Blog 3: Ethics & Social Responsibility

Apple

Ethics & Social Responsibility

A review of Apple’s Supplier Responsibility Report from an Forbes Article in 2011 reveals that Apple is taking action to stop unethical practices among is suppliers. These have included use of underage labor at 10 facilities, dangerous working conditions at two facilities, falsification of audit materials at four facilities, and bribery at one facility. 

Apple like many other top companies strive to make themselves  the most ethical and socially responsible business there is. They each present various way in practicing good business ethics and social responsibility. 
Apple has a project going on where they are trying to drastically reduce climate change. Stating that as a worldwide company that has large production chain, they know they use alot of energy to make their products, in turn changes into green house gas which contributes to climate change. They've strategize ways to use their facilities more efficiently and use up less energy. That includes Establishing renewable energy sources; wind, solar and micro-hydro to power all their retail stores and corporate offices. Also design new buildings and refurbish old ones to uses as little electricity as possible. Even in their products such as the iPhones they are making and effort to make them thin as possible, using less electricity. In Addition Apple recycles all their products. 
https://www.apple.com/environment/climate-change/

Apple also endeavors to be committed to the advancement of equality and human rights.They believe that it is on the basis of inclusion and diversity, derives experiences and ideas that drives creativity. 

Blog 2: Strategic planning for competitive advantage.

Apple iPhone

Strategic planning for competitive advantage.

After the shocking news of the of death of Apple's mastermind Steve Jobs people from all walk of the earth began to talk about how that was the beginning Apple's downfall but then came Tim Cook Apple's new CEO dismiss all the nonsense and continued Steve's work steering them to more success. Tim had to drive to carry on all the company's visions and objectives his predecessor had left. He also a strong team behind him, each hierarchy works hand in hand complementing each other and every plan they have are strategic in a sense that they are implemented find vulnerabilities in the market and capitalize on them. This is the basis of which Apple keeps thriving.

With that being said, Apple's first factual evidence of this of the first iPod. When everybody had huge CD players and Sony walk mans, Steve decided it was time for some more portable and convenient, disregarding all the large components and CD pouches he and his team made it possible to have a "1,000 songs in your pocket"

Then Apple introduced themselves in the phone market with their iPhone. Bringing something revolutionary that no other companies had and fascinated the consumers. A move that made Apple's iPhone the talk of the town, taking over the phone market in the US.
Creating a competition, Apple went head to head with other companies thus creating a rivalry with their biggest rival Samsung. This rivalry made each company push their teams to the limit, coming up plans and new ideas every year to be on top.
Samsung has multiple lines of phones running on the android operating system throughout the market and this was troublesome to Apple due to the fact the Samsung has been skyrocketing in market shares. With all this going on Apple had to respond quickly so last year they introduced two iPhones with the intention of matching up with their rivals. And just this year they have to decided to make their phone screens larger, a move intended to draw the attention of all the 'big screen phone lovers' to buy their product. This is very beneficial to the consumers because they have a wide variety of products to choose from, capitalizing on opportunity cost.

Each strategic plan was to make a phone that differentiated itself from the others in the market. That included making a 'greener' phone that is environmentally friendly and even going as far as having the lightest and thinnest phones every year with the smallest of components.

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Every year upgrading their operating system. The new system, iOS 8 brings tons of new features to the phones which includes a default health app, iOS 8:Health; targeting individuals who pays close attention to their well-being.

Apple have integrated on their iPhones a 'pay by phone' app that was previously attempted by their rivals but failed. What the Apple team did was partnered with banks and major retail companies to integrate Apple Pay in their services.

Apple's marketing team have done exceptionally well in advertising the phones through multiple advertisements and teaming with various musical artistes namely U2 and in their new advertisement for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+ they had Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon. 

Blog 1: Apple

Kevaun Barclay                                                                                              

Apple Inc. (iPhone)

Apple Inc, a world renowned fortune 500 company, masters in creating new modern day technologies such as the Macintosh, portable media players, tablets and smartphones. In 1986, Apple Computer then, was started by two college dropouts named Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in Cupertino, Califonia. Apple pioneered multiple technologies into the market but whats propelled them to their success was the iPod and iPhone debuted in 2001 and 2007 respectively.
The company's mission statement is “To make the very best products in the world that really deeply enrich people’s lives. That’s what we’re about. And now it’s not to make the most..”