Comparative Analysis: Leadership, Project Management - Apple and Sony

This report provides a comparative analysis of Apple Inc. and Sony Corporation, two multinational giants in the electronics and entertainment industries. Founded in 1976 and 1946 respectively, the report highlights the differences in their leadership ethics, project governance models, approaches to managing project teams, and workplace culture. While both companies operate in similar market segments, Apple's revenue and profit margins significantly outperform Sony's, attributed to factors like focused product integration, effective retail strategies, and strong brand appeal. The analysis covers aspects such as supply chain ethics, ethical compliance networks, working hour regulations, and risk management processes, ultimately concluding that Apple's flexible compliance and efficient workforce contribute to its superior financial performance compared to Sony, whose stricter regulations and fluctuating revenues present challenges.

Comparioson between Apple and Sony

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Abstract
Sony Corporation and Apple Inc. are two well-known multinational companies in the world both
deals in nearly similar products. The head quarter of Sony is situated in Japan and the company is
founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946 and the head quarter of Apple is situated at
Cupertino, California and the company is founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald
Wayne in 1976. This report is been prepare to identifying the major difference between these
two companies on the bases of their leadership ethic, project governance model, approach to
managing project teams and workplace culture.

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Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
Characteristics of Companies................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................4
References.............................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Sony is a multinational company of Japan and its head office is established in Konan, Minato,
and Tokyo. Sony is founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka on 7 May 1946. The diverse
business of Sony includes professional and consumer entertainment, electronics, gaming and
financial services. The company share the largest market share of entertainment industry in
the world and a leading manufacturer of electronic products. Fortune Global 500 ranked Sony
105th in 2017. Sony Corporation is the electronic business unit and the parent companies of
Sony consist of Sony Pictures, Mobiles, Entertainment, music and other. Sony has 128400
full time employees across the globe (Sony Corporation, 2018). Apple Inc. is an technology
based American multinational company it’s headquarter is in Cupertino California. Apple is
founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne 1 April 1976. The company
develop design and sell the computers, consumer electronics and computer software and
many online services. The company also deals in hardware products such as I phone, I pad,
Mac, I pod, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Home pad and software includes macOS, ios, iTunes,
Safari, iLife and iWork. Apple considered being a world’s top most information technology
company in terms of revenue and it is world’s second largest mobile phone manufacturer.
Apple has 123000 full time employees and has 499 retail stores in 22 countries (Apple
inc., 2018). This report includes the major difference of the two companies there working
style model, ethics in leadership, project governance model, work culture and approaches to
managing project teams.
Characteristics of Companies
Major differences between Apple and Sony

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Apple is dedicated to ensure that working conditions of Apple supply chain are safe, the
workers are treated with dignity and respect and the manufacturing process is environment
friendly. The Apple and Sony Largely share the same market segment but it is been estimated
that the overall sell of PC shipment of Sony fell 7.5% year over year during four quarter,
while the Apple computer rose by a stunning 28.5%. In recent year the great electronic giant
Sony faces an Annual projected loss of $6.4 billion and while on the other hand the Apple
Inc. announced A revenue for a quarter 39.2 billion which is nearly doubled its profits. Apple
operates successfully chains of retail stores and selling their respective digital products but
absence of Sony leaves a big loophole (Reuters, 2018).
Apple and Sony may have similar leadership models, but Sony suffers due to lack of focus
and poor integration of its products and Apple leader are focused and integrated and it excels
in these two areas. Sony has created a single ethics and compliance network that is been
follow by all branch office across the world.
To enhance the project governance model Apple has drafted as set of Governing ethics
Which includes antidiscrimination, suppliers shall not be discriminated on the bases of
colour, age, gender, union membership, national origin, religion, political affiliation and other
the project governance also include fair treatment, prevention of inventory labour and human
trafficking, freedom of Association. At Sony the laws and regulations, fair competition in
business dealing, protection of confidential information and intellectual property, respect for
human rights, safety of service and product, environment conservation and information
disclosure are included (Tsukayama, 2012).
To make the work culture more efficient Apple has include duration of Working hours, pre
decided range of Wages and benefits, Apple provide safety measures to prevent their staff
members from misshaping these are occupational injury prevention, prevention of chemical

