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As with any company, a solid foundation is essential for success. Companies need to have a system in place to help management plan ahead should there be a “bump” in the road. A good example of a company that is built on a solid foundation is Apple. Companies have developed and implemented their own management concepts to keep them one step ahead of the competition. There are basically four management functions used to handle any situation: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
Yet unforeseen issues either within the company or outside affect these implemented concepts. Planning is the base upon which all the areas of management should be built. There is a constant, never-ending change in the business climate and a plan must be in place to handle all of them. An internal factor that could affect a plan from being used is personal conflict. You don’t like the person that has a plan. You have more authority than them, so you squash the idea before it can happen. Maybe it was a good idea, maybe not. You don’t care. An external factor that can change the plan is the customer.
What do the Apple customers want? When you leaked the information about a new phone about to come out (marketing), are customers camping out at your store for the phone or do they even care? Knowing the customer will help you make better decisions about what is the best plan to use. Organizing is the second function of management. Management must organize all its resources in order to implement the course of action it determined in the planning process. What could be an internal issue that could affect the bringing together of said resources?
The decision of who would be in charge of coordinating the staff. Organizing needs cooperation. Disagreements in choosing the staff could drag out the time it takes to implement the plan. An external issue that could slow down implementation is the market. Maybe the market has changed and not so much staff is needed. If this happens, the staff is re-organized into other, more important areas. Leading is the third function of management. Strong leadership skills are necessary to be very successful in business today.
What would be an internal factor that would prevent a business from succeeding in business? Leaders must be able to motivate workers to fulfill the goals of the company and out-perform their competitors. If you can’t motivate your employees to come to work every day and to be passionate about the business at hand, you will find it difficult to succeed. But, if internally you are motivated to succeed, what would be an external factor that would prevent you from succeeding? How about market motivation? Is the market ready and willing to buy your product or use your service?
That’s when the planning comes back into the equation. Planning ahead for a change in buying power from the consumer must be done to keep things moving in a positive direction. A strong leader and leadership team will be aware of these changes and make the necessary adjustments. Controlling is the fourth factor of management. Controlling is establishing performance standards based on the company’s objectives, and evaluating and reporting actual job performance. An internal factor that could affect controlling is the management involved.
Not following through when some employee work performance is lacking will lower morale. Management should not lower standards in an effort to solve performance problems. Rather they should directly address the employee or department having the problem (associatedcontent. com; 1969). Conversely, if limited resources or other external factors prohibit standards from being attained, management should lower standards as needed (associatedcontent. com; 1969). Apple has touched the world in all of its contributions to making ones daily lives efficient.
They’ve expanded that contribution through globalization to every major market available. There most popular product that a high percentage of consumers own is the iPod and iTunes application. Now iPod is the MP-3 player it is has the capability to record music from the internet and through one’s personal computer. “Apple’s iPod commands 65 percent of the portable player market, and its online iTunes Music Store 70 percent of online music sales” (L. Kahney 2005). Globalization through the leadership of Steve Jobs of his ability to have a vision that iPOD is globally accepted. Since the launch of the iTunes Music Store this summer and introduction of the iPod nano and fifth generation iPod, market share in Japan has grown rapidly, solidifying iPod’s position as the number one digital music player in Japan by a wide margin” (M. Matsumoto 2005). Another contributing factor is Apple’s ability to manage by controlling their environment through a distance by having managers globally positioned to view production and market space the supply and demand of their products. The iTunes and iPod is a small pawn in the Apple organization.
Environmentally and Globally Apple continues its touches on the world. Apple has shown the world through music and globalization that it is on the way to being in everyone’s home. Another factor that Apple is one the leading organizations within the global market are the technology. Apple continues through vision of the need of life’s needs for efficiency. They have created iPhone. The iPhone is one of the most advanced technologies in communication world. The website for Apple for wireless systems has interesting facts that the iPhone already gives you mobile multitasking.
But the iPhone technology lets you multitask in more places — without connecting via Wi-Fi. Since the iPhone networks enable simultaneous data and voice, you can talk on the phone while surfing the web, checking email, or using Maps, and listen to music through the MP-3, all from your iPhone (Apple. com 2008). Imagine that, managing your life through a phone. Email, daily planning and it’s a phone. The Apple iPhone has allowed everyday people through modern technology to do things unimaginable; there is almost no need to use a personal computer, a phone connected to a wall, or a stereo.
Amazing isn’t it. Before we go into where apple is going we need to know where it’s been! “On April fool’s Day 1976 Steve Wozniak and Steve jobs released the Apple 1 computer and started Apple Computer. The Apple 1 was the first home computer to use a single circuit board. ” (The History of Apple Computer Resources, articles, photo Galleries by Mary Bellis, About. com. ) It was the first home computer with GUI or graphical user interface it was developed by Xerox Corporation at their Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in the 1970s.
Well that’s enough about the early days, for a company that looked like it was going out of business a decade ago just look at the comeback by apple. Can you imagine a world without IPods, iPhones, and apple computers? Anyone that goes to a gym, jogs, runs, or if you just want to listen to some music knows all about the IPod and how important it is to them. Apple computers have their own operating system call MAC this is an operating system like windows for the company Microsoft. The newest Apple craze is the iPhone this is a phone that can do everything a home computer can do and more.
