Apple Company Supply Chain Report 2022

Running head: APPLE COMPANY SUPPLY CHAIN 1
Apple Company Supply Chain
Name
Institution

APPLE COMPANY SUPPLY CHAIN 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................3
1 Apple’s Business Overview..........................................................................................4
2 Apple’s Supply Chain and Operations..........................................................................5
2.1 Planning.................................................................................................................5
2.2 Sourcing.................................................................................................................6
2.3 Making...................................................................................................................7
2.4 Delivering...............................................................................................................9
2.5 Receiving.............................................................................................................10
3 Swot analysis...............................................................................................................10
3.1 Strengths...............................................................................................................10
3.2 Weaknesses..........................................................................................................11
3.3 Opportunities........................................................................................................11
3.4 Threats..................................................................................................................11
4 Recommended Options...............................................................................................12
5 References...................................................................................................................13

APPLE COMPANY SUPPLY CHAIN 3
Executive Summary
This report is a supply chain analysis of Apple Company. The company manufactures and
moves electronics all over the world. The raw materials used are obtained from different parts of
the world, and the company needs extensive supply chain management and logistics operations
to deliver its products from its production centers to retailers and consumers all over the world.
This means that the company has a variant distribution chain running from the suppliers, through
the manufacturer distributors, to retailers, and finally, the customers. This report analyzes the
planning strategy, sourcing, production, delivery, and return services practices by Apple. The
report gives an overview of the company and identities some of the strengths and weaknesses a
recommends options for improving the operations and supply chain efficiency.

APPLE COMPANY SUPPLY CHAIN 4
1 Apple’s Business Overview
Apple Inc Is a multinational company headquartered in Cupertino, California. The
company is engaged in the manufacturing, designing, and sale of electronic products, which
range from smartphones, computers, accessories, and wearables. The company also offers
services that are related to the electronic devices that they manufacture. The company has a
wide-reaching market that extends to and beyond geographical regions such as Japan, China,
America, and Europe. Some of the products from the company are iCloud, Watches, Apple care,
TVs, MacBook, iPhone, iPads, and beat products (CNN, 2016).
The business can be termed as a product differentiation enterprise. Apple's products are
differentiated from the simple, aesthetic designs that feature improvements in functionality. The
company promotes advanced expertise in both hardware and software services and products in
parallel; this practice of vertical integration gives the company a competitive advantage as far as
the business ecosystem is concerned (Apples greatest innovations, 2016).
The company is inherently focused on the functional components of its products. The
manufacturing process is focused on ensuring that the company releases the best performing
devices and services into the market. This focus means that most of the time, the company is
forced to ignore price ramifications, and this is the main reason why Apple products are ranked
among the most expensive electronic products (Malik, 2013).
Apple promises to offer efficient products through the application of innovative
technology. As such, the company continuously implements new features in production changes
the technologies used in the devices in an effort to stay up to date with market demands.
Electronic device users are constantly increasing expectations on their suppliers, and Apple is