Emmanuel Inyanza

 Apple Inc. Name: Institute Affiliated: Date: Apple Inc. Business organizations, companies, and industries all share one thing in common, profit-making, and development. In their unique operations, organizations have adopted different unique ways of operations. The strategies are unique to every company, depending on various factors such as the line of products or services, company size, regular competition, consumer tastes and preferences, as well as the ability to expand to international standards. Numerous business organizations have experienced tremendous success globally due to their policies and overall operations management. Apple Inc. is one company that ranked among the top business organizations across the globe, thanks to the efficient, well thought out, and unique operations management. Apple Inc. Formerly referred to as Apple Computer Inc., Apple Inc. is an international company that was started in California, USA (Apple, 2016). The firm was started in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Not long after, Ronald Wayne exited the company, leaving Jobs and Wozniak; these two went ahead to develop the company’s first product, Apple 1 computer (Apple, 2016). In 1985, the company went public, a move that came with huge success. Owing to the high pricing of the company’s products and what many termed as power wrangles, Steve Jobs left the company in 1985. He would, however, make a comeback in 1997, beginning an era of unprecedented success for the company (Apple, 2016). Jobs is credited with turning the company’s fortunes around, with the adoption and adoption of a unique corporate philosophy, priding itself in identifiable and simple design products. Apple Inc. deals majorly in telecommunication products, both hardware, and software. Among the unique products made by the firm include the following: iPhones, iPads, iPods, Apple television, iTunes, Mac Computers, as well as cloud computing service, iCloud (Apple, 2016). Currently, the company is ranked top in technology and innovations. The biggest tech firm across the globe, Apple Inc., according to Forbes, is the world’s most valued brand, at over $200 billion (Badenhausen, 2020). It has topped the ranking nine times in a row. The company’s annual global revenues surpassed $250 billion in 2018. Jobs passed on in 2011; currently, Apple Inc. is led by Tim Cook (Apple, 2016). Concepts Relevant to Operations Management at Apple Inc. Operations management entails all the processes undertaken by an organization to ensure optimum output from the available resources and management (Reid & Sanders, 2019). Apple Inc.'s Operations Management takes into consideration the ten decisions which seek to guide any particular company towards achieving its set goals and standards. The ten decisions of Operations Management are designed to propel business organizations to a greater height by ensuring the smooth running of all the activities in every department (Reid & Sanders, 2019). Some of the principles of operations management include reality, accountability, variance, fundamentals, among others. Four key concepts relevant to operations management at Apple Inc. are inventory management, location strategy, layout design and strategy, as well as human resource management (Apple, 2016). Inventory Management at Apple Inc. Not only is Apple Inc. known for its unique and high-quality products, but it is also a leader in supply chain management. The company has taken the top position in supply chain management for the last four years, as recorded by Gartner.com (2019). The company has now been moved to the 'Masters' class in the supply chain grade (Gartner.com, 2019). The company's CEO, Tim Cook, is hailed as the brain behind Apple Inc.'s supply chain strategy. The company keeps as little inventory as possible, a move aimed at ensuring every product manufactured by the company sells very fast. Apple Inc.'s days to inventory average only 3.2 days; this implies that it only takes 3.2 days for the company to sell its entire inventory (Gartner.com, 2020). Apple Inc.’s Location Strategy Apple Inc. products are among the best selling products globally, thanks to the company's location strategy. This success is even though the company has adopted a selective location strategy which only involves limited authorization of its product sellers (Soh & Najihah, 2019). Even though Apple Inc. has got only a limited number of authorized sellers, the company makes sure that all of them are strategically positioned in urban centers. This move helps in the maximization of foot traffic and brand exposure. There are numerous Apple stores in over twenty countries (Apple, 2016). Apple Inc. records the to-most income for every square foot of merchandising area not only in USA but also in other countries. Layout and Design Strategy at Apple Consumers are the most important part of any business organization; they are the targets of business products and services (Soh & Najihah, 2019). As such, companies need to have the best plans through which they can maximize consumer presence. Apple Inc. has well and properly designed stores globally. The stores are designed to suit consumer comfort. They have very minimal decorations, a move aimed at ensuring maximum attention is given to Apple products (Soh & Najihah, 2019). The company also invests in innovative office layouts, encouraging creativity as well as workflow efficiency; this is especially critical among those tasked with product design and development at the company. Human Resource Management at Apple Apple Inc. makes sure to obtain the best, competent, and effective human resources in all its departments. The company keeps up to date with the trends and changes which it deems relevant to human resource management needs (Soh & Najihah, 2019). Human resource management is majorly based on Steve Jobs' emphasis on management, with Tim Cook blending that with a friendlier workplace. Combination of the two guarantees excellent employee morale. Relationship Between the Elements and Operations Management According to Reid & Sanders (2019), operations management involves the application of workable and productive business practices to ensure productivity and efficiency within the organization. At Apple Inc., every strategy, decision, and policy adopted is geared towards acquiring optimum productivity of all the stakeholders, ultimately translating into profit-making and propelling the company to greater heights. The company's location strategy blends well with the operations management principle of success by putting customer interests first. The company has selectively positioned its stores in various locations globally, capturing large numbers of consumers. This ensures that Apple Inc. products reach all consumers worldwide. The unique layout design and strategy