Apple’s Supply Chain Management Essay

Abstract The paper explores Apple and its past, background, brand loyalty, problems, decline of product, and suggested solutions. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU. Apple’s customers fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. They even propose outside the stores. Their fan base is because they have a good product. Not so much the price because you can basically get the same product at a lower price form one of Apple’s competitors. The problems that Apple is having is getting their product to the customer on time. Which many say is the result of bad supply chain management. The paper goes over how they got to the problems that they are having and some solutions to those problems. Keywords: Monopsony, Brand Loyalty Apple’s Supply Chain Management Background Apple is a very big company, and is a company that everyone knows. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 3, 1977, Apple was incorporated without Wayne; he sold his shares back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. A multimillionaire delivered the essential business knowledge and funding for the incorporation of Apple. By the end of the 1970’s Apple have a good sized staff of bother computer designers and a production line. The Macintosh was made well-known by the 1.5 million dollar commercial â€Å"1984† released on the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. The Macintosh at first sold well, but it soon withered off because of the high prices and limited choice of software titles. The Macintosh Portable was presented in 1989 and was designed like a desktop and weighed 17 pounds. In 1998, Apple’s iMac was introduced by a design team that was led by Jonathan Ive and he was also the man who designed the iPod and the iPhone. Apple’s sales improved from that moment. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU (Lashinsky, 2011.) On January 17, 2011 Jobs announced in a memo that he would take a medical leave for an indefinite period. It has been said that because of Apple’s effective supply chain the company operates as a monopsony, which where one buyer has many sellers. Brand Loyalty Apple’s brand loyalty from customers runs deep in its consumers. It is very unusual for any product to have the kind of brand loyalty that Apple does. Apple Store opening can draw crowds of thousands with people waiting in line as much as a day before the event. People also fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. Some people say that it is the marketing and advertising is the reason that draws the kind of loyalty that Apple has. The loyalty of the customers goes as far as when people are waiting in line some of the fans use the opportunity to propose marriage. Problems After Jobs announced his medical leave, he appointed Tim Cook to his job. Tim Cook was the chief operating officer. He was the person who over saw the supply chain. When he assumed Jobs position he took on more work than he was used to. Therefore his work started to decline, he stopped focusing on the supply chain and started working on the advances of technology (Spence, 2012.) Decline of Product After the death of Steve Jobs, the company stock declined because of the products. There was problems with the shipping of the iPhone 5 because there was not enough made. When the iPad Minies reached the customers, they sold out in time for the press released. But when more orders came in for the iPad Minis the customers experienced longer wait time. This might have been due to the supply chain not working properly. Also the iPad Minis release date has been pushed pack. When Apple made the promises of an October event and missed the date. The other things that has been un-Apple-like was Siri, it was not the way that Steve Jobs would have liked it to be. He wanted it to be consistently amazing and it is not it had to be concern with an update. The Maps app in iOS6 lead to the discharge of two Apple employees and a public apology from Cook (Maisto, 2012.) Conclusion The conclusion to most of the Apple consumers would be to work more on their supply chain. Working closer with their suppliers will help with the overall product. It might be a faster shipping or faster assembly. But one thing is certain about working closer with their suppliers, it can never be a bad thing. The better relationships that you have with the people supplying you the product the better the product will be (Maisto, 2012.) Suggested Solutions Apple needs to fix a few things to get back on the money making wagon, so to say. They have a good product but it needs to be texted more. If Apple feels the need to release an iPhone every three months the customers will think why I should buy this one when it will be obsolete in about another three months. Another thing that Apple needs to work on is their supply chain. Since Tim Cook moved up in the in the corporation he has not been looking over the supply chain as well as he should be. I believe that he should be hiring more people to manage the supply chain and less people to engineer Apple’s products. They might come to realize that they will save money in the long run if they have better relationship with their suppliers and treat their workers better (Spence, 2012.) Future The future of Apple is not clear. Cook wants to bring more jobs to the United States. He says that more parts of the Mac will be brought over to the United States so that it will bring more jobs to the United States, an estimate of 600,000 jobs. Cook also wants to get in to the television market. He says that, â€Å"it is an area of intense interest to us (Maisto, 2012.)† References Spence, E. (2012, November 18). Apple’s supply chain issues reflected in stock pricing. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2012/11/18/apples-supply-chain-issues-reflected-in-stock-pricing/ Maisto, M. (2012, December 7). Ceo tim cook on apple’s future: Don’t bet against us. Retrieved from http://www.eweek.com/mobile/ceo-tim-cook-on-apples-future-dont-bet-against-us/ Lashinsky, A. (2011, August 25). How apple works: Inside the world’s biggest startup. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/08/25/how-apple-works-inside-the-worlds-biggest-startup/

