Grand Canyon University: Apple Inc. Operations Chart - Strategic Plan

This assignment presents an operations chart based on a strategic plan for Apple Inc., focusing on market expansion into developing countries. The plan outlines the vision to gain momentum in these markets. The assignment details three primary goals: entry of Apple products, market expansion, and mergers with telecom brands. The operations chart then analyzes each goal over three years, considering operational issues like pricing and competition, human resources, supply chain, marketing strategies (4Ps and Is), value chain activities, leadership methodologies, and ethical considerations. The analysis includes references to relevant academic sources and explores how Apple can navigate challenges and leverage its brand value to succeed in these markets. The project highlights strategic initiatives, potential problems, and solutions for successful market penetration.

Operations Chart
Directions: Complete the Operations Chart, based upon the strategic plan you have established for your organization. Write your
strategic initiative in the space provided and write three to five primary goals. Next, select one goal/objective from the primary
goals/objectives you listed. As you complete each row in the Year 1 column, consider the key organization functions and skills listed
in each box, and articulate your strategies related to each. Repeat the identified goal/objective for Year 2 and Year 3. Please note the
goals/objectives can be different from year to year.
Strategic Plan (Vision): to gain momentum for Apple Inc. products in the market of the developing countries and spread out the
roots deeper in those markets.
Primary Goals/Objectives:
1. Entry of Apple Inc. products into the developing countries
2. Market expansion in the key markets
3. Merger with telecom brands
4.
5.
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Goal/Objective (How will you reach your
strategic initiative?).
 The brand value will attract new
consumers in the market.
Goal/Objective (How will you reach your
strategic initiative?)
 Opening up production units in the
developing countries.
 Local production will lead to reduction
on the overall product price.
Goal/Objectives (How will you reach your
strategic initiative?).
.
 Merger will bring in more consumer
from the telecom company to Apple Inc.
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Operational Issues (Consider problems that
might arise and the importance of contingency
planning)
 Apple has a high pricing strategy and
such pricing may deter its growth in the
developing economies, as people may
not be able to afford such high prices.
Operational Issues (Consider problems that
might arise and the importance of contingency
planning)
 The Company has stiff
competition in the developing
countries from other leading
brands such as Samsung, HTC and
Xiaomi as they provide products in
cheaper price.
Operational Issues (Consider problems that
might arise and the importance of contingency
planning)
 People opting for cheaper product and
leaving the brand is a huge threat for
apple as it will incur significant loss.
Human Resources (How will you address
staffing needs and organizational growth?)
 The work culture must include the
innovation strategies to reach out the
market of the developing countries so
that the profits can be increased by
increasing the overall global sales.
Human Resources Issues (How will you
address staffing needs and organizational growth?)
 The research and development team
must work in align with the
requirements of the people in the
targeted countries. (Boso, Story and
Cadogan 2013).
Human Resources Issues (How will you
address staffing needs and organizational growth?)
 The competitiveness among the
employee somewhat hinder the unity
lowering the strength of the organization
as it will not perform collectively.
Supply Chain (How and where will you
acquire resources?)
 There are various choice for the
company to select and get the
components and parts. The supplier
chain is huge and hence Apple can
easily shift from one to the other
without any problem (Stadtler 2015).
Supply Chain (How and where will you
acquire resources?)
 Innovations of certain products are
unique to Apple such the iPhone X or
the air pods by Apple.
Supply Chain (How and where will you
acquire resources?)
 The company can lend their product
bundled alongside new connections.

Marketing (Consider 4 P’s and I’s, target
market, pricing, brand value, and CSR)
 The company has a huge brand value
and it will allow them in the marketing
of their products as people are already
aware of the brand and the features that
come along.
Marketing (Consider 4 P’s and I’s, target
market, pricing, brand value, and CSR)
 Market expansion will lead to people
getting more choices on a set of
products from the company. For a
product there can be various versions of
the same and this will allow more sales
and people will have the variety in
selecting the products. (Gosens and Lu
2014).
Marketing (Consider 4 P’s and I’s, target
market, pricing, brand value, and CSR)
 Merger with telecom service providers
will increase the sales of the products as
the company can lend their product
bundled alongside new connections.
Value Chain (How does your firm add value to
primary and support activities in the value chain?).
 The premium pricing has earned the
company a position in the market and
people refer to it as a premium brand as
the quality justifies the price.
Value Chain (How does your firm add value to
primary and support activities in the value chain?)
 The company promotes innovation and
thus the setting up of new production
units will further add to the existing
culture.
Value Chain (How does your firm add value to
support activities in the value chain?)
 The motive to maintain the brand value
by working competitively makes sure
that new markets can be conquered.
Leadership (Leadership methodology and any
bias you may have.).
 The market entry has to done keeping in
mind the requirement of the target
group.
Leadership (Leadership methodology and any
bias you may have.).
 New production units have to be set up
in other countries.
Leadership (Leadership methodology and any
basis you may have.)
 Apple Inc. needs to merge with existing
companies in the market to gain
consumers.
Ethics & Sustainability (What are the
ethical considerations related to your identified
goal/objective)
Ethics & Sustainability (What are the
ethical considerations related to your identified
goal/objective)
 The primary objective is of
Ethics & Sustainability (What are the
ethical considerations related to your identified
goal/objective)
 Organizational secrecy to prevent

 Focus on pricing strategy.
incorporating innovation and creativity
(Dul, J. and Ceylan, C., 2014).
intellectual theft.
References
.Boso, N., Story, V.M. and Cadogan, J.W., 2013. Entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, network ties, and performance:
Study of entrepreneurial firms in a developing economy. Journal of Business Venturing, 28(6), pp.708-727.
Dul, J. and Ceylan, C., 2014. The Impact of a creativity‐supporting work environment on a firm's product innovation
performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(6), pp.1254-1267.
Gafni, R. and Geri, N., 2013, July. Do operating systems affect perceptions of smartphone advantages and drawbacks?.
In Proceedings of the Informing Science and Information Technology Education Conference (pp. 175-184). Informing Science
Institute.
Gosens, J. and Lu, Y., 2014. Prospects for global market expansion of China’s wind turbine manufacturing industry. Energy
Policy, 67, pp.301-318.
Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and advanced planning (pp. 3-28).
Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.