Apple Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple - Case Study Example The Apple’s product lines mainly include iPod and iTunes, desktop and laptop computers, the revolutionary iPad and iPhone, and the OS X operating system. The company frequently comes up with innovations in its product designs. The Apple follows its traditional Macintosh marketing strategy and always gives specific focus on innovative promotional efforts. Although these four elements were crucial to Apple’s success, frequent product innovations have greatly assisted the company to outsmart its competitors in no time. The organization’s potential competitive strategy significantly aided the management to survive many contingencies, including 2008 global financial crisis. 2. Well developed product differentiation approach and industry leading innovation are the core elements of Apple’s strategy on computers, personal media players, and smartphones. Although Apple’s major portion of revenues is generated from non computer products, the company still con siders computers as its core business segment. The differentiation strategy has greatly assisted Apple to attain a competitive position in the personal computer industry. For instance, referring to Marino and Gamble (2010), innovative features like a proprietary operating system and strong graphics-handling techniques benefited Apple to differentiate its Macs from PCs. In addition, Apple offered a variety of computer models in various configurations. Apple practices skimming pricing policy in personal media player industry with intent to capture consumer surplus. According to Marino and Gamble (2010), Apple priced $399 for the iPod when the company launched the product for the first time and the Apple management eventually reduced the price over time. This pricing strategy was greatly beneficial for the company to establish its iPod products in the market. The iPhone 3G was a great product innovation of Apple. The company frequently diversifies its smartphone features also. While an alyzing the smart phone sector, it is obvious that Apple’s product innovation and differentiation strategies have significantly contributed to its market competitiveness. 3. Potential Resource Strengths and Competitive Capabilities While analyzing the Apple computers, the global presence is identified as one of the competitive strengths of the company. Since the organization has strong brand image, Apple computers are well recognized in the market. Synergies of combined operation assist the company to reduce operating costs and to improve value chain operations. Evidently, strong media relation and innovativeness are other potential strengths of Apple. Potential resource weakness and competitive deficiencies Undoubtedly, low returns represent a potential resource weakness of Apple computers. Market surveys indicate that many people hesitate to purchase Apple computer because of the company’s premium pricing. Furthermore, the firm increasingly depends on others for the key components. Potential market opportunities Increasing demand for wireless products seems to be a potential opportunity for Apple computers since the company already has a range of products in this area. Similarly, Apple’s new digital platform (integrating iTunes video content into television screens and portable devices) would enhance its growth in computer industry. Potential external threats to Apple’s future profitability Strong competition raises a series of potential challenges to

The importance of Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

The importance of Thanksgiving Essay Holidays in my opinion are times for families who are spread across the United States and those around the world to come together and share laughs, memories, and stories. One of the most important and my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in my family is a time for love, giving thanks, and simple joy of being with family. It is a time to give thanks for all the things you’ve been blessed with from family right down to the shoes on your feet. Thanksgiving is so important to me because it allows me to spend time and visit with my family. Being around family just provides a sense of serenity and calmness. When we are all together everyone is laughing, and just enjoying each other. My family’s presence makes me feel as if there isn’t a care in the world. Love is indescribable and one of the greatest things about Thanksgiving. The entire atmosphere during Thanksgiving is that of uplifted spirits and rejoicing with family and friends. I get so excited just waiting on everyone to arrive and start sharing stories about work and life. The love that my family has is greater than any problem or circumstance that arises. When we all gather together to give thanks, I can feel the love in the air. The warmth I feel in my heart is a feeling that I wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world. Although we disagree at time my family is always there for me when I need them most. Giving thanks is another reason Thanksgiving is my favorite and in my opinion the best holiday I celebrate. Although I pray and thank the Lord every night before I go to sleep, giving thanks and being around the people you love while doing it makes it all the more special. When my family prays over the food before we eat Thanksgiving dinner we all join hands and go around the circle and say what we give thanks for. Giving thanks shows how grateful you are for the smallest things in life like the beauty of our world to the things we take for granted such as air, functioning limbs and hearing. The joy I get from being around my family is simply electrifying. I get so excited just thinking about celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. They are always so positive and fun to be around especially during the holidays. I feel like during Thanksgiving I don’t have a single care in the world. When I wake up during the days leading to Thanksgiving the happiness I feel is unexplainable. It is a feeling of freedom and just a relaxation from the everyday burdens of life. I give my family full credit for the person I am today. Without their loving and caring spirits and personalities I don’t know how I would be where I am today.

