Bus 6320 vii

GlobalStrategicManagementBUS6320_UnitIIDBforVII.docx

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Global Strategic Management BUS 6320 Unit II Discussion Board

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Global Strategic Management Discussion – Apple Inc.

Apple Inc. is a good example of a company with vast international operations because it is a multinational technology company that was established in the year 1976 and is based in Cupertino, California. Apple creates and markets consumer electronics, software, and digital services in over 175 countries with the iPhones, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and services like Apple Music and the iCloud being the main flagship products. The international supply chain, international retail stores and the digital distribution platforms have enabled the company to have global presence. Apple has two important features of its international strategy. To begin with, Apple employs a strategy of integrated ecosystem whereby its hardware, software and services are compatible. This will enhance customer loyalty and generate high switching cost that will provide the firm with sustainable competitive advantage in international markets. Second, Apple is a company that is based on the global supply chain optimization whereby the designing of the products is formulated in United States, with the manufacturing of other components and sourcing of the component being mostly based in the Asian region. This approach enables Apple to realize cost efficiency, mass production in a short time and have uniform availability of the products globally.

The world has become a global village through technology, which offers corporations the opportunity to communicate in real time, have digital supply chains and make decisions based on the data. The use of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data analytics enables corporations such as Apple to predict demand, enhance logistics, customize marketing, and react fast to the evolving conditions within the global context. According to Muslim et al. (2025), the technological change has come to be one of the most determining variables in strategic planning and competitive advantage, and the necessity of constant innovation in the turbulent global settings. Apple has strong brand reputation, customer base, product design at premium and having high profit margins, its ecosystem model matches its strengths, as viewed through SWOT perspective. Premium pricing strategy that makes it expensive and thus inaccessible in some of emerging markets, reliance on iPhone revenue and vulnerability to geopolitical and supply chain risks are however, some of the weaknesses.

References

Muslim, A. K., Ahmad, N., Raj, V., Zaily, D., Dzulkifli, M., Teknologi, F., Teknousahawanan, D., Teknikal, U., & Melaka, M. (2025). Holistic Organizational Transformation and Dual-Mode Innovation Culture: Explaining Apple’s Strategic Marketing Success and Sustainability. In ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/uploads/vol9-iss28-pg482-491-202512_pdf.pdf

GlobalStrategicManagementBUS6320UnitVIIAssignment.docx

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Global Strategic Management BUS 6320 Unit VII Assignment

Strategic Case Analysis

This 7-page strategic case analysis measures your mastery of ULOs 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.3, 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, and 5.3.

Before you begin your assignment for this unit, review the previous activities you completed in this course:

In Unit I you selected and discussed a firm with global operations. You provided a corporate profile and perceptions of the firm and examined its global strategy.

In Unit III you conducted an environmental scan of that same global firm. You applied a SWOT, PESTEL, or Five Forces Model to analyze that firm.

In Unit IV you reviewed innovation and the role of leadership as it relates to innovation. You may have used your global firm’s strategy as an example of innovation.

For this assignment, you will refer to that same organization you have been examining during this entire course.

Compile a strategic case analysis that addresses the following items. You may reuse prior submitted material from previous units.

Be sure to use headings and subheadings to organize your paper:

1. Background: Write a background of the firm, including its public perceptions. What are its products or services? Who is its customer base? Explain the purpose of the firm and key factors of its global operations. How is it unique? What is its mission? How has it set ethical parameters internally or externally?

2. Environment: Describe the internal and external elements of the firm. What is the internal structure of the firm? Who is the competition? What are the current external trends?

3. Partnerships: Discuss any partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions. How have these entities contributed to the company’s market share of revenue?

4. SWOT analysis: Discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the firm. What opportunities are there for growth? How might it impact the company’s market share and revenue? What might the risks be from a global perspective? Who are its competitors?

5. Global strategies: Give two examples of global strategies used by this firm. Discuss how technology may have or may not have changed its global strategies.

6. Sustainability: Explain how the global firm incorporates sustainability into its operations and business strategy.

7. Structure: Discuss the structure of the firm. Discuss the role of leaders as it relates to establishing an organizational culture. How does the structure impact the organizational culture? How may culture serve as part of the competitive advantage? Evaluate different types of corporate diversification.

8. Leadership: Discuss examples from press releases, news articles, and/or research of how leaders support innovation. Discuss its transparency and continuous improvement initiatives. What are its leaders’ values and goals? What ethical parameters are mentioned?

9. Recommendations and conclusion: Conclude with at least two recommended actions to increase revenue for this firm with scholarly support. Explain the rationale for your recommendations.