Food Security in the Modern World: changing market policies to address hunger

The right to food is protected under international human rights and humanitarian law. It is recognized in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). As defined by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Committee on ESCR) in its General Comment 12 â€Å"†¦ the right to adequate food is realized when every man, woman and child, alone and in community with others, has physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement† (General Comment 12, 1999, paragraph 6).Israel produces 95% of its own food requirements, and has many advanced means of agriculture, which results in low poverty rates in the state. Diverse agricultural techniques are used for food production, and in irrigation alone there are four different methods. Farmers use technology to help them with livestock creating top quality produce, and small communities called Kibbutz help the Gro ss Domestic Product (GDP) and raised amount in exports.There are multiple research facilities that help with agriculture techniques, such as the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), whose job is to help the development of the Israeli agriculture by an efficient use of the limited water resources, development of crops for export markets, ensuring a decent income for the farming community, developing and adapting crops and technologies for newly settled regions without polluting the environment. Israel has also been sharing its agricultural expertise with many of countries since the late 1950s.MASHAV, the Center for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is active in Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Europe and Latin America as well as several Middle Eastern countries. Agricultural projects and research collaboration constitute about half of Israel's international cooperation programs. Emphasis is placed on training courses in agricultural subj ects, with some 1,400 participants from over 80 countries attending specialized courses in Israel every year, and thousands of trainees receiving on-the-spot training in their own countries. Read also Analyze the Ways in Which British Imperial PoliciesSince 1958, thousands of Israeli agricultural experts have been sent abroad on long- and short-term assignments in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukrain and Haiti. Hunger world-wide has had a high of 925 million in 2010 and had dropped by 10%. But with the recent rising food prices, the number of malnourished is growing once again pushing 68 million people under the World Bank’s extreme poverty line. This is defined as someone living on $1. 25 (U. S. ) a day.The World Bank’s quarterly report showed that the food price index has increased by 29% in the past year and is close to the peak reached in 2008, when soaring food prices sparked protests in dozens of countries. We are seeing this happen once again is countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and others. The result in the raised food prices is 44 million people living in dire poverty. This is about a 3% increase in the tot al number of people living in extreme poverty, which the World Bank calculates at about 1. billion. Israel can help countries who are having trouble with the food inflation. A strategy such as developing local markets and local communities so that people can grow their own food is one which Israel can help with. Some countries may even want to use the Israeli Kibbutz as a model if they so wish. With Israel’s abundant technology, we can offer help in that department, and can help with many different topographical locations as Israel has many itself.

Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Affirmative Action - Essay Example The United States Department of Labor has implemented the affirmative action in a number of ways that include but are not limited to targeted recruitment, employee support programs, outreach campaigns, and management development. The American society has conventionally suffered a lot from racism and discrimination. There is a strong need to make such public organizations as the health care organizations, universities and the police increasingly representative of the needs of the respective populations that they cater for. Affirmative action has conventionally been subjected to a lot of debate and controversy. Policies implemented in the name of affirmative action including the gender quotas and the racial quotas for admission in the colleges in the USA have been identified as measures to promote reverse discrimination. Accordingly, the majority in the American constitution has rendered the implementation of these actions as unconstitutional. This paper supports the affirmative action because it is a way of increasing diversity in the American society at all levels, eradication of disparity in the earnings of people based on gender, and enhancement of the literacy rate of minorities in the USA. There is dire need of the affirmative action in the American society for the creation of diversity. ... John Stuart Mill asserted that the University intends to create diversity by providing people with frequent opportunities of interaction with people who differ from them. Diversity of students in terms of race, ethnicity, religion and culture is conducive for the development of a healthy educational environment in the schools and universities as it allows students to remove their differences and enhance their understanding of one another’s culture. This is particularly beneficial for the studies of sociology and psychology as students get to look at things from a wider perspective. Patricia Gurin who is the professor of psychology at the University of Miuchigan says that students in a diverse educational setting gain better learning and their tendency to play an active part in the democratic and pluralistic society after the end of their studies is enhanced. Therefore, affirmative action is the need of universities in America. Critics see diversity as a cause of dysfunctional conflicts among the organizational personnel. However, this is a very pessimistic and extremely biased assessment of the impacts of diversity upon the organizational culture. Although there is some possibility of arise of dysfunctional conflicts among the organizational personnel because of their cultural differences, yet this problem can be tackled with effective management and the conflict-resolution practices in place in the organization. Affirmative action is the need of the society because of the widespread lack of equality in the socioeconomic status of people in the USA. There are a lot of places where some people earn more than others simply because the former belong to the majority while the