That Evening Sun Essay -- Literary Analysis, William Faulkner

Critical Analysis of That Evening Sun In That Evening Sun, William Faulkner approaches the story through an anecdotal style that gives meaning to the story. The narrator uses the anecdote that happened to him to convey the story’s underlying meaning that people are restricted by social class and race, not realizing this meaning himself at the time. The era of racism pertains to the meaning of the story, discussing the aversion of southern white people to help those different from them, focusing on the restrictions that society has placed on social class and race separation and the desire to maintain the division. The anecdotal style in That Evening Sun allows the narrator, Quentin, to have a viewpoint and an attitude that is more mature. Since he tells the story now that he is an adult, and the anecdote comes from a memory as a child, the details are focused on smaller things. To exemplify, we see how Quentin takes time to notice Nancy’s eyes by recalling, â€Å"they looked like cats’ eyes do† (296). Information is also given to the reader in a vague way, showing how little Quentin understood about the events that took place. Quentin for instance, didn't know what the "swelling" under Nancy's dress was, and without question assumes that the bump is a â€Å"watermelon† because that’s what Jesus says it is. The reader must assume that since Nancy said to Jesus that the baby, â€Å"never come off of your vine, though† that the child is not Jesus’. The reader doesn’t acquire this knowledge from Quentin’s understanding, however, since he is not mature enough, rather interprets it from Nancy’s words. The effect of having Quentin as an adult tell a childhood story is that the reader is made aware of the casual observations that he thought were imp... ...morality of racism, just the fact that racism is present and that’s the way it was at that time. In the story, the reader can see Nancy’s feelings and thoughts, therefore we view her as a real person, but during the time she was simply a black woman and Quentin is showing that it wasn’t racism that was intentional, rather it was an upbringing that shaped the way black people were viewed. Furthermore, Jason’s repetition of â€Å"I’m not a nigger,† is not meant in a callous way, rather is meant in a â€Å"that’s just how it is† way. The social commentary on racism and it â€Å"just being there† is hidden through the children’s ramblings. The comments of the children show how much the children paid attention to the ways adults were presenting racism. The point of this being to show a memory that came from youth and concentrated on blacks just being the lower social class and race. That Evening Sun Essay -- Literary Analysis, William Faulkner Critical Analysis of That Evening Sun In That Evening Sun, William Faulkner approaches the story through an anecdotal style that gives meaning to the story. The narrator uses the anecdote that happened to him to convey the story’s underlying meaning that people are restricted by social class and race, not realizing this meaning himself at the time. The era of racism pertains to the meaning of the story, discussing the aversion of southern white people to help those different from them, focusing on the restrictions that society has placed on social class and race separation and the desire to maintain the division. The anecdotal style in That Evening Sun allows the narrator, Quentin, to have a viewpoint and an attitude that is more mature. Since he tells the story now that he is an adult, and the anecdote comes from a memory as a child, the details are focused on smaller things. To exemplify, we see how Quentin takes time to notice Nancy’s eyes by recalling, â€Å"they looked like cats’ eyes do† (296). Information is also given to the reader in a vague way, showing how little Quentin understood about the events that took place. Quentin for instance, didn't know what the "swelling" under Nancy's dress was, and without question assumes that the bump is a â€Å"watermelon† because that’s what Jesus says it is. The reader must assume that since Nancy said to Jesus that the baby, â€Å"never come off of your vine, though† that the child is not Jesus’. The reader doesn’t acquire this knowledge from Quentin’s understanding, however, since he is not mature enough, rather interprets it from Nancy’s words. The effect of having Quentin as an adult tell a childhood story is that the reader is made aware of the casual observations that he thought were imp... ...morality of racism, just the fact that racism is present and that’s the way it was at that time. In the story, the reader can see Nancy’s feelings and thoughts, therefore we view her as a real person, but during the time she was simply a black woman and Quentin is showing that it wasn’t racism that was intentional, rather it was an upbringing that shaped the way black people were viewed. Furthermore, Jason’s repetition of â€Å"I’m not a nigger,† is not meant in a callous way, rather is meant in a â€Å"that’s just how it is† way. The social commentary on racism and it â€Å"just being there† is hidden through the children’s ramblings. The comments of the children show how much the children paid attention to the ways adults were presenting racism. The point of this being to show a memory that came from youth and concentrated on blacks just being the lower social class and race.

