Apple's Strategy: How Entrepreneurship and Innovation Beat Incumbents

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Apple's success, focusing on the entrepreneurial journey of Steve Jobs and the company's innovative strategies to beat market incumbents. The report explores the key attributes of successful entrepreneurs, highlighting self-discipline, persistence, and a clear sense of direction. It examines Apple's personality and approach to the market, emphasizing its focus on customer demand and user-friendly design. The report details Apple's product and service offerings, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and their impact on the industry. It presents the success story of Steve Jobs, from the inception of Apple to its rise as a global technology leader, and outlines the entrepreneurial process, including innovation, planning, implementation, and growth monitoring. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of innovation and the risks associated with business plans, using Apple as a prime example of entrepreneurial success. References and an appendix are included to support the analysis.

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Executive summary
In this report we would be focussing on success of entrepreneurs and how they beat
the incumbents in the market. In this scenario, considering the case of Steve Jobs who was an
American entrepreneur or we can say a business magnate who changed the industrial sector
with its innovative designs. He was the chairman and a co-founder of Apple Inc. The success
of entrepreneurs are not easy as they need to beat the incumbent who is holding a place in the
market and is been used by the customers for a long time. Whenever challenger comes in the
market, with new innovation incumbents are often overlooked.. In this report we would be
focusing on the reason how Apple gained success.

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Table of Contents
Executive summary....................................................................................................................1
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Attributes for the entrepreneur success......................................................................................3
Personality and personal approach of Apple..............................................................................4
Services Offered by Apple.........................................................................................................4
Success Story.............................................................................................................................6
Entrepreneurship process...........................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9
Appendix..................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Apple is an American company which sells electronic appliances; software’s and
provides various online services to customers. It has occupied a good place in the market
because of the contribution of entrepreneurship. It is true that country’s economic growth is
directly related to new innovations (Elkind, 2018). Entrepreneurship and innovation basically
includes developing and creating new services in the market. It’s a dynamic factor in
ensuring durable economic development of the society. Establishing a new business or
industry is not easy there is lot to risks that need to be taken. Entrepreneurship and new
innovation helps to address social problems and environmental issues (Jobs, 2015).
Attributes for the entrepreneur success
Main qualities for the success of entrepreneur are self-discipline, integrity, persistence and
have clear sense of direction. First of all the entrepreneurs have strong self-control on their
responsibilities. Apart for that for their success it is important to gain reputation in the market that
could be achieved by quality of the product delivered. For a successful entrepreneur it is important
to possess persistence (Linzmayer, 2014). Finally, entrepreneur has clear sense of direction which
would help them to grow without any turbulence. They come from different geographic locations
have different upbringings, different income brackets set and various social levels. While these
hindrances doesn’t affect the life of successful entrepreneur as they are consistent towards their
success. The reason for their success is tenacity that is they are prepared for every situation in the
failure and do not carry any fear of humiliation or out of cash issue because they have very clear
vision for their objective (Galindo & Méndez, 2014). Entrepreneurs are goal oriented and focus
on execution of the vision. Like Apple went from a simple idea to a billion dollar company in a
flash. The reason for their success is that they are ready to take high risk and keep on innovating
new products for the customer.

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Personality and personal approach of Apple
The personality approach of Apple looks at the processes by which they can get more
target audience. Prime audience is known so that concepts and processes are discovered closer to
their actual behavior, such as specific traits and specific motivation which helped Apple to
develop difficult and specific goals for success. Literature research indicates that Apple’s
motivation and action strategies helped them for running a business successfully and overcoming
the incumbents in the market (Matsubara, et. al, 2012). It can be stated that both specific
motivation of Apple and Blackberry helped in discovering competitive strategies to mediate the
relationship between personality traits and success.
Apple Inc. has covered the competitive markets by beating all the incumbents. Apple's
brand has evolved in the market as it has expanded the new innovation by started from small range
of desktop computers to laptops, iPod’s and variety of products and services. Apple has changed
the market by innovating new products and services. The release of first iPhone somewhere was a
hurdle for other companies, it kept on launching new products with new innovation. The success
of entrepreneur relies on the fact that they learn the market demands and work on them. Apple was
developing ideas and opportunities according to the customers demand (Colombelli, Krafft &
Vivarelli, 2016).
Steve Jobs also started the business by launching small pocket sized gadget used for
business purpose for performing calculation , making calls and so on. It was very fast in reacting
to the market changes. Apple had come up with iOS at that time and it grabbed the market because
it provided a user friendly approach (Deutschman, 2010).
Services Offered by Apple
Apple products are designed to provide better lifestyle to users. They help organizations to
work effectively and productively to solve problems. The purpose of its services is to offer

