Apple Inc. Business Case: Leadership, Management, and Operations

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the leadership and management practices within Apple Inc. It begins by defining the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, differentiating between their functions and responsibilities. The report explores the leadership styles an...Read More

To analyse the business case of
Apple Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Roles and characteristics of leader and manager.............................................................................3
Role of leader and function of manager in different situational context.........................................4
Theories and models of leadership..................................................................................................5
Approach to operation management................................................................................................6
Importance and value of operations management...........................................................................7
Factors impacting the operational management and decision making ...........................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
Books and Journals........................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Business operations are the actions which engage with business on a daily basis in order
to increase the value of enterprise and maximise the profits. This present study is based on Apple
Inc. that is an American company headquartered in California (Galanti, 2021). It is multinational
technology company which designs, develops and sell electronics, software and other online
services to its customers. These operations can be optimised to produce sufficient revenues and
handle the expenses. An operation in a business deals with the growth of business and brings in
changes which will prevent any issues occurring within the organisation. This report deals with
the leadership qualities and managerial skills in Apple Inc. It is discussed in detail about the
strengths and weakness of leader and managers of this company. The operational management is
very important for the business to run smoothly. There are used many different approach to
address operational management.
MAIN BODY
Roles and characteristics of leader and manager
Management: A manager is a person who guides the actions and tasks of other people
present within the organisation. Managers perform their functions at differ level and are referred
with different names. They have to fulfil certain roles and responsibilities within the
organisation.
Leadership: On the other hand, a leader is an individual who can see things which
requires improvement and then works together with their team to create a better vision. They
work to make the context of the goals and visions of the Apple Inc. become a reality
(DiGirolamo and Tkach, 2019). They put the people first before themselves.
Role of leadership in Apple company: The important role of a leader Of Apple
company is to unite the people working in an organisation of Apple Inc. by making use of
effective style of leadership. The role of leaders and managers can be interchangeable but are not
same. A right manager does right to the company. The characteristics of managers of this
company is an ability to manage all resources of company and provide them direction for
performing their functions. They have vision and communicating it to the leaders. Managers are
known to convey the missions to others. They are supposed to be autonomous and responsible in
decisions and empowering the employees. Manager of Apple's company know how to be in

command while keeping the eye on the desired goal. They take the right decisions at right time
to avoid any failure by wrong decision. Managers show the managerial courage during the time
of facing the issues and taking tough decisions. They must have intellectual resources while
keeping a political sense. The characteristics of leaders on the other hand are having integrity in
charting the people at the Apple Inc. and making appropriate decisions. They must have the
ability to delegate as their responsibility which helps in facilitating the team work, providing
autonomy and help the company grow.
Effective communication is very essential at every stage of the business operations of an
organisation. It helps in transmitting the information to other team members and coaching them
well. The quality of communication within the Apple community is the link to its success.
Leaders are supposed to be self aware to understand better and do task accordingly. And lastly,
leaders must have the sense of respect. It will help to ease the tensions and resolve the conflicts
happening within the organisation. Apple Inc. (Gächter, and Renner, 2018). Company deals with
technology and software related subjects. The management of the company is efficient and the
business strategies of the Apple will lead the way to the success of the organisation. Leaders of
company have set an great example to the entire populations of their efficient work and building
up the standards of the company. Differentiating the roles of leaders and managers are very
important as leaders are there to inspire the employee while managers manage the working of
entire team. Managers organise and leaders motivate the individuals to do better and complete
their task effectively. Leaders coach them while manger plans the whole process. Manager
coordinates with the team and follows the visions and leaders on the other hand establish the
direction and lead the way to achieve the desired goals and responsibilities. Leader empower
while the manager budget within the company Apple Inc.
Ineffectiveness of leadership
There were some situations identified where lack of leadership skills in leader of Apple company
created numbers of problems. He used to take the responsibility of his work because of his very
controlling nature which drives the passion to be perfect. But this controlling behaviour created
problems as it increased staff turnover rate. He focused more on the product than to make
profits. He was task oriented rather relationship oriented and it made employees feel de-valued