Your paper should be 7 pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages. Use at least five sources to support your assignment. At least one source must be from the CSU Online Library. You may use the organization’s annual report as a reference. Use APA Style for this assignment.

The following databases may prove to be helpful for completing this assignment:

IBISWorld provides in-depth industry research.

Mergent Online is an excellent source for specific company information, including financials, history, subsidiaries and more.

GlobalStrategicManagementBUS6320_UnitIVAssignmentforVII.docx

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Unit IV Journal

Innovation in Global Strategy

One of the concepts in strategy is innovation, as it assists a global firm in creating value, adapting to evolving markets, and maintaining a competitive edge. Innovation aids in strategic planning, continuous improvement, and competitive advantage in a hypercompetitive environment. Innovation does not just involve product invention, as far as any global firm is concerned. It also influences business models, customer experience, and operational efficiency. The fourth industrial revolution requires businesses to keep pace with the development of artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and connected systems to remain relevant. Garrido Moreno et al. (2024) discovered that innovation is a strategic imperative that assists firms in adjusting to market change and staying competitive, particularly when it is coupled with resilience. Innovation is thus important in strategy as it enables a company to match its internal strengths with external change and convert disruption into long-term development.

Types of Innovation

Product innovation and process innovation are two key forms of innovation. Product innovation aims at developing new or better products and services that enhance customer value and market differentiation. Process innovation is aimed at enhancing the way the firm is run, manufactured, or value delivered, which tends to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and cost management. Product innovation tends to be found in the earlier stages of the industry life cycle, whereas process innovation tends to be found in the later stages of the industry life cycle as firms perfect operations and increase performance. This difference is found in recent peer-reviewed studies. Lizarelli et al. (2024) discovered that product innovation primarily influences the assortment of products that a company provides, and process innovation primarily influences manufacturing capacity, flexibility, and costs. An international company must have both types. Product innovation attracts customers and generates new sources of revenue, whereas process innovation safeguards margins and enhances performance in global markets.

Role of Leadership in Innovation

Leadership contributes to innovation by providing direction, establishing a culture that encourages experimentation, and making sure that employees possess the skills and resources to take ideas to action. Leaders should identify evolving skills requirements, bridge workforce disparities, and promote an entrepreneurial culture throughout the organization. This implies that leaders do not just accept innovation when it is suggested by others. Rather, they influence the circumstances under which innovation can occur. Benitez et al. (2022) discovered that digital leadership ability enhances innovation performance by assisting companies in digitalizing their platforms and incorporating technology into strategy. Successful leaders also embrace calculated risk, diversity of views, and relate innovation to ecosystem value as opposed to internal control. When leaders accomplish this, innovation emerges as a potent strategic asset rather than a burst of creativity.

References

Benítez, J., Arenas, A., Castillo, A., & Esteves, J. (2022). Impact of digital leadership capability on innovation performance: The role of platform digitization capability. Information & Management, 59(2), 103590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2022.103590

Garrido-Moreno, A., Martín-Rojas, R., & García-Morales, V. J. (2024). The key role of innovation and organizational resilience in improving business performance: A mixed-methods approach. International Journal of Information Management, 77, 102777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2024.102777

Lizarelli, F. L., Ishizaka, A. Y., & Toledo, J. C. D. (2024). Input-output-outcome innovation model: an analysis of the Brazilian manufacturing companies. Innovation & Management Review, 21(4), 260-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/INMR-01-2023-0008

UnitVIStudyGuide.pdf

BUS 6320, Global Strategic Management 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

4. Explain methodologies in the overall evaluation of business strategies. 4.2 Recognize opportunities and problems of competing globally.

5. Assess ethical parameters related to global strategic business models.

5.1 Compare and contrast options that multinational enterprises have for entering foreign markets. 5.2 Apply the cost-responsive framework to evaluate strategies multinational enterprises (MNEs)

can pursue when competing globally. Required Unit Resources Chapter 10: Global Strategy: Competing Around the World (ULOs 4.2, 5.1, and 5.2) This chapter examines stages and states of globalization. It also examines the advantages and disadvantages of competing globally and various strategies focused on cost reductions versus local responsiveness. These include international, multidomestic, global-standardization, and transnational strategies. Unit Lesson Lesson: Global Strategy: Competing Around the World (ULOs 4.2, 5.1, and 5.2) This unit focuses on global strategy and competition around the world. According to Rothaermel (2024), “Globalization is a process of closer integration and exchange between different countries, businesses, and peoples worldwide, made possible by falling trade and investment barriers, advances in telecommunications, and reductions in transportation costs” (p. 377). The World Trade Organizer (WTO, n.d.) is the voluntary organization of nations that develops and applies the rules related to global trade. The World Bank (2021) notes that international trade has substantially changed the global economy and contributed to a major reduction in poverty across the globe.