Critical Review - HIA for future development Essay

Critical Review - HIA for future development - Essay Example lia may be sufficient in catering to the peoples’ water needs, however, the utility of treated wastewater in these catchments seems to be more feasible in meeting the rising demands for safe water, while at the same time, safeguard the general health of the public. Rationale for the Proposed Project. Adelaide is just one of the regions in Australia that is paying the high price of economic progress. As emphasized in a research, this city is generating its water supply from distant sources while its wastewater disposal is overly increasing in volume (Richard and Budgen 2008, 6). The situation experienced shows that a necessity for a sustainable water source is crucial. With the help of the proposal in recharging dams with treated wastewater, water supply can be replenished. Aside from this, the necessity of decreasing wastewater pollution also needs to be addressed. This project, then, hits two birds in one stone. It not only meets the increasing challenge of depleting water supply, the method of divesting the city from volumes of wastewater can also be settled lawfully. Process and Materials Utilized. Generally, wastewater is â€Å"discarded water ... from sanitary or foul sewage† (Aswthanarayana 2001, 159). With this, one needs to be reminded that this type of water source is already contaminated with several microorganisms and chemical substances. The probability of recycle can only increase by subjecting volumes of wastewater in several treatment stages. Numerous phases are employed for safer wastewater sources: â€Å"pre-treatment, mechanical or primary, biological or secondary, tertiary and quarternary† (Barcelo and Petrovic 2008, 3). Each treatment line is necessary for a potable water distribution in households (please see Figure 1, Appendix A). The pretreatment phase involves the removal of large particles through a programmed machine. This task is continued in the secondary phase, with its combination of physical and chemical procedure prior to the

Some botanists argue that in some cases the extraction of starch from Essay

Some botanists argue that in some cases the extraction of starch from sago palm is an easier alternative to traditional agricult - Essay Example One conclusion drawn from the research include the idea of using traditional sago palm as a source of starch proves to require more research before it can be implemented at a wider scale. According to Ellen, â€Å"†¦because variability in ecology, management, methods of working, and productivity are intrinsic to all individual sago-harvesting populations, it is, therefore a crucial parameter in understanding its adaptive features as a mode of subsistence and a source of food.† There is therefore a need for further study of the sago palm before it can be used as a substitute to traditional sources of starch. Another conclusion drawn from the research is that the skills and procedure needed in the extraction of starch from sago palm is more like â€Å"deliberately socially transmitted knowledge† (Ellen). This means that in order for one to perfect the extraction process, there must first be a knowledge of the culture that produces it, for sago extraction in the Pacif ic Islands and Southeast Asia is clearly interwoven in the culture of the people involved in it. Is this an interdisciplinary study? Explain your answer.   Ellen’s study is one which is interdisciplinary in nature. The reason is that the process of starch extraction from the traditional sago palm required the author to delve into the culture of the people of South Central Seram in Indonesia, who first developed the process. Without a knowledge of how the people incorporated the starch extraction process in their culture and without enough information on the traditional steps in starch extraction undertaken by the Seram natives, perfect use and further development of the technology would be impossible. Moreover, Ellen mentions a little bit the impact of the utilization of sago palm trees on the environment and the ecological balance of the area. Ellen’s study therefore combines biology, ecology and anthropology. Why is the number of structural components of the extrac tion apparatus not necessarily a gauge of the complexity or efficiency of the process?   The number of structural components of the basic extraction apparatus does not determine the efficiency of the process because the apparatus â€Å"can be modified and elaborated in numerous ways† depending on the overall desired result of the extraction process (Ellen). For example, the troughs can be arranged in many ways or more troughs can be added depending on what the priority of the extraction is, such as maximizing the amount of extracted starch. It is clear that no matter how many variations are done in this part of the process, the principle is still simple. What basic principles had to have been known to develop the technology?   Among the principles that need to have been known before the technology can be developed would include the seven core operations of sago extraction itself: â€Å"cutting, excavating, pounding, pressing or filtering with water, sedimentation and dra ining† (Ellen). Without a knowledge of such basic operations, one would not be able to exactly determine which part of the starch extraction technology needs the most improvement and development in order to maximize yield. Moreover, owing to the fact that sago palm starch extraction requires an interdiscipli

