Supply Chain and Operation Issues of Apple Inc.

This presentation covers the supply chain and operation issues faced by Apple Inc. and how they can be dealt with. It also discusses the roles of supply chain management and the top 3 challenges affecting supply chains, such as rising customer expectations, demand for quick response times, and lower delivery costs. The presentation suggests solutions to these challenges, such as using innovative channels, determining appropriate distribution channels, and managing data effectively.

Apple Inc.
• Apple Inc. is an American technological company and its
headquarters are in California at a place called Cupertino
• It was founded in April 1976, then incorporated as Apple Computer
Inc. in January 1977.
• Its founder members are Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve
Wozniak.

Introduction
• It deals with computer soft wares, offer online services and other
consumer related electronics.
• The products that they have developed include the following; iPhone,
mac computers,(Forstall,Christie, Lemay, Herz, Van Os, Ording,
Novick, Westerman, Chaudhri, and Coffman, 2016. ) iPod, home pods,
apple watches, apple TVs and iPhone.
• Their own developed soft wares include; iOs, iTunes, safari web, iLife,
iWork and MacOS systems of operating.
• The services that they offer online include; apple music, iOS app
store, mac app store, iTunes store and iCloud(Terlizzi, and
Minoo,2018).

Supply issues
• The quality and compliance of the products
• Globalization
• Markets that change very fast.

Cont. supply issues
• The products i.e. computes, iPhone, pods and online services offered in the
market must be of high quality and should always pass the compliance
tests i.e. permits and certifications. Quality matters in how a product is
packed, handled and also shipped(Hotelling, Huppi, Strickon, J.A., Kerr,
Apple Inc., 2017). The enterprises are always overwhelmed by the
regulating bodies and that they should pass and have all legal documents
of shipping before entering a country.
• Globalization- a company that wishes to expand its supply network should
try the countries that have lower taxes(Forstall, Chaudhri, Louch,and
Peyton, Apple Inc, 2015.), lower labor costs and also lower costs incurred
in transportation of the raw materials.
• Products that have very short life cycles are often affected easily by the
changing markets of the consumers. This forces the markets to predict
other incoming and new products so as to boost their demand.

Operation issues
• Making use of distribution networks, production and also the supplier
• Increment in production of services and products i.e more computers,
electronics.
• Enhancing the relationships between organizations that are helping in
distribution of the products
• Ensuring the customer satisfaction and valuation
• Creating an awareness pertaining the executive member as they are a
key to greatness.

Roles of the supply chain
management
• The supply chain management helps to boost the services of the
customers in such that; (Forstall, S., Chaudhri, I.A., Louch, and Peyton,
Apple Inc., 2015.)the computers, iPhones or iPod are delivered on time,
offering the after-sales services and they are available in their right
location to avoid inconveniences.
• They help in reducing the operating costs of the goods and services
offered to the customers. The cost of the supply chain used is also lower
and it greatly makes the channels affordable to maintain.
• The supply chain management helps to boost the financial position of the
distributors; the fixed assets set on computers, phones or other
electronic items to the customers is decreased.

Top 3 challenges affecting supply
chains
• The rising expectations of customer services
• The customers and consumers demanding very quick and fast
response in time without delays
• The consumers and customers are demanding for lower costs of
deliveries.

Cont. top 3 challenges affecting the
supply chain
• The rising of expectations of the customers increase day by day and
they expect more better services from their distributors. i.e the
customers expect the electronics to always perform regardless of the
machine they are using.
• Customers and consumers always demand fast services and products
that the manufacturers and distributors are willing to offer in the
market. This will help the consumers to have their goods delivered on
time and on the specified dates as agreed between them.
• The rising costs of delivering products and services frustrates the
consumers and the customers of the supplied goods or services. This
may cause shifts in the markets demands.

How to deal with the challenges
affecting the supply chain
• The latest technology has led to a number of challenges that must be
dealt with early enough. A company should set aside a small group of
people that should be dealing with supply chains; (de Mazieres,
Walliser, and Green, Amazon Technologies Inc., 2015.)they should
know the right channels to use and the innovative channels as well.
• Determining the kind of channel of distribution should vary according
to what whether is on(Todeschini, Deloge, and Anderson, Hand Held
Products Inc., 2016). This is very important because many channels
are very inappropriate in certain weather conditions
• Management of data is very important in solving the problems that
affects both the manufacturers and their partners.

references
• Jobs, S.P., Forstall, S., Christie, G., Lemay, S.O., Herz, S., Van Os, M., Ording,
B., Novick, G., Westerman, W.C., Chaudhri, I. and Coffman, P.L.,
2016. Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for
customizing display of content category icons. U.S. Patent 9,335,924.
• Terlizzi, J.J. and Minoo, J., Apple Inc, 2018. Multi-touch display screen with
localized tactile feedback. U.S. Patent 9,857,872.
• Hotelling, S., Huppi, B.Q., Strickon, J.A., Kerr, D.R., Ording, B., Chaudhri, I.,
Christie, G. and Ive, J.P., Apple Inc, 2017. Mode-based graphical user
interfaces for touch sensitive input devices. U.S. Patent 9,606,668.
• Forstall, S., Chaudhri, I.A., Louch, J.O. and Peyton, E.S., Apple Inc,
2015. Linked widgets. U.S. Patent 9,104,294.

references
• Franklin, J.C., Rothkopf, F.R., Myers, S.A. and Lynch, S.B., Apple Inc,
2015. Display-based speaker structures for electronic devices. U.S.
Patent 8,934,228.
• Vock, C.A., Amsbury, B.W., Jonjak, P., Larkin, A.F. and Youngs, P., Apple
Inc, 2017. Personal items network, and associated methods. U.S. Patent
9,643,091.
• de Mazieres, E.J.L., Walliser, M.R. and Green, C., Amazon Technologies
Inc, 2015. Electronic device case. U.S. Patent Application 29/491,253.
• Todeschini, E., Deloge, S.P. and Anderson, D., Hand Held Products Inc,
2016. Android bound service camera initialization. U.S. Patent
9,313,377.