Apple: Steve Jobs and Apple Essay

Submitted By smithb1929
Words: 774
Pages: 4

Apple
There is no doubt that Apple’s successful name is one of the leading, innovative forces in the computer industry. The multi-billion-dollar corporation, Apple Inc., designs and manufactures some of today’s highest technological gizmos and gadgets. Among their best known products are the Apple and Macintosh computers, iPods, iTunes, iPhones and iPads.
Apple is one of the most powerful and influential high tech companies in the world. The success of Apple Inc. stems from the innovation and visions of co-founder and entrepreneur, Steve Jobs, the excellence of the stylish, user-friendly products, and the ability to create innovative products that consumer’s desire.
In looking at the roadmap that the company had laid out prior to Steve Jobs stepping down, it appears the company was poised to keep moving the business forward. According to Dempsey, “Apple’s product development roadmap stretches into multiple years ahead and has been shaped both by Jobs and by the organization he built” (Dempsey, 2011). “Schiller has the daunting task of keeping Apple cool”,( Burrows & Satariano). This is a rather large task for a company that is no longer a startup company.
One possibility is for Apple to consider increased marketing to specific segments in the business environment. Its ability to operate without major programming issues makes it a lucrative system for accounting or financial type businesses. Loss of data, either through a system crash or invasion by hacker's programs, is detrimental to any business operation. Apple has the ability of producing and controlling its hardware and software. A merger of operations with Peoplesoft, Oracle, or SAP could provide a positive financial influx that will provide continued life to Apple's operating system platform. The learning curve for many ERP supported programs is lengthy and when combined with the need of learning an operating system subject to problems it becomes even longer. Apple provides an easy to use operating system and user friendly operations that can be taught to even the smallest children so older computer-illiterate employees can easily learn to operate quickly. This lessens the computer intimidation and allows for focusing on learning the ERP program that will be modified to fit the same easy to use formatting. This would be a big plus for the employer and employee.
The downside here could be Apple might lose control of some of its operation when merging with an ERP company. Management might not be willing to share operating platform information with this ERP company making it difficult to perfect such a blending of operational systems.
Apple has a number of avenues open for them. Profits look good in the future as the economic picture expands and improves. It was able to make profits during the slow times so it should be able to do much better as everything improves. Its biggest challenge will be determining the best way to continue supporting of its operating platform when it holds only 2% of the market share. It seems rather costly with the continued losses. Management evaluation is needed in this