Competing Globally—Why? In the course textbook, Exhibit 10.5: Advantages and Disadvantages of Competing Globally highlights the rewards and difficulties of global trade. Key advantages include access to larger markets, access to low-cost input factors, and the development of new skills. Key disadvantages include the liability that may be created by a sense of foreignness, loss of reputation, and risks associated with the retention of intellectual property (Rothaermel, 2024). One of the most public issues related to competing globally is related to the growth of China. The World Bank (2023) reports that China, with a population of more than 2 billion people, started an economic reform program in 1978 that included a more open regulatory system that supported global trade; the new system has been cited as responsible for annual GDP growth of more than 10% per year and societal improvements such as health care, education, and poverty reduction. Many firms have taken advantage of the size of the Chinese market to grow their business (Rothaermel, 2024).

Competing Globally—Where and How? As firms consider going global, it is useful to consider the advantages and disadvantages in detail. One method used to assess the location and process of a global expansion is the cultural, administrative, and

UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE Global Strategy: Competing Around the World

BUS 6320, Global Strategic Management 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

political, geographic, and economic (CAGE) framework outlined in Exhibit 10.6: The CAGE Distance Framework. The factors in this model are designed to provide a comparison between countries on each of the identified dimensions. There are different modes of foreign market entry. There are a range of options from simply exporting products to another country to physically establishing a presence in another country. Each firm must carefully consider which mode of entry meets its needs at a point in time. In assessing a mode of entry, a firm must consider two factors that are critical in determining its global strategy: (1) a global standardization strategy versus (2) a localization strategy. The global standardization strategy (an international strategy) means that the same product is used across the globe which has the benefit of lower costs. However, there is increasing recognition of the importance of the local consumer preferences (multidomestic strategy). A firm looking to go global must balance these competing forces. Firms may also select a global standardization strategy that looks to economies of scale by having a standardized product produced in a low-cost economy. Finally, a transnational strategy attempts to combine the benefits of both standardization and local responsiveness. Refer to Exhibit 10.9: International, Multidomestic, Global- Standardization, and Transnational Strategies: Characteristics, Benefits, and Risks for an overview of these different options available to firms. One element of going global is related to the concern about fairness and equity in business practices. Transparency International (n.d.) is a nongovernmental organization with a mission that includes promoting a level playing field for businesses operating in the global environment.

Summary In conclusion, many firms have seen advantages in pursuing a global presence. There are different risks and rewards in going global and several options that can be used to consider the mode of entry. Recent advances in communication have driven the death-of-distance hypothesis. However, events including the global pandemic and war in Ukraine and the middle east have confirmed the need for robust supply chains that reflect an understanding of the unique risks faced by global firms.

References Rawpixel. (n.d.). Character illustration of people with global network concept [Image]. Freepik.

https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/character-illustration-people-with-global-network- concept_3585190.htm#query=strategy%20global%20business%20planning&position=2&from_view= search&track=ais&uuid=eab5dd3f-267d-4ae8-9a3a-5381e987b5ac

Rothaermel, F. T. (2024). Strategic management (6th ed.). McGraw Hill.

https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781265954574 Transparency International. (n.d.). About. https://www.transparency.org/en/about The World Bank. (2023, April 20). The World Bank in China.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/china/overview Vector4stock. (n.d.). Business process illustration infographic of business structure from idea to successful

business project [Image]. Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/business-process-illustration-infographic-business-structure-from- idea-successful-business- project_26195295.htm#query=strategy%20global%20business%20planning&position=34&from_view =search&track=ais&uuid=eab5dd3f-267d-4ae8-9a3a-5381e987b5ac

World Bank Live. (2021, May 24). Spreading the gains from trade more widely: Making trade work better for

the poor [Video]. https://live.worldbank.org/spreading-gains-from-trade-more-widely

BUS 6320, Global Strategic Management 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

World Trade Organization. (n.d.). What is the WTO? https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid you in your course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. Activity: Explore the World Economic Forum (Optional) Conduct an internet search for the World Economic Forum website. Explore the website as it relates to the fourth industrial revolution and the trends that are shaping the future of business. You may also review the website for videos that highlight the forum’s work as it relates to post-pandemic supply chain issues and global business. Activity: Case Study (Optional) Read Chapter Case 10 Part I: IKEA: The World’s Most Profitable Retailer in your textbook. In a personal journal, note your thoughts about the case.