Analysis of Apple's Innovation Strategy

The assignment analyzes Apple's innovation strategy, highlighting its competitive advantage, the role of people in undertaking innovation, and the company's culture that supports innovation. It also discusses Steve Jobs' views on innovation and how they contributed to Apple's success.

Running head: INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
Executive summary
The report is aimed at understanding the importance of innovation that is being undertaken by
the organizations, more specifically Apple inc. and the manner in which it contributed to their
growth and expansion in the market. On the other hand, the report aims at reviewing the article
Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple for the proper understanding of the aspects of the
innovation and the functioning undertaken by the company in order to make them sustainable in
the market scenario.

2INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Apple inc. -The most valued company.......................................................................................3
2.1 Market capitalization of the organization..............................................................................3
2.2 The manner in which innovation and strategy work together at Apple.................................4
3. The innovation approach of Apple and the competitive advantage............................................5
3.1 The innovation approach of Apple for understanding needs of the customers.....................5
3.2 Innovation of Apple and their Competitive advantage..........................................................5
4. Role of the people in undertaking the innovation and the culture of Apple................................6
4.1 The role of the people in continuous innovation...................................................................6
4.2 Culture of the company that supports people to undertake the innovation...........................6
5. Role of Steve Jobs in Apple inc...................................................................................................6
5.1 Role of Jobs in the company..................................................................................................6
5.2 View of Jobs relating to innovation.......................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

3INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
1. Introduction
The change that is being undertaken by the organizations is based on the sustainability of
the organization in the market. The major aspects of the change are based on the innovation that
is being undertaken by the companies in order to adhere to the change in the demands and the
preferences of the customers. On the other hand, the innovation that is being undertaken by the
organizations helps the same in gaining over the competitive advantage of the same in the
market. The concerned company for this report, Apple inc. has taken steps to maintain their
brand name through the innovation that is being undertaken by the same in the market. it has
helped the organization in bringing in continuous improvements in the structure and the
functioning.
The main purpose of the report is to review and analyze the article by Stefan Thomke and
Barbara Feinberg, named “Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple”. It will be helping in the
proper understanding of the manner in which the organization has gained its repute though
continuous innovation and planned strategies.
2. Apple inc. -The most valued company
2.1 Market capitalization of the organization
According to Thomke and Feinberg (2012), in the year 2012, the launch of the iPad,
which resulted to the growth of the market share price of the organization as it reached US$ 600
billion. It has helped the organization in determining the improvements in the financial strengths
of the organization in the market, a signal of their growth and expansion based on the needs of
the people. Thomke and Feinberg (2012), stated that the market capitalization of the company is

4INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
estimated to be US$ 550 billion with an annual sale of US$ 100 billion. It has resulted to the
growth of the organization in the market. The company has retained its market value since its
inception. According to a report, the present market capitalization of the organization has
increased to $911.906 billion, which is significantly more than that of Alphabet Inc., which is
worth $787.884 billion (Johnson et al., 2018). The major aspects of the growth of the
organization are based on the innovation and the sustainability of the same in the market. The
continuous innovation process of the organization and the strategies has helped in the sustenance
and the expansion of its business all around the world.
2.2 The manner in which innovation and strategy work together at Apple
The innovation and the strategies that are being undertaken by the management of the
organization have helped in determining the different aspects of the change in the structure and
the functioning. The continuous innovation that is being undertaken by the organization and the
Platform strategy has helped in determining the growth and the sustainability of the organization
in the world market. As stated by Thomke and Feinberg (2012), the Platform strategy makes an
effort of making the operations and the strategies that are being implemented and organized by
the company is made confidential. The strategies are not disclosed to the public, which helps the
organization in retaining their magic of excellence in the markets. On the other hand, the
simplicity of their operations and the proper execution of the strategies have helped the
organization in holding on to the continuous improvement efforts undertaken by the same in the
market.

5INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
3. The innovation approach of Apple and the competitive advantage
3.1 The innovation approach of Apple for understanding needs of the customers
The determination of the needs of the customers all around the world has helped Apple in
undertaking the required modification sin their systems. The proper understanding of the needs
of the people has helped the company in undertaking innovations on their products and the
services. The development of the products and the modifications in the systems and the
configuration is being undertaken by the organization with their effort of bringing in innovation
through the determination of the needs of the people. Thomke and Feinberg (2012), in the article
Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple stated that excellence in the execution of the processes
and the innovation minded people that filled the company with maximum knowledge resource
that has helped the same in undertaking the change in the systems and the functioning.
3.2 Innovation of Apple and their Competitive advantage
The innovation that is being undertaken by the organization has helped the same in
gaining a competitive advantage in the market. The business market was occupied with Windows
and Intel (Wintel) at the time when Apple was struggling for its market position through
continuous innovation. The innovation has helped the organization in gaining over the market
through the proper identification of the needs of the consumers. Thomke and Feinberg (2012),
stated that the user-friendly interface and the simple functioning is one of the major feature that
supported the growth of the organization in the market.

6INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
4. Role of the people in undertaking the innovation and the culture of Apple
4.1 The role of the people in continuous innovation
The people working in the organization are qualified engineers and scientists that has
helped in the quick progression of the organization in the market scenario. Thomke and Feinberg
(2012), stated that the growth of the organization is based on the innovation that is being
undertaken by the same in order to meet the needs of the customers. However, Johnson et al.
(2018) stated that the company prioritizes the Protective Strategy where the organization has
taken steps to introduce similar products for maintaining their market position other than
focusing more on innovation. Therefore, it can be stated that the organization has taken steps to
balance the aspects of the innovation and retention in the markets, which has helped the
organization in its growth and expansion in the market.
4.2 Culture of the company that supports people to undertake the innovation
The corporate culture of the organization has helped and supported the employees to
undertake continuous innovation in the processes. According to Thomke and Feinberg (2012),
the major aspects of the change that is being undertaken by the organization is based on the
change in the preferences and the requirements of the customers. Therefore, it can be stated that
the identification of the various elements of innovation is supported by the organization culture
as it has every provision of undertaking the innovations.
5. Role of Steve Jobs in Apple inc.
5.1 Role of Jobs in the company
Steve Jobs played an important role in determining the progress of the organization while
undertaking the different aspects if the change in the systems and the marketing of the products

7INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
in the market. According to Thomke and Feinberg (2012), Jobs has brought about the change in
the structure and the functioning of the organization. On the other hand, he acted as a boosting
agent in the year 1997, which has helped in improving the market position of the organization
through the enumeration of the chief competitors of the organization and the different aspects of
the change that is required to be undertaken by the organization to sustain its market position.
5.2 View of Jobs relating to innovation
According to Steve Jobs, the proper design that could be given to the apparatus should be
based on the simplicity as it is taken as the absolute form of sophistication. Jobs explained, “The
system is that there is no system” . However, he never meant his company to be chaotic in nature
but he wanted to emphasize more on innovation and less on the effectiveness of the processes
that are being undertaken by the organization. Innovation comes from the simple ideas of the
people who work in the company, with and for the company. According to Thomke and Feinberg
(2012), the innovations that are being undertaken by the organization is beyond the fashion and
the trend that is followed by the market and which is characterized by simplicity. Therefore, this
strategy of Apple has helped the company in gaining over a competitive advantage in the market.

8INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
References
Johnson, K., Li, Y., Phan, H., Singer, J., & Trinh, H. (2018). Mds.marshall.edu. Retrieved 27
March 2018, from http://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1420&context=etd
Thomke, S. H., & Feinberg, B. (2012). Design thinking and innovation at Apple. Harvard
Business School Publishing.