Apple's Innovation and Leadership

This assignment analyzes Steve Jobs' role in shaping Apple's success through his innovative approach to product development, risk-taking, customer focus, and employee motivation. It discusses how his strategic management system, characterized by problem-solving and a commitment to elegance, propelled Apple to the top of the market.

Running Head: Organizational Creativity and Innovation
Organizational Creativity and Innovation

Organizational Creativity and Innovation 1
Executive Summary
The below mentioned task explains the use of innovation technique in an organization along with
strategic management process. It explains the achievement which the apple company gained
using the designing and innovation techniques. It also explains the role of the chief of Apple who
innovatively designed the product and placed it in the market in such a way that the company
gained the competitive edge in the market. Further details about the task are discussed below.

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Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................1
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Question 1...................................................................................................................................................2
Question 2...................................................................................................................................................2
Question 3...................................................................................................................................................3
Question 4...................................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................4
References...................................................................................................................................................4

Organizational Creativity and Innovation 3
Introduction
The purpose of this task is to analyze and evaluate the innovative strategies which Apple Inc.
used to gain the competitive edge in the target. Further the task resolves four questions based on
the case study given, it explains the innovative strategies which the organization used and
implementation procedures which the CEO used to achieve the targets defined.
Question 1
There are many aspects which collectively help the organization to gain the market capitalization
by selling their product to a major part of the target market. But the important aspect with the aid
of which the company gained competence in the market is with the use of innovation tool in
designing its product (Thomke, & Feinberg, 2009). Apart from that, it shall be noted that
innovation tool is used by many organizations now days but only few successfully achieve it
because it is important for the management to execute that innovation properly in their product
development and business strategy as well. The CEO of the company actively influenced all the
activities of the company; he intertwined the product development, innovation and execution
strategy of the organization. Thus, Apple’s success is not just a clever strategy implemented by
the management but it is a sense of the company to understand the need of the customers present
in the market and innovate the product according to the demand (Jun, & Sung Park, 2013).
Apart from that talking about the strategy framework which the organization used to gain
excellence in the market, it shall be said that Apple remarkably aligned their skills and abilities
to draw success for the company. The organization uses a disciplined process to initiate
efficiency among the customers in the market. The management initiated a strict control on both
the operation and strategy implemented by the organization; this approach helped the
organization to initiate high expectation among the customers in the market. The CEO being the
chief innovator designs the product specification and also implemented innovation in the
management of the organization. He designed strategies in such a way that the management of
the organization assists them to initiate competitive edge in the target market. Thus, it shall be
noticed that Apple innovated many strategies which acted as a bold business experiment in the
market; these strategies only helped them to lead in the market (Kim, & Jun, 2017).
Question 2
As the case study states that the achievements of Apple Inc. were not just a clever strategy
instead it involved deep commitment of the organization to understand the need of the people
and then develop an “insanely great products”. The activities which apple initiated might not be
called as innovation, because the company only aligned the needs of the customers with the
specifications of the organization. The organization developed three areas where they can initiate
innovation, which are mainly marketing, engineering, and user experience (Kim, Jun, Jang, &

