Apple Inc. Company is the company I chose. Steve Jobs launched the firm in 1976. The company's headquarters are in Cupertino, California. Apple Inc. creates, designs, and sells consumer devices, internet services, personal computers, and computer software. Its most well-known hardware products include the iPad tablet computer, the Mac range of PCs, and the iPhone and iPod media players. Apple Inc.'s computer software includes the Safari web browser, I-OS operating systems, OS X, and the I-Tunes media browser (Machajewski, 2017). Presently, Apple Inc. is the second largest information system organization that precedes Samsung electronics in terms of revenue per year. In the whole world, it is known to be the third largest mobile manufacturing business. Lüsted M.A. (2012) argued that the vision and the mission statement of Apple Inc. are to secure and ensure that there are high standards of social responsibility in providing services and products to the customers.
The current situation of the Apple Inc. Corporation concerning its technology and security aspects
Currently, Apple Inc. is using advanced technology in producing their products to maintain its competitive advantage over competitors like Dell Inc., Samsung Electronics, Google Corporation and Microsoft Corporation. Lüsted also argued that electronic industries, as well as the computer technology, are becoming competitive in today’s fast-paced world. Thus, Apple Inc. has put in place new information system plans of coming up with high-quality goods by use of advanced technology to gain the customer loyalty by increasing its product value.
Data security and threats have been a great challenge that most of the organizations face in the industry of information systems and computer electronics. To ensure that the information systems of Apple Inc. are not invaded by individuals who are not authorized, the company has implemented various kinds of security systems. In its operations, the firm has also employed Business Intelligence (BI) tools that ensure that raw data is changed into useful information at all levels of the company. The competitors may utilize this information to cultivate a competitive advantage more than Apple Inc in an event where crucial information of the organization leaks.
Information technology personnel/roles that should be in place to start the business venture of gaining better traction of customer loyalty and satisfaction.
There exists various information technology staff that plays a crucial role in enabling the company to raise the market share both in the global and local business. They have to be put in place to begin a business venture that gains better toehold of the satisfaction and loyalty of customers. First, the IT personnel analyze the challenges and problems that are connected with software development then guide and advice on the procedures for correcting the faults that are met in the process of developing software. This will assist the company in building software that will function well in deciphering the troubles of the customers in the marketplace thus earning the satisfaction and loyalty of clients.
Secondly, the IT personnel ensure that the interface between applications software, the operating systems and the users is enhanced. Third, the role of the Information technology staff is to offer leadership to the members of the team to incorporate the project components as well as technological methodologies. They assist in coordinating and organizing team members to ensure that there is a delivery of quality products and services to the clients. Fourth, they undertake the process of analyzing present products that exist and evaluating manners of improving the user interface, integrity, and performance.
Furthermore, the Information technology personnel are will be in charge of making sure that the requirements of the customers are met and will be as well tasked with making sure that the program is monitored and well-tested for any defects or faults to satisfy the requirements of clients in the marketplace. Besides, they will have the responsibility of guiding the preparation of manuals and guides of software that are offered to the customers to assist in utilizing the software. Finally, IT personnel will carry out the analysis of user requirements to enable them to match the services and products of the company to the needs of the clients.
Such responsibilities, roles and duties orbit around making sure that the general market demands and the requirements of the customers are met by the rise in the user interface of the programs and the software. The Information Technology personnel should ensure that the usability of the software is matched with the requirements of the customer (Schwalbe, 2014). Schwalbe suggested that this will assist in reproducing satisfaction of the client in the service or product that will result in customer loyalty.
SWOT analysis of Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. Corporation SWOT analysis presents the company’s strengths, weaknesses, future and current opportunities as well as emerging and present threats that face the organization.
Strengths of apple Inc
The strengths of Apple Inc. include innovation and creativity, product brands, customer loyalty, the abundance and good management of cash flow as well as presence of retail stores and strategic marketing. The innovativeness and creativity of Apple Inc Corporation are confirmed in being a leader in innovation and modernization of technological products like iPods, the iPhones, and other products. The organization was ranked as number one in innovation in 2012 for three consecutive years. It has secured its brand value and name through continuous manufacturing of products that are made to suit the customers’ needs with unique designs. Among the best-ranked strategies fit for global firms are the marketing strategies of Apple Inc which is backed by an elaborated supply chain with the utilization of retail stores that gives a chance for easy right to use the products by the clients.
Due to the abundance in the cash flow, the company is stable and has improved financially. The organization gets revenue from overseas and presently; it has no arrears in its structure of capital. This is beneficial for the success of the company since it is a real purchasing power that gives a chance for the firm to purchase businesses with useful patents and programs. Further, the organization is knowledgeable of how to take advantage of the desires, wants and needs of customers. This is proven innovation of I Cloud services which allowed the clients to utilize various products of Apple Inc with the same program and application system.
Weakness of apple Inc
Ireland, Hoskisson, & Hitt (2009) postulated that Apple Inc. has five enormous weaknesses that have slowed down it in its business operations and strategic plans in the global and local marketplace. These weaknesses include parent infringement, defects in new products, operating system incompatibility, management changes as well as product pricing in the market. The company undertook changes in management that may not be best for the business maintenance and success continuity of style of leadership and organizational culture. In 2011, Tim Cook was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization when Steve Jobs stepped down. Cook is not thought that he would attain the creativity and innovative fortitude possessed by Jobs and the team could be heading to failure (Bach, 2007). It is a reality that the vision and strategy of the company change due to transformations in management.
