Strategic Information Technology Plan

Prof. Henrietta, Okoro

February 8th, 2016

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Audit Exercise Chapter 5

Apple Incorporation was formed and established on 1st April 1976 by two long time friends, classmates at one point in time, and college drop-outs Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and is headquartered in California. There was also another additional third party, Ronald Wayne, who was also influential and critical in the initial start-up and set-up of Apple Incorporation. However, Ronald Wayne pulled out due the high business risks that the multinational technological incorporation faced then. He sold his 10% share in the then young incorporation and business to both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak for about $800 (Richardson and Terrell, 2015). Nevertheless, Apple Incorporation has profitably grown and sustainably expanded into one of the world`s largest technological companies to be reckoned with a global presence in some of the major international economies. Consequentially, the giant incorporation`s product lines have grown and expanded form the Apple I Computer Kit that was retailing at about $666 in 1976 to the highly innovative technological products such as the iPhone brand of phones, iMac and Mac Book computers, iPad tablet, music and video entertainment that have transformed and revolutionized the world of computing, computers and communication (Rawlinson, 2015).

Mission of Apple Incorporation

Mission statement

"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

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online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices."

In the mission statement, the giant technological incorporation is specific in the product offerings to its large clientele base and prospective customers and what the incorporation is planning for the future.

Immediate management of technology and innovation (M.T.I) goals of Apple Incorporation

Apple Incorporation strives to be the leading technological incorporation in innovation leading to the design and manufacture of new top notch and terrific products to its customers. The strategic management of the giant technological incorporation believes in the constant and relentless push in the different technological platforms and pipelines in delivering exciting new products to the millions of customers spread all across the world (Thompson, 2013).

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Audit exercise of Apple Incorporation

Part one (1)-Balanced scorecard for Apple Incorporation

Part two (2)

There are other areas that a profit-making organization may include in developing its balanced scorecard in designing operational strategies and plans in the attainment of its set goals and targets. To begin with, the strategic management of a profit-making organization may include market share as one of the elements in the designing of a strategy roadmap to achieve the organization`s goals and targets. The level of market share of any profit-making organization is

AUDIT 5

critical in the determination of the level and growth of sales and revenue. Additionally, the level of market share is essential in the attraction and retention of talented, innovative and professional employees critical in the success of the operations and functions of the organization. Additionally, another critical area that may be included by the strategic management of any profit-making organization is sustainable leadership. This is attributable to the fact that a sustainable leadership is influential in the execution of the operations and functions of the organization, selection and hiring of employees and the coaching and nurturing of the future leaders of the organization (Kaplan and Norton, 1993).

Part three (3)

Despite the fact that non-profit organizations do not express the desire to maximize profit, they nevertheless express the desire to succeed and grow. Thus, a non-profit organization can still apply a balanced scorecard as a roadmap for its strategies and plans for successful operations and functions. A non-profit organization can use a balanced scorecard to improve and increase its relationships with its constituents such as donors and well-wishers. Some of the areas to measure include:

· Donor acquisition and retention costs

· Donor satisfaction

· Dollar retention

Audit Exercise Chapter 6

Financial processes

There are various concerns to be taken into account in financial processes of the organizations involved in a merger or acquisition. Some of the concerns include:

1. The past financial performance. This is essential in the determination of performance areas that need improvement or that ought to be eliminated all together to cut down on operational costs and improve on efficiency and effectiveness.

2. The financial condition and standing. This is essential in gauging and understanding whether the organization can meet and match its financial obligations as and when they fall due.

3. The forecasted financial performance. This is essential in the identification of areas that need and require streamlining to match each other`s priorities and strategies.

4. The main future growth and expansion factors. This is critical in gauging the ability of the organization to attain and achieve its growth plans.

5. Price setting methodology. This is critical in the harmonization of the pricing strategies between the organizations in case the merger or acquisition materializes.

6. Structure of the expenses and operational costs. This is essential in the understanding of the level of financial obligations of each organization.

7. Structure of forecasted future revenues and income. This is essential in the development and designing of plans to boost sales and maximize returns.

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8. Structure of the future expenditures. This is important in the projection and prediction of whether the organization`s level of returns can meet the level of expenditure.

Human resources policies

There are numerous concerns that have to be considered in human resources policies in the event of mergers and acquisitions. Some of the concerns include:

1. Level of communication and communication styles. This is essential in the gaining the support and forging some level of understanding with all the employees, especially concerning the merger or acquisition.

2. The varying and different corporate cultures. This is important because different organizations are inspired and driven to success by different corporate cultures such as innovation or just a mentality.

3. Compensation signature and benefits portfolio. This essential in the maintenance of the employees` morale and level of performance.

4. Level of operations and functions. This is essential in coming up with the best combination of operations and functions to boost and improve on efficiency and effectiveness.

5. Workers` union contracts and terms. This is essential in the creation of harmony and understanding with all the workers involved and winning their confidence and support.

6. Staffing alignment. This is essential in the determination of which personnel go and which one is retained and formation of a retention strategy.

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7. Assessment of risks. This entails the verification of a laundry list of compliance reports related to equal employment opportunity and whether the organization did a federal contracting or sub-contracting.

8. Training. This entails training the workforce on some of the changed aspects, operations and functions in the event of the merger or acquisition.

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References

Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. (1993). Putting the balanced scorecard to work. Retrieved on 6th February 2016

From: https://hbr.org/1993/09/putting-the-balanced-scorecard-to-work

Rawlinson, N. (20th November 2015). History of Apple: How Apple came to lead the tech industry. Retrieved on 6th February 2016