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creative working environment. There are various products ranging from iPhone, iPad, Mac and so
on for redesigning the future of business. Some of the achievements of Steve jobs include Apple
II, Macintosh, Ipod, iPad, IPhone, itunes and iOs. Apple II was a fastest selling computer used for
personal use as it allowed users foe creating of high tech graphic animations. This computer
brought power in the IT world especially in small and medium sized business. In late 90s the
computer for everyone was designed that introduced and mouse and graphical user interface for
the audience (Sahut & Peris-Ortiz, 2014). This innovation of Steve Job was widely accepted as it
innovated computers that were simple to use and had a user friendly interface. The production of
Mac OS is one of the greatest achievements for the company. This operating system was versatile
and was adopted in all he apple gadgets that are in iPhone, iPad and even in Ipod Touch. Steve
was widely appreciated for producing iTunes. This software allowed user to organise digital music
collection and customers paid for listening to music via iTunes due to the ease of use and
convenience. iTunes now sells millions of tracks per day and has occupied the entire music
business and the media. With the continuous positive feedback from the market, it leads to the
development of iPod in 2001 that changed the way of audience how to listen to music. IPod
became an icon of Apple’s unmatched capacity for simplicity In the design and pure usability.
Steve Jobs stuck the telecommunication sector by deployment of iPhones in the market. There
were very incumbents in the market selling the touch screen phones but it was the first phone that
got a boom in the market. The success of entrepreneur is they don’t stop at a point and keep
innovating new facilities for the customers. iPhone was not an end, discovery of App store took
revolution to next level. The infrastructure of App store was designed in a way that put a world of
software’s on the fingerprints (Robbin, Jobs & Schiller, 2018). Hence, it can be said the products
and services of Apple are used by everyone till date and will be growing in future as well.

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Success Story
Steve job is considered as the father of digital revolution with the massive innovation and
design perfectionist. He had a worth network of 8 billion dollars and there is not a single industry
of creator in the world of technology like him. Apple is one of the top most companies in the
world and has reached to a great height. But the actual story behind the achievements of
entrepreneur Steve job depicts the success. Steve Jobs started the business at very small level by
discovering Apple hardware’s but it dint catch the attention commercially. The products
developed by Steve Jobs are adored by millions of people across the world. A company was
started in garage it is worth more than 742 billion dollars today. For over 30 years, all the
electronic gadgets have been transformed by none other than Steve Jobs of Apple. The journey of
entrepreneur Steve job is difficult, in his early life he struggled for his identity as his parents were
unable to take care of him. He hardly took interest in academic but was only interest in pranking
with phones and computers and creating business ideas(Chatterji, Glaeser & Kerr, 2014). Thus he
along with his friend started the business plan by selling his Volkswagen bus and designed a series
of user friendly computers. The initial success of Apple I pushed job to create bigger and better
computers. By late 1970s they created Apple II that was a high speed business workstation it was
a hit in the market with millions of sales. As for achieving more success he hired chief executive
of Pepsi for expanding the business in new direction. But due to some controversies Steve Jobs
were hired from the company. But after the struggle he purchased an animation studio and with its
money he established a new company which was specialised in high end workstation for achieving
business continuity. It was again a blend failure, but decade later the company was purchased by
Apple. Over the next few years, jobs went from small position to the company’s CEO. It was
second period for Steve Jobs at apple, he produced many successful devices from the IMac to I
pads and helped Apple to grow as the biggest company in the technology sector (Carlton &
Annotations, 2012). He is a true inspiration for every entrepreneur.