and de-motivated. The main aim was completing tasks or getting tasks done by employees and it
was all because of excessive workload.
Managerial skills demonstrated by Apple
The managerial skills exhibited by Steve Jobs is to be very focused. He joined the
company again in 1997 when Apple Inc. was nearing the bankruptcy and turned it into the most
valuable company in the world. When he rejoined, company was experimenting a lot and which
he asked to stop and focus more on the needs of customers. He did many experiments on the
products and in between he used to stop and focus on some basic needs of the customers. He
believed that focusing on few needs was important as others will bring the company down.
Another skills was taking accountability. His quality of being a perfectionist helped as he made
the team to fall back to the drawing board and pushing them for perfection which made Apple
stand out from other companies. Addition to this, he was a strong believer of creativity and this
made him bring a positive change to the company. He was motivated to create the innovation
culture and tried to put the same values in the company.
Role of leader and function of manager in different situational context
Leaders perform many roles in the business of an organisation and managers are there to
do various functions in the operations of the company. Roles of leader and functions of
managers are applied based on different situations. Planning is an activity to predetermine the
schedule related to the organisations goals and objectives. The mangers of Apple Inc. are there
to develop the plans such that there is less expense and more revenue (Trivedi, 2019). Leader of
Apple company brings out the best performance from each of the team members. in this
situation helps to They communicate with them and help them achieve the pre planned goal. A
manager helps in organising the raw materials and resources while the leader helps organising
these resources based on the plan of Apple Inc. Manager makes sure that there is no wastage of
resources as much as possible. Giving a direction is very important for both managers and

leaders to make the employee move in right order. Leader directs the team in way that the tasks
are performed effectively and efficiently.
The main goal of a leader is to motivate the employees to offer their best efforts.
Employees are the asset of the organisation. Manager helps in on boarding the new staff
members which are best suited for the company by finding out their skills and abilities. They
help the new employees with the raining process and offering other benefits. Coordination is a
vital step in performing as by the decided plan (Liu, 2021). It showcases the bond between the
departments and the activities helping the company to succeed. Managers contribute to
coordinate the organisation and communicate among the employees while leaders on the other
hand help the team to become unite towards the established work limits. Lastly, the controlling
aspect in an organisation helps in maintaining the performance quality of the employees. Leader
and managers control the situation and employees to achieve proper implementation of planning
and completion of task within the Apple Inc.
Achievements of Steve Job and Tim cook
Tim Cook is Apple's current CEO who is more outspoken and is very polite with his staff
members. He does not focus more on product unlike the past CEO Steve Jobs and handles the
retail operation in Apple. He is motivated in fulfilling the vision of Steve Jobs. When the
company was falling he stood up front and took the responsibilities of managing the sales and
marketing as well as some other business operations on a global level. He is a great leader which
considers the pint of view of its employees and is very instrumental in the development of
technology.
Tim Cook has the skill to be determined and stand strong on what is decided, the example of this
is that the US government raised many question regarding the privacy in the Apple products but
the leaders of the stand still on what was already created and exhibited by the company.
Theories and models of leadership
There are several types and approaches of management theories used by Apple Inc. in
their business operations. Leadership theories are a way of influencing and inspiring employees
to attain the desired goals and objectives. Leadership involves being efficient and competent n
leading their team while increasing their efforts to motivate followers. Leadership theories are
used to identify several traits in a leader.