In 1999 Apple registered the domain www. iphone. org, and then in 2002 the first real rumors of an iPhone appear. The Apple iPhone trademark was registered in 2003. Ok let me tell you about this phone it is 4. 5 inches in height 2. 4 inches in width 0. 48 inches in depth and weight 4. 7 ounces, and it has a 8GB memory capacity let me give you an example of what all this means it’s about the size of a pack of playing cards and I’m not sure but I think it’s lighter in weight then the pack of cards and some home computer don’t have this much memory.
So what does it do you ask, everything, full internet access, send and receive E-mail, listen to music, watch videos, live news programs, check the stock market, whatever you do on your home computer you can do from your phone. I know you want one me too, but it is really kind of expense it was $599. 00 but now it’s $399. 00, yeah way too much money to spend on a cell phone, but if you have lots of extra money it would be a cool toy to have. So this is just a small part of all the Apple company innovations I can’t wait to see what they put out next! Much like innovation, diversity has a huge impact on the four functions of management.
Diversity is all too familiar within most every company these days; however, it is still something fairly new and constantly evolving. Respect for people’s needs and cultural differences are just a couple of examples that everyone within an organization should be aware of. This means management must prepare for diversity within the workplace. As Apple Computer Inc. ‘s manager for multicultural programs Santiago Rodriguez says, “We have to deal with many things such as cost constraints and increased global competition. But my sense is that we’re still going to continue focusing on empowering people, specifically as individuals.
We’ll give them the tools to do their work, which again reinforces the individual empowerment issue. You get the highest level of productivity by being respectful of people’s differences, and rather than molding them into the same pattern, trying to capitalize on their difference because that’s the way human beings are. They flourish if you acknowledge their distinctiveness” (Gordon, 1992, p. 2). As Santiago says, not only do managers have to be aware of diversity in their working environment, they have to set their employees up for success by giving them the tools they need to succeed.
Organizations can learn from every individual if the organization plans accordingly and empowers its people. Once collectively organized, this well orchestrated team of diverse individuals will now have the ability to produce not only effectively but efficiently. Just like any wheel in motion, it will be up to management to keep this team organized, on track and producing the quality products they sought from the start. As more time is spent with diversified groups, the more comfortable everyone becomes and the organization will constantly remain productive as long as there is a demand for the product.
Looking into another wonderful example of diversity, not relating to any specific person is “eco-friendly” corporations. Companies now have a section or entire department dedicated to becoming more cautious and ethically aware of the harmful effects they may directly or indirectly have on the environment. With the environment in mind and ethics playing a major role in companies today, Apple Inc. has taken on a huge part to reduce any further harm to our environment. In fact, according to Apple, “four areas of particular attention are product and packaging design, materials, energy efficiency, and recycling.
Each aspect of the design cycle provides significant challenges, yet our efforts in these areas have resulted in some impressive results” (para. 2). As you can see, from within the top levels of the organization it has become quite obvious over the years that Apple has incorporated all four functions of management for their environmental project. Quite simply, the company has set out to reduce any harm to the environment. They achieved measurable results through proper planning within, well-organized structure, effective leading strategies, and of course, Apple plans on continuing their efforts to remain ethically sound and competitive.
Delegation (also called deputation) is the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person (normally from a manager to a subordinate) to carry out specific activities. However, the person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegate work (Wikdipedia The Free Encyclopedia). Delegation can be used with globalization because it will touch on trade, foreign, and direct investments. With trading, management can assign workers to go and visit other areas of interest along with foreign interest. To have employees use resources that will be useful to the company’s goals and deadlines.
Direct investments can be viewed as allowing workers to research all investments that will directly empress on the company. Technology can also be a form of delegation in the rim of allowing employees to voice their opinion pertaining to systems and databases that are used on a daily bases. It can also be used as a way of enhancement to the websites that are used. Innovation is the most exciting function of all; it produces the possibility of growth and a new way of seeing things. Innovation for the Apple Corporation will enhance the companies’ movement for the future.
Diversity is of the essence because it introduces the rim of differences and togetherness. Diversity as a delegation is a plus to any company, for that reason, this is a wonderful way of growth, as well. Ethics within Apples’ company is also a great entity of Apple. Ethics are very important to all workers employed there. In the eyes of the world, Apple Inc. has brought us so many great tools to that have made everyday people’s lives more efficient and more enjoyable. What began as a simple circuit board in the backyard of two experimental scientists became a technological and global giant.
Apple Inc spreads from the homes of Ohio to the rice fields of Japan, there ability through the functions of management on the home front and to landscapes abroad, they are conscious of the environment and of their management. They have significantly impacted the world and continue to drive standards and impact the lives we live. References Kahney, L. (2005, February 2). Hide Your iPod, Here Comes Bill. Retrieved October 25, 2008 from www. wired. com/gadgets/mac Matsumoto, M. (2005, November 16) iPod & iTunes Music Store Both Number One in Japan. Retrieved October 25, 2008 from www. pple. com/pr/library/2005 3G Speed. World Wide (2008) Wireless Features Retrieved October 25, 2008 from www. apple. com/iphone/features/wireless Gordon, Gloria. (1992). This man knows what diversity is – Apple Computer Inc. ‘s manager for multicultural programs Santiago Rodriguez – Interview. Communication World. Retrieved October 25, 2008, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m4422/is_n12_v9/ai_13928238/pg_2? tag=artBody;col1 database. Apple (2008). Apple and the Environment. Retrieved October 18, 2008, from http://www. apple. com/environment/