Apple Case - International Business Management and Strategy

International Business Management and Strategy Mid Term Paper: â€Å"Apple Inc in 2010† 1. Historically, what were Apple’s main competitive advantages? Apple Computer’s 30-year history is full of highs and lows, which is what we would expect in a highly innovative company. They evolved throughout the years into an organization that is very much a representation of its leader, Steven Jobs. Apple made several hugely successful product introductions over the years. As the outset, Apple had many competitive advantages that allowed it to become a profitable business. Apple s innovation has always been its hallmark. Beginning with the first Apple till the iPad; Apple products have†¦show more content†¦Which is why Apple has become not just a software company, but also a digital asset management company. Apple announced at their event on September 9th 2009 that they have the credit card account information of more than 100 million consumers through iTunes. Making them one of the biggest digital retailers, if not retailers in general, in the world. Good consumer psychology would tell us that once a consumer trusts a brand enough to set up an account and give credit card information on the assumption of future purchases (you have to give a credit card to even set up an iTunes account), the consumer will consider that retail outlet first in making purchases. It is also fashionable to have an Apple computer, as a recent Microsoft Ad proclaims that some people are just â€Å"not cool enough to be a Mac person† Apple is set apart from its competition by its combination of hardware and software, by the content gate-keeper strategy embodied in iTunes, and by their successful retail strategy. While there are many other reasons in the company’s history for their success in recent years, these are the dominant themes of their astounding success. Companies looking to compete with Apple need to know that it is not impossible, however they will need to pick their battles wisely, innovate on their differentiation, and focus heavily on being the best solution in the market for the problems they are trying to solve. 2. Analyze theShow MoreRelatedBusiness Level Strategies of Apple1397 Words   |  6 Pages The corporation picked for this paper is Apple. The business level strategies that Apple applies are all relying on the same important concept: innovation. Innovation, as a business level strategy at Apple, does not mean only creating new products, but improving the existing portfolio of products. The company does not rely, nowadays, on revenues driven by new products, but rather by the consolidation and improvement of the existing line. 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