The Need to Study English as a Foreign Language

WHY DO WE STUDY ENGLISH It is necessary to study at least one foreign language today. That’s why pupils have got such subject as a foreign language at school. The problem of learning foreign languages is very important today. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time. We know that the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge and has contributed to an overflow of information. The total knowledge of mankind is known to double every seven years. Foreign languages are needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange of the people of our planet. Today English is the language of the world. English isn’t only the national or official language of some thirty states, which represent different cultures, but it is also the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology, business and mass entrainment. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music and international tourism. I learn English because I understand that I can use it. As I’m going to work in the sphere of management in Electronic Equipment Trade, I think that it is very important for a specialist of high qualification to speak at least one foreign language. English is extremely necessary as it is the most popular language of international business communication. I learn English because I want to read foreign literature in the original. Besides, the English language is the language of the great literature. A lot of modern literature and many new films in English come out every year. If you know English, you can understand them without translation. No wonder that most educated people speak English fluently. I like to travel, but it is difficult to visit new places, when you don’t know the language of these countries. And it is much easier to travel when you know the language. If I want to ask something, I can do it in English. Today, one person in seven of the world’s population either knows English or learns it. So a modern and a cultured person must learn foreign languages.

Children Getting Parents in Trouble

Although children are a parents responsibility, parents are not constantly with their children to keep them from doing irresponsible acts. Parents can only control what their children are doing if they are in their sight. Children will often blame their parents for their actions when in reality the child is either pressured by a friend, curious, or wanting to live the â€Å"life of a teenager† and have fun. It is argued that parents should know where their children are but, children are not stupid and have many ways of working around that. They could tell their parents that they are going to go to their friends house and spend the night. The parents can only trust that their child is actually there. Then, there is a problem with parents who do not care at all about what their children do. If a child (child 1) was to spend the night at a friends house (child 2) and the parents of child 2 did not care at all about what the kids did and the kids went out to a party and got really drunk causing them to make some bad decisions, probably drunk driving, arsine, or murder. Than the parent that should have been watching the children is at partial fault. But they are not always the ones who get charged for the crime and it’s the other parents who get the blame. Parents can not help the curiosity that their children have. Children know right from wrong and know that what they are doing is not appropriate. They need to be punished for what they have done, if every child got away with crime and their parents were charged, than the child would never learn from their mistakes and think that they will be able to get away with anything and continue to commit crimes.

Future of Business under Bush essays

Future of Business under Bush essays President George W. Bush has announced a 6-point agenda for stimulating the US economy that he plans to implement, if re-elected. The plan would help businesses as follows: The cornerstone of President Bush's economic plan is his proposal for eliminating double taxation on corporate dividends carrying a price tage of $ 370 billion over the next 10 years. At present, the IRS taxes a company's profits and then taxes investors who receive the profits as dividends as well. The measure is likely to benefit entrepreneurs and businesses that pay dividend income, and seeks to strengthen businesses in the long-term that choose to distribute capital to their investors by means of dividends. (Jones, 2003) Current tax laws permit small businesses to write off up to $25,000 worth of equipment purchases as expenses. The President's plan would increase that limit to $75,000 and index it to inflation - encouraging small businesses to buy technology, machinery, and other equipment needed for Small businesses would be allowed to join together to purchase health coverage for workers at lower rates, resulting in lower health care costs. Measures are planned to reduce mass tort lawsuits against businesses and health care workers and insurance companies that drive up costs of doing business. ("President Bush's Six-point Plan, 2003") Another Bush proposal relating to businesses is a comprehensive national energy plan focusing on upgrading the nation's electrical grid, promoting energy efficiency, and increasing domestic energy production. (Ibid.) ...

