Leadership and Change: Apple and Microsoft's Strategic Transformation

This report provides a comparative analysis of the impact of leadership changes on Apple and Microsoft. It examines how the return of Steve Jobs to Apple and the appointment of Satya Nadella at Microsoft influenced each company's strategy, operations, and the behaviors of their teams and individuals. The analysis considers the impacts of change on people and processes, highlighting practical and psychological impacts, and evaluating change management models to minimize negative impacts. The report also discusses barriers to change, organizational culture, and various change management approaches to support better organizational performance, team effectiveness, and individual development. This report is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of leadership, strategic change, and change management within the context of two major technology companies.

You identified two comparable organisations
but did not properly state the changes they
have each adopted lately, as specifically
required.
You must state how the changes have impacted
on each organisation’s strategy and operations
and clearly include the impact on its people
and processes in each organisation, with
relevant examples to support your submission.
You did not specifically determine if their
respective change strategy/approach was
“planned” and “emergent” as required.
You did not conduct a Change Impact Analysis
using the model by Bohner and Arnold (1996)
to demonstrate your awareness of this model
but you briefly compared the impacts of
change between the two organisations, which I
suggest you rate as high, moderate or low.
Including a concise conclusion in P1 is
advised.
You only focused on Apple Inc.
The changes have been clearly stated which are
in the leadership
Joining of Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple and
Satya Nadella of Microsoft.
It has been done in entire answer being P2
Done as directed. Refer red part in P1
This was not mentioned by client earlier. It is
additional.
This is additional
Both the firms have been focused equally. But
as it was a comparative analysis hence they are
mixed.
O2 - P2

You referred to an organisations in P1 and
identified/described drivers for change. You
did not conduct a PESTLE or include a SWOT
Analysis to support your identification of
drivers for change in your selected
organisation.
You need to clearly identify and evaluate how
change has affected leadership behaviour (e.g.
becoming more consultative/participative or
commanding or a combination of both) and the
behaviour of the teams and individuals within
each of the two organisations (working closer
in cross-functional teams or closer with clients
etc.).
You should mention in your work, practical
and psychological impacts assessment of
change on individuals and team dynamics,
factors such as: using flatter structures,
working closer across functions, having more
meetings, working closer with clients and users
+ happier staff; more confidence, higher
motivation, better ideas generation etc.).
This was not mentioned in question file hence
not done. Adding this section will increase the
word count which is already……
Done
This is additional
P3
You did not identify factors that impact on
change within an organisational context and
consider measures that can be used to minimise
The question stated “3: Evaluate measures that
can be taken to minimise negative impacts of
change on organisational behavior”

the negative impacts of change, including
employees issues (include relevant examples to
support your descriptions).
You did not identify and then apply two valid
models/theories in your work to support your
evaluation of the impacts of change in the
organisation you selected.
Including a concise conclusion that states
benefits to be derived by organisations - from
reducing the negative impacts of change is
strongly advised. Your submission in this task,
lacks focus and clear direction.
It is not asked to mention about factors that
impacted the change.
This was not asked in question file. Still models
have been applied to minimize impact of changes.
Please refer to P3 answer.
This was not mentioned in question file.
You used a relevant organisation in your
submission as expected. You identified and
explained some relevant barriers to change.
You attempted to produce a Force Field
Analysis (FFA) for the organisation which was
poorly delivered and did not explain each
factor in your FFA, stating how each factor
influences leadership decision-making (e.g.
urgent need for change will result in more
commanding leadership than
participative/consultative style of leadership
etc.) - this is not clearly evident in your
submission.
You should include Schein’s Organisational
This will led to increased word count

Culture (OC) model to support your
explanation of barriers to change and improve
on your delivery. Including examples within a
chosen an organisational context is highly
advised.
This was not mentioned in question file and
including it will increase the word count
You have not yet included at least three (3)
different approaches that demonstrate
sufficient breadth of your understanding of
change management, which you must then link
to an organisation in terms of their e.g. change
in behaviour, thinking and satisfaction (you
included two valid models only - consider any
of these models please –
https://www.process.st/change-management-
models). You then need to show how the 3
models you included supports better
organisational performance, team effectiveness
and individual development.
This will increase word count