help Apple Inc. to ensure its products and services get maximum attention from consumers all over the world. This move works well for the company, making it record maximum sales from its products. The layout and design strategy relates to the organization principles of operations management. Good organization is one key way which companies ensure the smooth running of all the operations and activities. Human resource management at Apple Inc. is designed in a manner that prioritizes excellence and social attributes among employees. Through these two, the company manages to assemble both an excellent team and a friendly working environment. This strategy relates to the fundamentals principle of operations management; the human resource fundamentals being excellence and social nature. Inventory management at Apple Inc. relates well to the reality, organization, success, and change principles of operations management. The company seeks positive change, and as such, the positive changes constantly made to its supply chain have led to massive success. Application of the Concepts in Resolving Business Problems When Steve Jobs first hired Tim Cook in 1988, his first task was to reshape Apple Inc.'s problem-laden supply chain. Cook shut down ten of Apple Inc.'s warehouses, eventually reducing them to only one while increasing the company's key global suppliers. This change, together with the company's other strategies, worked in combination to propel Apple Inc. to its current state. The four concepts, when adopted and properly implemented, can result in massive improvements in organizations. The strategic locations of Apple worked well in making sure that Apple Inc. got its products to consumers globally. The layout and design strategy ensures maximum attention is given to Apple products. These two concepts work together in ensuring the company's products not only reach the targets conveniently but also get to be discovered by all the consumers. Furthermore, the efficient inventory strategy at Apple Inc. is complementary to the location, layout, and design strategy. Apple Inc.'s products spent an average of 3.2 days in their inventory, thanks to the complementary nature of all the three strategies. Through them, the company greatly avoids problems such as high production, distribution, and advertisement costs, as well as product backlog problems. The human resource strategy at Apple Inc. is useful in preventing huge operations cost problems. The company makes sure it hires the most competent individuals to ensure efficiency. Apple Inc.'s Concepts, Effective Management, and Efficiency The four concepts of strategic location, human resource management, layout and design strategy, as well as inventory management, are among factors that have contributed to the massive success at Apple Inc. company. Effective management is a vital tool in ensuring efficiency and proper organization of all the components of operations management (Reid & Sanders, 2019). At Apple Inc., operations management decisions are carefully implemented, employing coordinated efforts in key areas; these areas include product design and development, supply chain, human resource management, and location strategy. Effective leadership at Apple Inc., led by Tim Cook, has propelled the company to become a role model for other companies globally. It has become a key example of how the main decisions and principles of operations management can be combined to achieve success. Apple Inc. Operations Concerns in Global Markets Apple Inc.'s success can be attributed to several factors. The global presence of the company is perhaps one of the major factors behind the company's success for so long. The United States remains to be Apple Inc.'s main business and home ground. In 2019, the United States accounted for about 45% of Apple Inc.'s global revenues (Vasilaki & Tsakalidis Jr, 2019). It is also a major contributor to the US economy, contributing close to $60 billion, with projections of over $350 billion over the next five years. Europe and China form the other main global markets for Apple Inc. (Vasilaki & Tsakalidis Jr, 2019). In the recent past, Apple Inc. has faced various problems, especially in its global presence, with its market and presence in China, particularly experiencing a decline. One of the greatest factors behind this decline is the US-China trade wars (Vasilaki & Tsakalidis Jr, 2019). This trade war has led to the imposition of heavy trade tariffs. This means that Apple has to pay tariffs to import its China-made products. At risk due to these wars is Apple Inc.'s most popular and most selling product, the iPhone (Vasilaki & Tsakalidis Jr, 2019). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Issues at Apple Inc. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs at Apple Inc. are under the department of Environmental Initiatives (Apple, 2016). Under Cook’s management, CSR aspects of Apple Inc. have significantly increased. Together with other top managers globally, under the CEO Council for Sustainable Urbanization, Cooks has advanced the company’s CSR mandate. Among the company’s CSR programs include: The Global Volunteer Program launched in 2011, Labor and Human rights promotion, employee health and safety promotion, as well as the Apple and Gender Equality and Minorities Program (Apple, 2016). Conclusion Apple Inc. is a top-ranked technology company with its headquarters in the United States. The company deals in the production of both technology hardware and software. Popular products manufactured by the company include iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, iPod, as well as cloud computing services such as iCloud. There are four critical areas of success at Apple Inc. These are location strategy, inventory, layout and design strategy, and human resource strategies. These are linked to effective and efficient operations management at Apple Inc. The company is also involved in many corporate social responsibility programs. Its global presence has faced specific threats, such as the US-China trade war. References Apple. (2016). Apple. Retrieved 18 April 2020, from http://www.apple.com/ Gartner. (2020). Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 Spotlights Leadership. Retrieved 2 May 2020, from https://www.gartner.com/en/supply-chain/research/supply-chain-top-25 Badenhausen, K. (2020). The World’s Most Valuable Brands 2019: Apple On Top At $206 Billion. Retrieved 2 May 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2019/05/22/the-worlds-most-valuable-brands-2019-apple-on-top-at-206-billion/#5277a0d237c2 Reid, R. D., & Sanders, N. R. (2019). Operations management: an integrated approach. John Wiley & Sons. Soh, N., & Najihah, N. (2019). AN ANALYSIS OF AN EXPLANATION OF APPLE INC. Vasilaki, M., & Tsakalidis Jr, G. (2019). Apple Inc. Equity Valuation.