Organisational behaviour case study Essay Essays

Organisational behaviour case study Essay Essays Organisational behaviour case study Essay Essay Organisational behaviour case study Essay Essay Introduction The chief end for any concern has ever been to increase net income borders. In the past the companies focused merely on the figure of productions and other proficient issues. whereas other facets. such as human recourses direction. were non valued as of high of import. These yearss. concern environment has changed dramatically. It is believed that organizational behavior is one of the chief countries for possible betterment in order to run a sustainable concern ( Robbins et al 2011. p. 8 ) . This instance survey will analyze the internal direction schemes of Westpac group ( Westpac ) . one of the four chief Bankss in Australia. It shows how Westpac uses organizational behavior rules to increase occupation satisfaction to actuate its employees. It will besides explicate how the company supports its employees in struggle state of affairss and analyze the leading manners of the bank’s Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) . Gail Kelly. Surveies have shown that utilizing the appropriate organizational behavioural techniques can advance a motivated. satisfied and conflict free work force. but how does Westpac actuate its staff and how satisfied are its employees in their occupation functions? Job satisfaction and motive Westpac being a big. good established company is good cognizant of how finding. retaining and actuating its employees can be important for a successful concern to thrive ( Westpac 2006 ) . The company is faced with actuating employees and. in bend. bring forthing high occupation satisfaction throughout all degrees of the administration ( Root 2014 ) . It can besides be deduced that if employees feel occupation satisfaction so this. consecutively. will filtrate through to make a positive experience for Westpac’s clients every bit good. However. in order to bring forth a motivated work force. Westpac must offer its employees benefits. wagess and acknowledgment. which are a few of the cardinal causes of occupation satisfaction ( Robbins et al 2013. p. 59-74 ) . These incentives come in many different signifiers and are sometimes. specific to an employee’s demands. When actuating a individual with a benefit or wages. Westpac must understand that each single individual will value a wages otherwise ( Root 2014 ) . For illustration. an employee with a immature household may value paid parental leave. or a shorter on the job twenty-four hours. over a publicity or a wage addition. Westpac shows that they understand that non all employees are the same and have differing demands by ranking foremost in 2013 in the one-year benchmarking study ‘Work/Life Initiatives’ for their flexible work options. offering 12 hebdomads paid parental leave. entree to child attention every bit good as offering flexible on the job hours ( ‘Westpac leads in satisfaction poll’ 2013 ) . However. for another employee. a valued wages may take the form of chance to travel up in the company. If an employee is promoted to a function they have been endeavoring to obtain so that publicity is a agency of recognizing their difficult work and finding and makes the employee more motivated in their occupation and the company. therefore bring forthing occupation satisfaction ( Robbins et al 2013. p. 59-74 ) . while profiting the company excessively. There are many ways that Westpac generates motive and in bend occupation satisfaction. nevertheless. one of these is through occupation enrichment ( Darling 1997 ) . This is the pattern of heightening an employee’s person occupations and increasing duty which. in bend makes the occupation more stimulating and honoring for the employee. by giving them more control over their work and how they perform it. advancing increased occupation satisfaction ( Robbins et al 2013. p. 171-190 ) . By giving employees more duty and control of the work they are making increased occupation satisfaction. as a deficiency of control or stimulation is frequently a cause of emphasis and ennui. which causes a lessening in motive. It is difficult to challenge that the right employee motive creates occupation satisfaction. and in bend client satisfaction. In 2013. Westpac surveyed its employees and 70 % said they were committed to their occupation. moreover. in the same twelvemonth Westpac came out on top of the four chief Bankss for client satisfaction ( Bennet 2014 ) . Westpac topographic points great accent on the bar and declaration of possible struggles between its employees. It can besides be said that by making a more comfy workplace for employees this will in turn contribute to the efficiency of the company’s public presentation as a whole. Conflict direction It is hard to conceive of any workplace to be wholly conflict free. First of all. workplace brings together people with different values. personality traits and people