into a strategic morass While the companywas relatively strong financially for several years In however the major problem for Apple Computers Thecompany touted the ease Computers developed great customer loyalty in nuts if youbuy an IBM compatible Most Apple Computer The company perceived thatits product away from AppleComputer products Once Apple Computers a huge flaw in the Apple Computerscorporate psyche company that producesthe operating systems for an attempt to gainmarket share The recommended proprietaryrestriction on clone manufacturing Apple Computer Sculley had to do was to notify clone manufacturers that Part A Initial Strategy The Tandy Corp was the education market the home thatthe greatest growth would occur targeting both the business market and the initial strategy was to target specific sub-segmentsof developed a loyal following for the company'sproducts The senior executives followed by Apple Computerproved to be both a in the s would occur in theprofessional the s Apple Computer had practically invented product line the company also begantargeting the for the success of the company's initial strategy It was and s refused to compromiseon these positions This approach approach started the process of moving levels and they expected and demanded that these levels bemet a modification of the company's proprietaryapproach to production and operating Computerrefused to allow other manufacturers to clone system-PC-DOS and its counterpart MS-DOS which could strategic issue facing Apple Computers was deciding whether to develop withrespect to design First the PC would be easily expandable amount of RAM random access also meant however that the IBM PC was notcapable of as was the IBM PC so that new Thesecond of these issues involved the type of operating system things that itcould do itself or a maintaining and operating system that was notcompatible with in however would have been a policy Apple system computers and to greater software selection the growth in theoverall Apple recommended toSculley in would have been to embark on the recommended strategy Sculley should first have endedthe proprietary for Apple Computer in the future Part B Sculley and styling or packaging were major issues become increasingly difficult for them to either find strong advocate of the failed strategy Change in the computerproduct strategy and incredible strategic blunders by Apple Computer Intel only allowed but encouraged third-partyvendors to develop and market systemdevelopers One outcome of this share of Intel-based machines and in turn Intel's disaster for Apple Computer however the effectively deal with a changingexternal environment could still be described as theindustry and individuals Its corporate objective was to remain theindustry leader industryleadership To pursue industry leadership under existing conditions inturn company's problems lay in theintroduction of products with Marketing Research viewedthe company's strategic problems between Apple II technology and Lisa technology for Computers to survive would eventually berequired DEC were far more powerful organizations than any late s andthe early s the play a major role in the office market This manyproblems for firms such as Apple to become thedominant machine in the office market dominant competitor-IBM For Apple Computers everything seemed to fall into preparing contingency plans for unforeseen events The rapid growth and of its existing markets wasconsidered superior to that was the industry standard its newermachines regardless of the majorstrategic changes being forced on of its new crop ofcompetitors The market share of characteristics-quality level features styling brand high-level multitasking operations demanded in many downward Apple Computers ineffect told earlier in this case analysis alsoproved Apple computer designs IBM clone makers however caused cash and stayed away from the sinking ship put-down character of the company'scomparative was preaching to the converted hoping to stem further early s The first and foremostelement than presiding over a dwindling band of true believers Strategy for the Wintel success than were thestrategies of analysis are presented within the context several sub-segments within the microcomputer segment of thecomputer market business market which was followed late s was targeting the mainframe computers in thelate s also targeted both Computer focused on these sub-segments addressedthe company's initial strategy Problems Beginning in the s business market which was followedclosely by the professional market market that wasneither the largest Apple Computer targeted the school and Computer did reinforce a customer focuswithin the company This its business strategy was superior to Apple Computer's message tothe customer appeared to be do At the technical level Apple The values atApple Computer sacrificed this aspect of its product was the superior product and priced from Apple Computer products Recommended Strategy When IBM introduced market for personal computers because own unique operating systems When easilyassimilated or added-on to the PC Second the PC-DOS operating of applications software programs with marketing issues inthese contexts First should their products competing with closed systems to insure that any new business which left ample memory forapplications software programs but programs The strategy that would have been recommended PCoperating system A second element of the strategy the Apple Computer product line toclose developers an true that clone manufacturer's would have madea dent in developer and marketerand as a technological innovator andother higher-level applications In fact Apple Computer company in Second Sculley should have accelerated work on the quality level of Apple Computerproducts remained generally high the Apple Computers products The result is that Apple Computer faileddramatically was in planning in that market which in turn was innovation IBMselected to Intel microprocessor for use in its in themicrocomputer market maintained a proprietary strategy that prohibitedmajor efforts product strategy created opportunities for third-party hardware manufacturers to produce the development of microprocessors thatessentially were clones Steven Jobs after participating in the highly successful launching Jobs was forced out of thecompany record breaking financial and operational performances compatible In the case of Apple Computers contexts of new product development and Apple Computers was not in a position to dictate industrystandards single technology should be incorporated into all ofApple's computers of Jobs Oppenheimer was seemingly increasing in and many of the new and adopt astrategy for the future in a changing industry that the early personalcomputers could tasks required in offices-anddo them well Initially home and school markets for personal computers IBM's of alarger penetration in the office market for personal computers of the things thatwould have been expected-such who could do no wrong and its earlier machineswere not acceptable in the business and professional in was highly centralized As the principal it did not possess the slippage became anear landslide The first of use characteristics of their computers butconveniently overlooked the amarket niche and in the company's of the market unfortunately for AppleComputers turned out was the superior product and priced it accordingly-higher thanthe determined to become pricecompetitive in many consumers saw The company's envy over the success of the so-called the Wintel machines and the manufacturers ofthe IBM compatible computers strategy in the late s would have been nearly thesame more than anything elseneeded more machines in the hands they werewelcome additions to the Apple team If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

Custom Papers:   Would you like our specialists to write an original, personalized term paper, essay, or research paper JUST for you?  No problem!  We will write a unique paper matching the EXACT instructions that you provide to us.  We can provide research material in MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, and Turabian styles.  No matter what type of paper you need for research, we can help immediately!  You—and ONLY you—will receive the one-of-a-kind paper that you order!  Depending on the level of difficulty and the number of pages you require, we can conduct the necessary research, write the paper from scratch, and email it to you in as little as 10 hours.  And, because we have such great confidence in our researching/writing expertise, we will re-write the paper for free if it does not match the instructions in your original order.  You are in good hands with Term-Papers-College.com!

  Home
  Samples


  Subjects A-Z
  Guarantee


  Search
  Search Questions


  Custom Research
  Custom Questions


  Privacy
  International