Democratic leadership: Currently Apple Inc. is working in the democratic style of
leadership. It believes in building consensus among the senior staff related to the strategic
decisions in respect to the business (Thompson, and Glasø, 2018). There is a greater amount of
autonomy allowed for the development of new product. It helps in reducing the direct
involvement of the higher level members in the new product development process. This style of
leadership makes employees feel valued and they are more likely to stay with business. When
they are being given opportunities in taking decision or involving in decision-making process
then it boosts their confidence. Motivated and valued employees strive hard and help company in
meeting their goals.
Contemporary theory of management: It is used to deal during the times of higher
production costs. Managers are focused in reducing the costs on raw materials. It is done by high
level of negotiations with suppliers. Leaders motivate the individuals working in the company to
cope up with new suppliers and maintain the outcome of the company.
Contingency theory: This theory is aimed to change the strategy with regards to the
changed happening in the situations. Contingency theory is used to minimise the main risk in
that particular situation. Here, leaders play an important role in dealing with changes while
helping the employees to balance with the market condition during the time of changes. A
contingent leader uses his power to apply effectively when dealing with such situations. It helps
in producing a sustainable development of the products and services based on the quality and
quantity both. Apple can use this theory to deal with tough situations.
Situational leadership: This approach to leadership is related to the skills and
capabilities of the team members regarding their completion of the given tasks within a deadline.
This leadership strategy is used to fulfil the gaps in the demand during different situations
(Wright, 2017). There is an analysis of the current condition of the market and then according to
that, the final decisions are made. It results in producing the best results about the assessment
and will the organisation overcome any obstacles coming in the way of success. In the end it
helps the company sustain the market.
System leadership: This model of leadership is used to control the performance of an
employee and improve the communication used in different situations. This type of leadership
has an impact on the employees making them perform regarding to the demands of the
organisation. Leader understands the perspectives of the team members along with their own

ideas and thoughts. This leadership is used in cases where the company can benefit by having a
leader for long term and setting a clear vision. This leadership style can be useful fir Apple Inc.
Strengths and weakness of leaders in Apple
There are many different situation which takes place within the organisation of Apple.
Inc, these situations came out the strengths and weaknesses of its leaders which are:
There past CEO Steve Jobs was described to be a very controlling and demanding individual
which made the employees very hard to cope up with the process and addition to this, he was so
secretive that when he died it resulted in damaging the reputation of the company. On the other
hand the strengths are that product development is very appreciated by the customers this is
because the leaders of the company follow democratic leadership style which helps in gaining
the perspectives from all side and resulting in being best. The strength of Steve Jobs of being
very visionary and charismatic has made the company reach the success it desired.
Approach to operation management
Six sigma: It is the process which focuses on the efforts put in by the entire team for
completing the given amount of tasks and the performance management. The role of manager of
in this situation is to make proper planning in order to receive the best utilisation of the resources
within the Apple Inc. Leaders on the other hand use the six sigma approach to improve the
efficiency of the performance of the employee while also building the bonding between them in
the company. Both leaders and manager of Apple company play a vital role in successful
implementation of this operational management approach and make sure quality is maintained of
products and services.
Time quality management: This approach is used by the large multinational companies
just as Apple Inc. to ensure the efficiency in the process of production (Parés, M., Ospina, S.M.
and Subirats, J. eds., 2017). This approach is use to focus on the process of improvement in the
products and services offered by the company. This will help in meeting the demands and
requirements of the target audience. By using this approach, Apple can get the cost on the
products comparatively less. The main aim of this strategy is to attain high level of customer

satisfaction along with the suppliers. In this approach, leader and managers both help in
encouraging the employees into giving out their best performance in order to produce high
quality product and services offered to their customers. It helps in increasing the customer base
and fulfilling their demands of the potential customers of Apple Inc.
Just in time inventory: This approach is very famous in the business world and is
related to the process of ordering raw materials from before the start of the process of
production. The main use of this approach is ensure and invent to not have to wait for long time.
It helps in saving time during the process of production of goods. Manager is supposed to place
the order to the suppliers for just in time. Leaders help in evaluating the performance of
employees and maintain the proper schedule associated with the inventory within the Apple
company.
Importance and value of operations management
Operational management is a process related to the operations of the business in
maintaining it properly. The main aim behind the operations management is attain the business
objectives and goals so as to analyse the working of Apple inc.
Product efficiency: Production is one of the main operations in the business in Apple
Inc. This area can be used for cost minimisation for the company. With the help calculating the
costs can help the company to avoid having any extra costs (Hilton, Arkorful, and Martins,
2021). This also helps in ensuring the efficiency of the product coming for Apple company.
Product maximisation: Apple Inc. is looking for ways to maximise their profits and
profit margins. With the maximum amount of sales the company can attain their goal of reaching
the desired customer base. Another method to increase the sale can be done by providing
attractive offers and promotions.
Customer satisfaction: The thing for Apple Inc. is to produce happy and satisfied
customers. They will lead the way of achieving the desired success for the company. The Apple
must have complete focus on providing its customers the best quality products and services
while keeping their demands and requirements in the mind ( Orlova, 2019). This can be achieved
by following a proper operational management.