of different ages. Furthermore. when there is increased force per unit area on employees to run into marks. complete undertakings faster frequently with a deficiency of resources. tensenesss can originate and the work environment becomes increasingly more nerve-racking for the employees. This means that colleagues ever need to seek an appropriate manner to interact with each other at work. However. it is besides an issue for directors as they are responsible for comfy communicating and struggle declaration between workers. Harmonizing to Robbins et Al ( 2012 p. 450 ) . there are three chief causes or beginnings of struggle: communicating. structural factors ( such as size of a group and specialization ) and personal variables ( including personality. emotions and values ) . Analyzing the struggle direction system of We stpac. it is just to reason. that the company is more focussed on the bar of struggles that may originate from personal variables. As an illustration. the company pays great attending to the rights of employees to an equal employment chance. Indeed. today the enlisting patterns of many companies indirectly discriminate possible employees because of their race. gender. age. sexual orientation or cultural background. One of the chief schemes of Westpac is to make a balanced work environment. free of torment and favoritism. Harmonizing to Westpac ( People policies 2014 ) . the handling claims about the events of favoritism applies to all employees. clients and spouses working for the company. Westpac takes all sensible stairss to forestall possible struggles caused by such events from happening in the workplace. The company requires all employees to set about particular discrimination/harassment preparations and requires them to be familiarised with the current favoritism and harassment policies and processs. Two other types of personality-based struggle in the workplace are emotional-based and values-based. The ability to equilibrate emotions and grounds. understand the involvements of each other every bit good as the ability to keep good communicating and remain dependable can assist to forestall and pull off a struggle ( ‘Managing Conflict’ 2007. pp. 46-47 ) . In order to keep a comfy work environment for the employees Westpac has created the Employee Assistance Program. which provides employees with confidential reding on a scope of issues. such as household mournings. deficiency of occupation satisfaction. results of mark oriented direction. emphasis and trauma direction. Another foundation. Critical Incident Management Program. helps employees after traumatic events: personal menaces in the workplace. the decease of work co-workers and menaces from different external events. Why is it of import for the company to pay so much attending to such type of struggle? As Robbin s et Al ( 2012. p. 448 ) province. relationship struggles are dysfunctional. It means that they have a negative impact on the work efficiency. This point of position was shared by Karim ( 2009. p. 289 ) . who argues that emphasis on the occupation causes lower productiveness and hapless public presentation in the administration. As an illustration. pull offing traumatic incidents can significantly cut down employee’s absences after the event ( ‘Prompt injury direction can cut down employee absence’ 2007 ) . The company aims to promote staff members to describe any error in order to assist directors to adequately pull off hazard and cultural issues. Examples of error can be a breach of Westpac’s Policies and Codes. improper behavior and safety issues. As a portion of struggle direction. the company has established the ‘Concern Reporting’ system ( Westpac 2013 ) . It includes an online and telephone service. which allows anon. communicating. which connects employees to trained specializers from an independent administration. However. if the struggle has already occurred. Westpac has a figure of procedures to foreground issues between employees and their directors with farther probe with senior directors if the issue is non resolved. It is of import to gain that the relationships between employees are really susceptible to the leading manner set in the group. Leadership manners Leadership plays an of import function to maximize efficiency and to accomplish organizational ends. Effective leaders have an ability to actuate and animate employees and contribute to the great success of the company ( Keskes 2014 ) . Gail Kelly emphases the importance of puting a clear way for an administration and joint all employees and other stakeholders ( ‘Leadership advice from the CEO of Westpac. Gail Kelly’ 2014 ) . This manner of leading has been successful to accomplish the company’s ends and visions. This achievement brought her as a magnetic leader and her personal appeal helps her to all employees commit to the house and bring forth higher fiscal public presentation ( Davidson et all 2009. pp. 386-387 ) . Now she is ranked the 11th most powerful adult female in the