Introduction
Innovation and creativity are the major tools for an organization to sustain in the global business environment for longer run. With the increasing competition due to globalisation and revolution in the technological world, adaptation of creativity and innovative measures has become necessity for the organizations to match up with the global business requirements. The trend of adaptation of creativity and innovation is not only followed by leading companies, but small and medium scale enterprises are also following this trend with the objective to enhance their productivity along with the objective of marking their unique position in the dynamic and competitive business environment. The report will focus over the innovative measures adopted by Apple Incorporation which is a multinational American based company and engaged in producing and distributing computer and mobile hard, software, consumer electronic goods, etc. (Abraham, 2013). Apple has marked their unique position in the global market through innovative and creative approaches and this has also led the organization to stand aside from its competitors. Apart from this, the focus of the report will be over case study of this assessment i.e. “Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple”. With regards to this case study, effectiveness and significance of innovation will be evaluated in terms of functionalities of Apple as they are known for applying innovative approaches with respect to the customers’ demands and wants. In addition to this, report will also throw light on the impact of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple and his opinion on the process of innovation.
Innovative strategy adopted by Apple
Apple Inc. is meant to be the most innovative company as they are indulged in rapid innovations as per the market trends in order to retain its acquired customer base along with targeting new customer segments with every new launch. Hence, Apple not only focuses on producing innovative and creative products, organization also focus towards making their business model effective for innovative ideas. Apple has made their business strategy as similar as their products which mean both are effective. Apart from this, Apple’s products’ image in the market has been built as the high priced and the organization is also worth it for this image as their products are not only over-priced, they are effective also in terms of fulfilling target customers’ needs along with providing them a unique and trendy gadget through which they could see themselves as tech-enthusiasts. Primary factors which have helped Apple to regular update their products and services are organizational culture, collaboration amongst the employees, management of people and their business strategies influenced with the change management. In order to encourage innovation and creativity at the workplace, organization has provided all resources to its employees for thinking out of the box and come up with the new, unique and innovative ideas for the objective of encouraging innovation at the workplace.
The innovative culture in Apple Inc. was started by Steve Jobs, founder of the organization and since then, the same is followed by the subsequent members of the organization to retain its acquired position along with uplifting its image in the global business environment with the passing time. Steve Jobs believed that the customer satisfaction is the best approach to succeed and in relation to this, he develops their products as per their target audiences’ demands and wants along with adopting trending advertisement and promotional approaches for the purpose of accomplishing desired goals and objectives.
Role of customers in organizational innovative approach
Innovation is directly linked with the customers because it is the customers for whom companies produce and for retaining their interest within the organization and their products, innovative strategies are being implemented to make their products and services as for the objective of meeting with the customers’ requirements (Heracleous, 2013). Thus, Apples’ innovative approaches are influenced with the customers’ requirements and the company relies on innovative approach for the objective of making their products as the target audiences’ demands and wants. Apart from this, company focuses on making their products and their functionalities simple through which larger segment of the target audience could be approached and their regular practices to improve their products are also linked with the fulfilment of target and potential customers’ needs. This helps the organization not only in making relations with their customers but it also helps to make and retain brand loyalty amongst them which is one of the positive indicator for the organization in terms of sustainable growth and overall development (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2012).
Apple Inc.’s primary vision is to be the leading manufacturer and distributor of smartphones in the global market and with regards to this, they have adopted numerous approaches. Today, organization has made their mammoth brand image in the global smartphones, computer software, and hardware and in other fields worldwide. Therefore, organization not just focuses on the performance of their products but organization also focuses on their designs in order to generate demand amongst their target audience for their products (Montgomerie & Roscoe, 2013). Putting customers’ needs, wants and their requirements act as an essential element for the objective of gaining competitive advantage along with inventing new measures to make their products trendy and customer oriented.
Cultural and people influence
People and culture are two crucial aspects which are essential not in the process of inventing new products but also make them as per the market trends, customers’ demands and as per the competitive business conditions. In relation to this, company has reached to the value of one trillion in the global market and in the global technological industry; Apple is the first company to reach to this milestone (Economic Times, 2018). Organizational top level management has set both short as well as long term goals with the objective of enhancing organizational performance by providing regular training to its employees. This helps bot organization as well as the employees in terms of reaching to the set target in an effective and efficient manner (Zhang, 2017). Organizational culture is free and there is openness in communication and through these aspects, employees and top level management could communicate with each other without any barrier. This helps the organization to generate all available solutions in order to move towards innovation and creativity (Steinwart & Ziegler, 2014).
Apart from this, work environment at Apple is friendly and filed with positivity as the senior members are always stand with their subordinates and new joiners in order to align their efforts in terms of accomplishment of organizational set goals. In addition to this, organizational recruitment procedure is also effective under which talented and skilled employees are highly appreciated as they act as the main elements for generating new and unique solutions to deal with the new and emerging solutions as well as to invent new product for the objective of gaining competitive advantage in the global market. In the training and development sessions, employees are asked to focus on customers’ needs and wants along with working with team spirit as well as to appreciate every teammates’ efforts.
Steve Jobs and his impact on innovation process
Steve Jobs played vital role in introducing revolutionary change in the computer hardware, software, digital distribution, consumer electronics, and in various other fields. He was a unique and most innovative leader at that time and with his unique thinking style, not only he raised his name but he also took his company to the next level and today, it is known as the largest company in the global market. Steve Jobs was unique from his school and college days and he was known for finding a unique and creative way to do things. Steve Jobs was known to be a difficult, hard to work with personality who didn't tolerate failure. He was terminated from his own company due to certain incidents and rude behaviour but later on, he was brought back in 1997 and then introduced range of smartphones and laptops which turned to be the most successful idea for the organization. iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook are certain well-known names of that innovative range (Thomke & Feinberg, 2012).
Conclusion
It can be concluded that innovation is the most appropriate and effective measure for the objective of accomplishing objectives like sustainable growth, overall development, etc. Apple Inc. is one of the most innovative companies and their business strategies are also influenced with innovation and creativity. Apart from this, organizational workplace culture, their employees’ thinking style, and every other aspect which plays vital role in terms of production and generation of new ideas are directly aligned with the innovation and creativity. This has helped the organization to mark their unique presence in the technological industry along with reaching to the mammoth milestone of one trillion.
References
Abraham, S. (2013). Will business model innovation replace strategic analysis?. Strategy & Leadership, 41(2), 31-38.
Economic Times. (2018). Tim Cook writes to employees on Apple's $1 trillion valuation. Retrieved from https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/tim-cook-writes-to-employees-on-apples-1-trillion-valuation/65277331
Heracleous, L. (2013). Quantum strategy at apple inc. Organizational Dynamics, 42(2), 92-99.
Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2012). Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Montgomerie, J., & Roscoe, S. (2013). Owning the consumer—Getting to the core of the Apple business model. Accounting forum, 37(4), 290-299.
Steinwart, M. C., & Ziegler, J. A. (2014). Remembering Apple CEO Steve Jobs as a" Transformational Leader": Implications for Pedagogy. Journal of Leadership Education, 13(2), 52-66.
Thomke, S.H. & Feinberg, B. (2012). Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple. Retrieved from https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=36789
Zhang, Q. (2017). Research on Apple Inc’s Current Developing Conditions. Open Journal of Business and Management, 6(01), 39.