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Apart from that the reasons the company is still so successful and making hard for
competitors to beat in the market is due to few things like; Apple creates the product that is very
easy to use by the customers. The design of user interface is very easy to understand and the goal
is to create everything which is easy to learn. It focuses on the demand of customer for making
decisions. For an successful entrepreneur it is necessary to analysis the market what the
incumbents are offering and what are their drawbacks (Butcher, 2010). Apple uses this enigma to
by discovering the products that are simple and make use of technology that do not create
complexity.
Entrepreneurship process
For achieve the success in the business and beat the incumbents present in the market
a strategy need to be followed. There are various activities that need to be performed before
establishing a business (Roberts, Murray & Kim, 2015). Various steps need to be taken are:
1. Innovation- It is the first step which includes creating an innovative idea by analysing the
market needs and opportunities. Steve Jobs identified the drawbacks in the technology market
thus developed products and services that is easily used by the audience.
2. Making Plans- It includes creating triggering events to gather the market that provides a
motivation to start the plan. Bit could be achieved by identifying the different assets required,
what are the related risks associated so that plan could be made accordingly.
3. Implementation- The plan made is future implanted the launching new products and
services in the market
4. Checking the Growth- It is the most important step for an entrepreneur, it includes
monitoring the growth in the market (Wu & Huarng, 2015). So that plans could be modified
to maximize profit and occupy a good place in the market for continues growth of venture.

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(Source: https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/24173/04chapter4.pdf?sequence=4)
Conclusion
Innovation is the key to success for very new business. The story of Steve Jobs depict
about the associated risks in the business plan. iPhone, iPad and Mac are the best tools which
was designed by Steve Jobs for the business. They help employees solve problems in creative
way by cultivating an entrepreneurial environment.

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References
Butcher, L. (2010). Accidental millionaire: the rise and fall of Steve Jobs at Apple Computer.
New York: Paragon House.
Carlton, J., & Annotations-Kawasaki, G. (2012). Apple: The inside story of intrigue,
egomania, and business blunders. Random House Inc..
Chatterji, A., Glaeser, E., & Kerr, W. (2014). Clusters of entrepreneurship and
innovation. Innovation Policy and the Economy, 14(1), 129-166.
Colombelli, A., Krafft, J., & Vivarelli, M. (2016). Entrepreneurship and innovation: New
entries, survival, growth (No. 2016-04). Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie,
Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), University of Nice Sophia Antipolis.
Deutschman, A. (2010). The second coming of Steve Jobs. Crown Business.
Elkind, P. (2018). The trouble with Steve jobs. FORTUNE-EUROPEAN EDITION-, 157(5),
54.
Galindo, M. Á., & Méndez, M. T. (2014). Entrepreneurship, economic growth, and
innovation: Are feedback effects at work?. Journal of Business Research, 67(5), 825-
829.
Jobs, S. (2015). Commencement address. In Presented at: Stanford University.
Linzmayer, O. W. (2014). Apple confidential 2.0: The definitive history of the world's most
colorful company. No Starch Press.
Matsubara, Y., Sakurai, Y., Prakash, B. A., Li, L., & Faloutsos, C. (2012, August). Rise and
fall patterns of information diffusion: model and implications. In Proceedings of the

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18th ACM SIGKDD international conference on Knowledge discovery and data
mining (pp. 6-14). ACM.
Robbin, J. L., Jobs, S., & Schiller, P. W. (2018). U.S. Patent No. 7,345,671. Washington, DC:
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Roberts, E. B., Murray, F., & Kim, J. D. (2015). Entrepreneurship and Innovation at MIT:
Continuing global growth and impact.
Sahut, J. M., & Peris-Ortiz, M. (2014). Small business, innovation, and
entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 42(4), 663-668.
Wu, C. W., & Huarng, K. H. (2015). Global entrepreneurship and innovation in management.

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Appendix
Products designed by Steve Jobs
(Source: http://www.tech2date.com/ten-things-steve-jobs-will-always-be-remembered-
for.html)

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Journey of Steve Jobs
(Source: https://www.tes.com/lessons/ODcxf6dAXleSpA/steve-jobs )