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exposure, emergency prevention, preparedness and response. To manage the work
environment the Sony has established a 24/7 global security operation centre. The Sony
provide priority to training and development, to safe guard the worker from the risk Sony has
designed the committed and improving risk based system and process (Claburn, 2016).
To manage project team Apple focus on Business integrity, communication engagement,
management commitment, management accountability and responsibility, risk assessment
and management, performance objectives with implementation plans and measures, training
and development, take worker feedback and corrective action process. To manage the
projects the Sony apply the ethics and compliance model which includes global compliance
monitoring team will help in ensure the code of conduct, internal policies and relevant laws
through use of risk assessments, self-assessments audits and reporting (Sony, 2017).
Conclusion
To conclude, the condition of Apple is far better than Sony, the profit share of Sony in 2017
was $4426 million and the profit share of Apple in 2017 was $48.35 billion which is far
better than Sony. It is clear from the graph that the Sony is not getting continuous growth the
revenues which the company are generating, graph is showing fluctuations many time in
previous 11 years the company suffers loss also in comparison to Sony the condition of
Apple is very good the graph of revenue generated by Apple show a continuous growth the
company is generating continuous profits every year. The annual profit of Sony is equal to
the three months profit of Apple. The fluctuation in the profits arrives due to the marketing
policies of both the companies the target audience of Apple are Rich and high class people
the main motive of apple is to get the sell less for more and this strategy is helping them in
getting more profits. On the other hand the Sony target audience is middle class and higher
class both due to that few high class people avoid purchasing Sony. The range of market

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share of Sony is more than apple but the sell are less. Another factor which is affecting the
profits of the Apple I phone this the most likable product of Apple and this is the main reason
behind increased profit. The Company are working with different set of ethics and
compliances the few compliance of Apple are flexible and they can be change as per the
requirement but on the other hand rules and regulations of Sony are stiff in every part of
world where the Sony is having its office the same set of rules and regulations are applies.
Employees wise also the employees of Apple are more efficient then the employees of Sony.
(Source: The statistics portal, 2018)
(Source: The statistics portal, 2018)

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References
Apple inc., (2018). Apple About Us. [Online] Available from
https://www.apple.com/business/ [Accessed on 09-06-2018].
Claburn, (2016). Why Apple Will Never Equal Sony. [Online] Available from
https://www.informationweek.com/desktop/why-apple-will-never-equal-sony/d/d-id/1104082
[Accessed on 09-06-2018].
Reuters, (2018). Apple Inc (AAPL.O). [Online] Available from
https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/AAPL.O [Accessed on 09-06-
2018].
Sony corporation, (2018). Corporate info. [Online] Available from
https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/ [Accessed on 09-06-2018].
Sony, (2017). Management Approach. [Online] Available from
https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr_report/compliance/ [Accessed on 09-06-2018].
The statistics portal, (2018). Apple's revenue worldwide from 2004 to 2017* (in billion U.S.
dollars). [Online] Available from https://www.statista.com/statistics/265125/total-net-sales-
of-apple-since-2004/ [Accessed on 09-06-2018].
The statistics portal, (2018). Sony's total revenue from 2007 to 2017 (in 100 billion Japanese
yen / billion U.S. dollars)*. [Online] Available from
https://www.statista.com/statistics/279269/total-revenue-of-sony-since-2008/ [Accessed on
09-06-2018].

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Tsukayama, H. (2012). Is Apple like Sony?. [Online] Available from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/is-apple-like-sony/2012/04/26/
gIQA8DYFjT_story.html?utm_term=.c996bc21401a[Accessed on 09-06-2018].