universe and is Australian’s highest paid businesswomen. Harmonizing to Goleman et all ( 2002 ) . leadings are divided by six types. viz. airy. coaching. affiliative. democratic. p acesetting and commanding. Each type of the leading can be used apart. depending on state of affairss. Companies spend a great trade of money on new procedures and efficiencies to increase one per cent of bottom-line profitableness. but 30 per cent of the company’s bottom-line profitableness is responsible by leading manner. Therefore. it is really of import to utilize leading manners to react to different state of affairss efficaciously. These yearss. dramatic alterations can be seen across the fiscal services. Australian Bankss have competed for the biggest portion of the place loans market. However. this competition has shifted to acquiring customers’ sedimentations. When the company prosecute a new way. airy leading manner is the most appropriate. The aim of this manner is to travel people towards a new set of shared marks with clear account. Many companies end up with failure to alterations due to decelerate response or when employees are non certain about the way of the house. One of the great successes of Westpac is that Gail Kelly uses this manner efficaciously ( ‘Leadership Styles’ 2011 ) . Another manner of leading that is built-in to Gail Kelly is affinitive manner. Affinitive manner of leading is besides seen to accomplish high employee satisfaction ( Brook. K 2003 ) . Westpac put the value on the importance of teamwork and the diverseness of employees irrespective of age. race and ability ( People policies 2014 ) . The company helps the employees’ to work out personal jobs and encourages them to be more cohesive in order to make a comfy work environment. This manner of leading is utile to heighten squad harmoniousness. increases the morale and the betterment of communicating in employees. that is indispensable in current volatile state of affairs in fiscal industry. However. affinitive leading would be unsafe to utilize by itself since its emphasis’s on group work and it might advance hapless public presentation or no future growing. For this ground. the demand to unite different manners of leading. that the company does successfully. is indispensable to make the ends of the concern ( Robbins et al 2011. Ps 357 ) . Decision Organizational behavior is more than merely the rules of how people can work in the group together. It is a complex survey that shows how the right interaction of employees can profit the business’s effectivity. The analysis of Westpac Group has revealed that the company endeavours to increase occupation satisfaction of the employees by honoring each individual correspondingly. Therefore. in order. has a good consequence on the production effectivity. doing positive feelings among clients. The company appreciates the diverseness among its employees and successfully manages the struggles caused by personal jobs every bit good as struggles in relationships with others. The Westpac’s system of struggle direction helps to forestall a possible diminution in occupation public presentation and creates a comfy work environment. The instance survey has besides revealed that the company benefitted from the efficient usage of different manners of leading. The ability to rapidly react to the volatility in a finance sector by altering leading manners helps Gail Kelly to take the concern successfully. heightening squad engagement and overall part. MentionsBrooks. K 2003. ‘Primal Leadership: Gaining the Power of Emotional Intelligence’ . Human Resource Development Quarterly. 14. 2. pp. 235-238. Business Source Complete. EBSCOhost. viewed 6 September 2014. Darling. K A ; Arn. J 1997. ‘How to efficaciously honor employees’ . Industrial Management. 39. no. 4. Masterfile Premier. EBSCOhost. viewed 8 September 2014. Davidson. P. Simon. A. Woods. P A ; Griffin. Roentgen 2009. Gail Kelly. bank executive – outstanding leader and director in Management: Core Concepts and Applications. John Wiley A ; Sons. Milton. Queensland. ‘Dealing with Workplace Conflict’ 2006. Point For Credit Union Research A ; Advice. p. 19. Business Source Complete. EBSCOhost. viewed 29 August 2014. Goleman. D. Boyatzis. R A ; McKee. A 2002. Cardinal leading: Learning to take with emotional intelligence. Harvard Business School Press. Boston. USA. Karim. N 2009. ‘Stress in Organsations: Management Strategie s’ . Dialogue ( 1819-6462 ) . 4. 2. pp. 286-300. Academic Search Complete. EBSCOhost. viewed 25 August 2014. Keskes. I 2014. ‘Relationship between leading manners and dimensions of employee organisational committedness: A critical reappraisal and treatment of future directions’ . Intangible Capital. 10. 1. pp. 26-51. Business Source Complete. EBSCOhost. viewed 10 September 2014. ‘Leadership Styles 2011’ . The Wall Street Journal. pp. 1-3. viewed 9 September 2014. . ‘Leadership advice from the CEO of Westpac. Gail Kelly’ 2014. Australia Business Review. viewed 30 August 2014.