Utilisation of resources: Operational management helps in providing an efficient
utilisation of the resources within the company. It gives a planned approach to every sector of
the operation to utilise the invested resources in the production and operation process.
Improvement of product quality: Apple Inc. is very careful about their quality of
products offered to their customers. The company is trying to focus their attention in improving
their product quality to make them better than before. It makes the product more preferable to
the target audience which is the main aim of operational management.
Factors impacting the operational management and decision making
Global competition: It is an important factor which can affect the operation
management and the decision making process of Apple Inc. The company is a multinational
brand which offer technical and software services to its customers. The competition has
increased in the market worldwide which is also affecting the customer base of the company.
They must focus on market condition to attain more customers and attract them on a global
level.
Legal considerations: Apple Inc. is more concerned with the legal rules and regulations
of the countries they have their operations in. They have to consider the laws on tax, tariffs,
export and import and government policies (Shapira, Housh, and Broitman, 2019). Not
following the legislature can lead affect the business of the company in a negative way
destroying its reputation. This can also decrease the value of the company in the market.
Market trends: The trends of the market change on continuous basis depending on the
lifestyle of the people. This can affect the decision making process of leaders and the working
conditions of a manager. These trends are more focused towards bringing in the innovation and
satisfying the audience with better options. These trends can be analysed and used by the
company.
CONCLUSION
Managers and leaders are the inter related roles in an organisation but are never the same.
The roles, responsibilities and functions of leaders and managers differ in various ways. Leaders
can be considered as the figure head of the company while managers are supposed to follow the
organisational goals and objectives of Apple Inc. The improvement and development of the

organisation is done by leaders in the company. They ensure the efficiency and productivity
while mangers become the source of communication. It can be concluded that the impact of
operational management is very important for a large organisation like Apple Inc. to run
smoothly and effectively. The role of operational management in the company has helped Apple
gain the success it desired.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
DiGirolamo, J.A. and Tkach, J.T., 2019. An exploration of managers and leaders using
coaching skills. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 71(3), p.195.
Gächter, S. and Renner, E., 2018. Leaders as role models and ‘belief managers’ in
social dilemmas. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 154, pp.321-334.
Galanti, M.T., 2021. Leaders’ and managers’ decision-making styles. In The Routledge
Handbook of Policy Styles (pp. 315-327). Routledge.
Hilton, S.K., Arkorful, H. and Martins, A., 2021. Democratic leadership and
organizational performance: the moderating effect of contingent reward. Management
Research Review.
Liu, Z., 2021, January. Analysis of Apple Inc.’s Innovation Dilemma From the
Perspective of Leadership. In 6th Annual International Conference on Social Science
and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2020) (pp. 551-554). Atlantis
Press.
Orlova, E.V., 2019. Model for operational optimal control of financial recourses
distribution in a company. Computer research and modeling, 11(2), pp.343-358.
Parés, M., Ospina, S.M. and Subirats, J. eds., 2017. Social innovation and democratic
leadership: communities and social change from below. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Shapira, N., Housh, M. and Broitman, D., 2019. Decision-makers matter: An
operational model for environmental-economic conflict resolution. Environmental
Science & Policy, 98, pp.77-87.
Thompson, G. and Glasø, L., 2018. Situational leadership theory: a test from a leader-
follower congruence approach. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.
Trivedi, S., 2019. A Study on Development of Personal and Management Skills in
Apple Inc. International Journal of Human Resource Development and
Management, 9(1), pp.1-9.
Wright, E.S., 2017. Dialogic development in the situational leadership
style. Performance Improvement, 56(9), pp.27-31.