In the year 2012, the company was in court with Samsung Corporation over violations of copyright rights, and this may smudge the loyalty and name of the business. Apple Inc products like IOS and OD X were incompatible with some product like Adobe. The high prices of most products produced by Apple Inc may lock out some sections on consumers including the lower and middle-level income earners who may be in need of the product. Lastly, the organization has to work on flaws that are not noticed until the clients buy and utilizes the product.
Opportunities of apple Inc
The opportunities for Apple Inc include new products, product advertisement, acquisitions, market growth and cloud services. These opportunities may assist in creating a competitive advantage and stimulate the operations in business in the global marketplace of mobile electronics and computer software. Introduction of a new product by the company will assist it to enhance its sales per annum and thus improving and creating a robust network. The introduction of iPad mini was a first-rate strategy to raise its international market since it is smaller than other analogous products that are in the marketplace currently.
O'Grady, J. D. (2009) argued that the organization can capitalize on the acquisitions since the existence of more cash set aside will augment the development of skills and competencies in the company. According to Ireland, Hoskisson, & Hitt (2009) the firm’s iCloud is a further immense service that is before now offered to the product users of the company, and this service will be utilized in expanding to other clients in the marketplace.
Threats facing Apple Inc
The threats facing the company are infringement rights, Google Android OS is taking the mobile market, and illegal downloads of online music, stiff competition from large corporations like Samsung which deal with products and services in the same line of business and technological changes. Recently, Samsung Company sued Apple for infringement of patent rights. The Google Corporation Android OS is a threat to Apple Inc since it is enchanting over the market of mobile devices.
Furthermore, Apple Inc has faced the problem of continually changing technology which impacts them as they plan to manufacture a new device. Other electronic producing companies like Samsung offers stiff competition to Apple Inc by coming up with new services and products which are the same to its products but may be having one or more additional characteristics (Bach, 2007). Apple Inc also faces a challenge of illegal music download.
The major goals of information technology strategic plan
There are various goals of IT strategic plan. The first goal involves access and integration. The strategic plan for information technology will deliver and design an incorporated information system that allows the customers to get admittance of the information that they require at any place and anytime they need. The second goal involves improvement and streamlining. Information technology will assist in leveraging the existing and upcoming innovative and creative technologies to simplify, improve and enhance business processes in an organization (Boar, 2001).
The third goal entails reforming and increasing efficiency. It provides a framework for amending processes of information technology in organizations and improving effectiveness in utilization of information systems. The fourth goal entails delivery of services. It provides the necessary client needs that meet the set service delivery standards. Lastly, Information technology strategic plan guarantees privacy, reliability, security, integrity as well as appropriate use of information systems (United States, 2004).
According to Boar, B. H. (2001) the above mentioned five main goals of Information technology strategic plan summarizes the central part roles and uses of systems departments and an information technology. If a strategic plan for information technology is put into practice in a company, information and data security will be enhanced. With is also is the improved ease of usability of information systems by the clients or consumers of the products of the company. This will augment satisfaction and loyalty of customers which are the assets of the business that cannot be touched.
Positive organizational impacts of implementing the strategic plan
Boar B.H. (2001) suggested three positive corporate results of implementing the strategic plan of information technology in a company. First of all, implementing information technology strategic plan enhances the effectiveness in the production of services and goods and also raising the correctness which decreases the faults that are found in the ultimate products. Another impact of putting into practice the information technology strategic plan is the management to rationalize the processes of business and concentrate on their improvement by using modern systems of information technology. Last but not least, the strategic plan also offers a platform for incorporating the systems of information technology that will engender an excellent product that allows users to take on any role at any time and place without any challenge.
These three main positive organizational impacts are justified as the important desirable consequential effects of such a strategic plan in a company are a corporate achievement. Ireland, Hoskisson, & Hitt (2009) suggested that the information technology strategic plan is an essential contribution to a business that wants to go universal with its services and goods. The strategic plan acts as an instrument that directs the enterprise that entails the making of new products and the upgrading of the characteristics of the already available products.
Conclusion
With the strategic examination of Apple Inc., it is definite that an organization has to put in place a strategic plan aimed at information technology that will make possible for it to design online services and produce products that will improve its consumer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Even though there is a call for the creation of various marketing and business strategies that will allow the company to grow a more competitive advantage over their competitors, Apple Inc. The corporation is doing well in the international marketplace of computer electronics and information systems. As a unique product to raise the market share, the organization should take hold of business opportunities like the existence of iCloud. A firm that wants to be a leader in the industry of information technology should re-evaluate the roles of the IT staff. This will give a chance for the company to create and put in place the most excellent information technology strategic plan for the business and thus elicit the development of quality and innovative goods and services that will enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
References
Bach, B. (2007). Implications of enabling technologies for Apple Inc: Cybermarketing & enabling technologies. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.
Boar, B. H. (2001). The Art of Strategic Planning for Information Technology, 2nd Edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E., & Hitt, M. A. (2009). Understanding business strategy: Concepts and cases. Mason (Ohio)[etc.: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Lüsted, M. A. (2012). Apple: The company and its visionary founder, Steve Jobs. Minneapolis, MN: ABDO Pub.
Machajewski, S. (2017). Steve Jobs: Founder of Apple Inc.
O'Grady, J. D. (2009). Apple Inc. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Schwalbe, K. (2014). Information technology project management. Boston, MA: Course Technology.
United States. (2004). Information technology strategic plan, 2004-2008. Washington, D.C.: Office of Information Technology, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