Organizational Creativity and Innovation 4
Park, 2017). The committee of executives reviewed all three aspects and implemented a plan on
the basis of which they shall amend innovation in the organization. Thus, in this innovation was
planned and implemented in Apple with the help of the employees of the organization (Minakov,
et. al., 2015).
The management initiated to introduce the entire specific features which are required by the
customers of the organization. They aimed to produce products which are having beautifully
designed which but they are also easy to work with. As the organization has all type of customer
base due to which they design products which are attractive and convenient in using. Apart from
that the organization implemented many other strategies which assisted them initiating
innovation in the organization. The bold business experiment also helped the organization to
innovate many new features in the products and lead by gaining the market capitalization. This
hoped the management to apply strategic innovation which cannot be replicated as well, due to
which the product gained competence in the market as well. Thus, in this way, with the tool of
innovation the organization continued to achieve its defined targets (Blenko, et. al., 2016).
Question 3
Employees are regarded as the most important asset of the organization. They are those people
who help the organization to achieve heights in the target market. So, it shall be known that no
organization can work efficiently or gain competence without adequate human resource in the
company. In the company Apple the employees of the company helped in every phase of the
organization. They themselves defined innovation for the organization which can help them to
grow in the market. The employees created innovation I the market and they only motioned that
innovation in terms of the growth of the company.
Apple gained the first mover advantage in the market, thus it shall be noted that the employees of
organization are determined to lead. The innovators innovated the products and the engineers
designed the innovation and gave the products a look and lastly the management monitored these
activities with the plan and evaluates the deviation then act accordingly (Rogers, & Lee, 2016).
As the employees provide support to the management therefore the organization also satisfy the
requirements of the employees of the organization. Further talking about the culture at the
organization it shall be noted, that the leader is a person who develops a positive environment in
the organization. So, the leaders of Apple inspired the employees which urged them to work
better and initiate positivity in the environment (Arocha, 2017).
Question 4
The company Apple is incomplete without Its CEO Steve Jobs as the man gave recognition to
the organization in the external world. Talking about the activities which Steve jobs did to place
the organization at an optimum position, it shall be said that he being an entrepreneur took

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adequate amount of risk and innovation in the product development so that competence. He
developed the product in such a way that it worked efficiently along with beautiful looks. Apart
from that h created a convenient product which can be used by all people. And most importantly
he supplied the products in all geographical boundaries due to which all demand of the product
were met with the supply (Ulrich, 2014).
Furthermore talking about the strategic management system which he implemented it shall be
noted that whatever activities he did, Jobs always satisfied the employees with his work. His
view of process and innovation is that create a product according to the requirements of
customers present in the market. He always aimed to design a product which adequately satisfy
the needs of the customers; apart from that Jobs initiated a problem solving techniques in the
organization. With the aid of his personality characteristics, the organization placed itself at the
top most position in the market. Thus, in this way he refined the position of the company by
igging the problems and finding beautiful elegant solutions for it (Boudreau, & Lakhani, 2013).
Conclusion
Thus in the limelight of above mentioned events the facts that shall be noted is that it is very
important for an organization to initiate innovation in its managerial activities so as to gain
competence in the target market. Apart from that the leader of the organization needs to
implement an innovative and positive approach towards the working of the employees so that
objectives of the organization are achieved.

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References
Arocha, J. B. (2017). Getting to the Core: A Case Study on the Company Culture of Apple Inc.
Blenko, D., Waldron, K., Cornelius, J., Nespoli, G., & Lee, D. (2016). ORGANIZATIONAL
ANALYSIS: APPLE RETAIL STORES.
Boudreau, K. J., & Lakhani, K. R. (2013). Using the crowd as an innovation partner. Harvard
business review, 91(4), 60-9.
Jun, S., & Sung Park, S. (2013). Examining technological innovation of Apple using patent
analysis. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 113(6), 890-907.
Kim, J. M., & Jun, S. (2017). Integer-Valued GARCH Processes for Apple Technology
Analysis. Industrial Management & Data Systems, (just-accepted), 00-00.
Minakov, V. F., Minakova, T. E., Galstyan, A. S., & Shiyanova, A. A. (2015). Time constant of
innovation effects doubling. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(3 S6), 307.
Pisano, G. P. (2015). You need an innovation strategy. Harvard Business Review, 93(6), 44-54.
Rogers, D., & Lee, R. (2016). Strategic opportunities and decision making. MHD Supply Chain
Solutions, 46(2), 40.
Thomke, S. H., & Feinberg, B. (2009). Design thinking and innovation at Apple.
Ulrich, D. (2014). The future targets or outcomes of HR work: individuals, organizations and
leadership.