business paper

Running head: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN 1

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN 2

Strategic Management Plan

Jared Linscombe

October 10, 2017

MGT/498

Andres Hinojosa

Long-Term Goals and Objectives

Strategy Formulation

This is the process by which Apple, Inc. chooses the most appropriate courses of action to achieve its defined goals. This process is essential to the organization’s success, because it provides framework for the actions that will lead to anticipated results (Migliore, 2005). The mission statement of the company is: Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store.

Markets that Company Will Pursue

The company has three main marketing areas that it intends to pursue. One of the areas is the market relating to personal computers. The company produced personal computers by the brand name Mac. There are different Macs such as MacBook. Another area that the company intends to pursues is the mobile technology market. The number of people using smartphones have been on the rise as the world is becoming more digitalized. Therefore, Apple is interested in the mobile technology market through production of mobile phones by the brand name iPhone. Lastly, the company is also interested in pursuing the music industry. The company produces music playing device known as iPod that is used in listening to quality music. Apart from the music device, the company has an online music store known as iTunes where one can download song using the company’s products.

The unique value the company will offer in the selected markets

There are various unique values that the company offers to the various markets that has been mention above. Quality is one of the unique values that the company is bring to the above referred markets. Personal computer and mobile technology market has seen rise of various companies producing such products. This has led to the quality of such devices going down each and every day. Products are in the market that cannot last for reasonable period as considered such devices should last. In regards to music, there are various music online stores that have been established for downloading of music. However, the quality of music that is downloaded on such online stores are wanting. Currently, consumers are concern with quality of products owing to the rise of fake things (Morato, 2009). This is why Apple as a company is bring quality the markets that it intends to pursue.

The resources and capabilities that are required.

There are various resources and capabilities that are required by the company to help it in the penetration of the intended markets. Human resource is one of the resources that is needed. This is because people have to help in making of the products through operation of the machines and engaging on other activities of the business. Raw materials are needed form making of the various products. Capital is also required to help purchase the raw materials and pay employees. There are also other capabilities such as capacity building to enable the company.

Analysis of how the company will capture value and sustain competitive advantage over time.

Apple will capture value through producing quality products. This will ensure that it is valued by consumers because of the high quality that the products will be having. One and the best way of capturing value is through production of quality products. In terms of sustaining competitive advantage over times, the company will ensure that the products they produce are unique in terms of using in-house operating system as opposed to operating systems that are used by all others phones and computers such as Android and Microsoft operating systems respectively.

Business Management Strategy

Cost and Differentiation Advantages

In terms of cost advantages, the company will not have such an advantage but the cost of producing the products will be a little higher that the cost of producing the ordinary smartphones. This will make the cost of such phones a little higher than. the normal prices. However, there will be differentiation advantages that the company will enjoy in terms of the outlook and the features. The products will have unique operating systems and outlooks that will be make the totally different and standout. The products also have their unique app store where applications to be used will be download from.

The Corporate Strategy.

The corporate strategy of Apple will be an ongoing process that will be aimed at delivering value creation that outpaces peers demands. This is to help in enhancing the capabilities and regularly revisit their strategies. The company is also seeking mergers with other companies to ensure that it becomes a leader in the industry where it is operating. For example, for a very long time, the company has been doing production through the use of a third party. Therefore, merger would be very effective for Apple as it will reduce the cost of production. This will be done through cutting of the profits that the production company was getting on top of the cost of production.

Strategic Alliances

Strategic alliance, which is also known as strategic partnership is an agreement between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon objectives needed while remaining independent organizations (Bertocci, 201o). There company has strategic alliances with suppliers of raw materials in that they will exclusively supply Apple with materials needed. The company also will have partnership with certain manufacturing companies to help in keeping the mass production going. This means that though such manufacturing companies will be independent of Apple, Inc. they will be doing production for the company.

Company Competitive Advantage in Detail.

The company as earlier stated has various competitive advantages among its competitors such as Blackberry, HP, Dell, Samsung, Huawei, Sony, Techno, and Infix among many others. However, one competitive advantage is that the products of Apple have an in-house operating system. This means that it will be the only company and maybe Blackberry that has a blackberry operating system. All the others use Android operating system something showing that they lack uniqueness. Apart from the in-house operating system, the company also produce very high quality of products and that is why some of its products are very expensive. It times of security features, the products of the company are among the ones with the best security features.

Organizational Chart of the company

Apple, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer

Senior Vice President, Design

Senior Vice President Software Engineering

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Senior Vice President Retail

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Senior Vice President,

Worldwide Product Marketing

References Bertocci, D. (201o). Strategic planning and management: Roadmap to success. Washington. D.C: University of America Press. Migliore, R. (2005). Strategic planning and management. New York City : Routledge. Morato, E. (2009). Strategic planning and management: strategizing, organizing and implementing. London: Pearson Prentice Hall.