Environmental Paper, Our Stolen Future, Chapter 4 Hormone Havoc Term Paper

Environmental , Our Stolen Future, Chapter 4 Hormone Havoc - Term Paper Example Such experiment was conducted at a time while Brit scientist and physician Edward Charles Dodds presented diethylstilbestrol (DES), a man-made estrogen, as wonder drug that could help resolve the miscarriages and premature births. It was prescribed to 5 million pregnant women in major continents of the world, which was apparently thought of as massive experimentation of medicines' impact. It was later given to women as medicine preventive of miscarriage and was later publicized in 1957 as booster for babies. DES production and marketing expanded in broader areas as physicians prescribed the medicine to cease lactation after child's birth, as treatment for prostrate cancer, and for medication to acne, gonorrhea in children, and to suppress the growth of youths with towering heights. It later became a fattening agent for live stocks, such as chicken and cows. Researchers thereafter concluded that advancement of technologies can produce miracles by producing synthetic chemicals. For the m, such breakthrough meant unending possibilities to tinker with the limitations of life. However, is the discovery and anent impact of synthetic medicines’ prescription scientifically carried out and are publicly known about? First, rats, as object of medical experiments does not totally represent the hormonal composition of human body, especially that of pregnant females. Second, scientists unconscientiously and unprofessionally introduced DES to the market and prescribed it practically to all pregnant women in major continents of the world and making use of them as experimental objects at the same time. Scientists grossly violated and disregarded the negative impact of massively experimenting pregnant women’s hormone because of the absence of solid proof about DES’ effectiveness before these are prescribed and made available in the market. Kramer (2011) pointed that the functions of human body and its adaptability to natural immunity to maintain better health depended on balance hormone. For instance, problems on prostrate and breast cancer arise due to hormonal issues. But the pervasive entry of synthetic chemicals in world market, which tinker on human hormones, has numerous studies which pointed that these are damaging to human health and to wildlife, the latter being used as objects of experimental tests and studies. Kramer (2011) said that DES is a synthetic estrogen which has a bad side too. Research proved that DES caused reproductive damages to minks fed with offal sourced from chicken subjected to DES treatment (p. 1). As a bad forecast, DES significantly impacted to children born from women who suffered disorders in reproduction as cancer became observable to these children when they reached teen age. Although DES was pulled out in the market in 1971, this was however continually used to fatten livestocks, e.g. poultry and cattle, in the 80s although this was replaced with similar kind of synthetic hormone-related medicines. C ontinuous exposure of human beings to these meats with DES may hinder body's reproductive capacity and natural processes on metabolism. Such negative and dangerous impact should be seriously. Kramer (2011) pointed that these problems could be handed down to succeeding generations subtly but with such devastating effects. DES and those of similar composition, such as estradiol, does not only affect women but men's natural hormonal balance, too. It does not potentially cause cancer but

Nursing and assessment on preparing our aged care facility for Essay

Nursing and assessment on preparing our aged care facility for accreditation - Essay Example These specialties are specifically made in order to provide a specific type of care that these demographics can and will require. These specialties also mean that in order for facilities to be allowed to provide care for certain demographics, they will need to be certified. This paper focuses on healthcare for the elderly population provided by our institution. In the past, our elderly healthcare institution has had difficulty in getting certified in 3.9: Choice and decision making for the elderly demographic. This paper’s purpose and main focus is to provide key information and important feed back on this particular issue in order to prepare the institution and its staff for 3.9: Choice and decision making certification. First, this paper will provide background information on certain topics pertaining to the elderly demographic, as well as provide nursing assessment for an elderly person. After this, the paper will detail some key features specifically pertaining to the area that the institution needs improvement on. This will be noted in order to help the institution’s nurse practitioners to better understand the concept of choice and decision making. The paper will present this information as: What is aging and what is the aging process? Assessment of an aged person. What is consumer participation? What does it entail? Barriers that hinder or impact the facility’s ability to meet standard 3.9: Choice and decision making. How to break through the mentioned barriers and how a quality framework can be used to show improvement. Conclusion What is aging and what are the common aging symptoms? Aging is a natural process that happens very commonly. According to the medical dictionary, â€Å"Human beings reach a peak of growth and development around the time of their mid 20s. Aging is the normal transition time after that flurry of activity.† The dictionary entry goes on to tell us that during this later half of life, the body becomes mo re prone to wear and tear, as well as be more susceptible to illness. (The free dictionary, 2012) This gives us a good basis as to what we can expect an aged person to be affected with, as well as what he or she may be experiencing. This also tells us about what to expect in terms of interactions with them. The process by which a person ages differs for each individual. Each person can age in a slightly different manner from everyone else, but there are general descriptions or processes about aging that is common amongst everyone. According to universe-review.ca, the aging process happens all over the body. The pace may be different for each individual but everyone ages. (2012). Here are some of common aging signs mentioned in the article: Weakening of connective tissue in the bladder, making it harder to store urine Loss of weight between ages 55-75 due to loss of lean muscle mass Bones become brittle Gradual loss of brain tissue In women, decrease in the size of breasts due to dec rease in the size of mammary glands Gradual loss of the ability to hear higher frequencies Skin wrinkles Hair thins and grays out Decrease in hormone output The body’s immune system becomes weaker Slower metabolism Decreased ability to smell Slower mental and physical response Women go through menopause Decreased sense of taste What is consumer participation? What does it entail? This section is dedicated to understanding what consumer participation is, why it is important in relation to the paper’s end goal of preparing the institution for accreditation, and how it can be applied to the day-to-day situation of the nursing care practitioners. According to http://asetts.vacau.com, in essence, consumer participation entails getting the patient involved in choosing what he feels would be

Internal and External Factors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Internal and External Factors - Essay Example In order to understand the importance of management functions, it is vital to consider a specific organization in today’s business environment. The organization of choice is Walmart. This organization operates retail stores around the world. Retail markets are dynamic in nature, an aspect that makes it essential to examine how management in this organization undertakes its functions. On the same note, the fact that Walmart operates retail stores globally makes management a critical factor in the global business setting. Planning is the first major function of management. The formulation and realization of an organization’s goals depend on this role of management. In Walmart, planning encompasses the process of strategizing on how to achieve the firm’s short-term and long-term goals. The successful positioning of the retailer in both domestic and international markets is driven by the implementation of strategies that inform the realization of the set goals. The management decides on their retailing approach and the best ways to meet consumer needs. In this respect, planning is an ongoing practice that requires change or alterations if need be. In planning, Walmart’s management engages vibrant advertising and feedback collection practices that solely focus on the customer. This practice takes into account the firm’s marketing, sales, and supply chain management needs. In addition, the organization runs promotional projects that seek to capture consumer attention and convince them to buy. In essence, planning seeks to mobilize organizational processes and strategies that best address the goals and objectives set by the organization. The management cannot achieve the desired organizational outcomes without being organized. In the organizational context, organizing encompasses the mobilization of resources and personnel to ensure that the firm remains in the right business path. Organizing requires the management to allocate

Discussion Board 1-2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Board 1-2 - Research Paper Example h a 2005 estimate showing more than 32 million Americans suffer addiction disorders (excluding tobacco addiction), more studies have become necessary (James & Gilliland, 2005). Over the years, public policies, especially those regarding alcoholic beverages established that the problem with alcohol use lies in the abuser and not the beverage. Although this stand shaped policies that either legalized or illegalized certain beverages, it also called for specialized ways to explain the etiology of addiction. However, none addressed the entire field of addiction comprehensively, neither were they dismissed as being incorrect. Therefore, experts in the field had to come up with more than one etiology, which served the mutual role of complementing each other. To that end, they came up with etiologies that attempted to explain addiction from various perspectives including moral, socio-cultural, psychological, disease and family. The most significant reason for having more than one etiology is for a wider and better understanding of addiction in an attempt to make plans in diagnosis and treatment as effective as possible. The scope of addiction itself is too wide f or a single etiology, with each aspect calling for its own kind of

Job Satisfaction Ratings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Job Satisfaction Ratings - Essay Example His innovative ideas have shaped the music and film-making industries (The trouble, 2008). As an innovative leader, he reportedly co-invented 103 inventions (e.g. Ipod interface) patented by Apple (The trouble, 2008). Steve Jobs has a vision and goals for the company and pursues them until they are realized. He applies a hands-on approach to management (The trouble, 2008). He has such a magnetic influence in the business circle that his presence in Apple affects the market value of the company. As a person, he can be viewed as persistent and determined on his goals that despite his previous unpleasant experience with Apple (removed from the company), he did not allow that experience affect him but instead, upon his return to Apple, he transformed it into a billion dollar venture with new product line-up. His leadership approach of working with more than a hundred employees (out of 25,000) from the cross-section of the organization for key ideas (Steve Jobs speaks, 2008) is a manifestation of a democratic or participative leadership (Leadership styles, 2009). These ideas are passed around for their comments and inputs wherein all angles of the ideas are explored and debated upon (Steve Jobs speaks, 2008). He can also be classified as a transformational leader that inspires his team to share his vision and sought out initiatives that can add a new value or input (Leadership styles, 2009). His infectious vision for innovation is shown with iPhone wherein he told his team to throw away what it was doing the previous year, start all over and work harder that caused his subordinates to rally behind him and sign them up for the new project (Steve Jobs speaks, 2008). Taylor (2009) characterizes him to belong to the Great Man Theory of Leadership because of his â€Å"CEO-centric model of ex ecutive power† which is archaic and inapplicable in the current state of business (para.