UECH2103 – HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
ASSIGNMENT TITTE:
COMPANY REVIEW
(Apple Company)
Date:
11/ 8 / 2020
WEEK 6
Lecturer:
Madam Noryati
A Group Members:
Name
1. Arvin Raj A/L Ragunathan ( Leader )
2. Logananthini A/P Revi
Matrix No.
UDB190324
UDB190331
Contact No.
01137326205
01111985894
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
A group of five students Arvin Raj and Nanthini from Asia College of Technology (ACT), a
learning centre of umcced program. We did our very deep research in this business to get
information. Therefore, we got all the relevant sources in order to complete our Human
Resource Management Assignment 2 (Company Review)
Apart from our effort, the completion of this final report would have not been a success without
the kind support and help of many individuals. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all
of them.
Praise the Lord for giving us the strength to complete the assignment. We are highly indebted to
University of Malaya for giving us the opportunity to do this assignment .Our sincerest thanks
Madam Noryati for her guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary
information regarding the assignment and also for her support in completing the assignment.
We would like to express our gratitude to our classmates and families for their encouragement
which kept us going in completing the assignment. This assignment, is the product of great
teamwork and we are indebted to all our team members who made the completion of
assignment a pleasure.
Arvin Raj
Nanthini
2
Table of Contents
NO
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEGMENT
PAGE
2
1
1.0 Introduction
4-5
2
2.0 Relevant Position
6 -7
3
3.0 Human Resource Planning
8 - 10
4
4.0 Job Analysis
11 - 17
5
5.0 Recruitment
18 - 21
6
6.0 Selection
22 - 28
7
7.0 Training And Development
29 - 31
8
8.0 Performance Appraisal
32 - 37
9
9.0 Rewards
38 - 39
10
10.0
Findings and recommendation
40 - 42
11
11.0
Conclusion
43
APPENDICES
Appendix 1
44
Appendix 2
45 – 47
Appendix 3
48
Appendix 4
49
Appendix 5
50
REFERENCES
1.0 INTRODUCTION
51
APPLE COMPANY
3
Apple Inc. is a company that designs, produces and sells mobile communications and media
tools, personal computers and portable digital music players. Apple Inc. also offers a range of
related products, accessories, peripherals, networking tools, digital content and applications
from third parties. The company offers products and services such as iPhone, iPad, Laptop,
iPod, Apple TV, a range of consumer and technical software applications, iOS and Mac OS X
operating systems, iCloud, and a number of hardware, utilities and support offerings. Moreover,
the company also markets and offers digital products and software through the iTunes Store,
App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store online stores. The company markets its products
internationally through its department outlets, internet channels, direct selling powers, cellular
network providers, wholesalers, distributors and value-added resellers. Not only that, the
company offers a range of iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod compatible third-party devices. The
target market for the company is end-user customers, small and medium-sized enterprises
('SMB') and education, corporate and government clients.
Steve Jobs, Ron Wayne and Steve Wozniak were the founder of Apple Inc. In 1976, they
invented the first Apple computer which consists of not only circuit board with costs under $700
in Palo Alto, California.
They improved the first Apple computer by adding one-megahertz processor and named Apple
II became first mass-produced computer in year 1977.Apple officially became a public traded
company in 1980. Apple Inc. continued developing a better computer in later years and the first
personal computer with feature which has a mouse for navigating and desktop icons and folders
called Lisa but this product unable to stay in the market due to high cost of production.
On 2007, Apple had kicked off the era of the touch screen smartphone with the invention of first
iPhone. This innovation has made a huge change in the smartphone market because it caught
the attention of the consumers. On 2010, again Apple unveiled the iPad tablet computer and
Apple has passed Microsoft as the largest US technology company in term of market value in
May.
On 2011, the co-founder Steve Jobs announced his resignation as Chief executive Officer of
Apple due to health problem and the Chief Operating Officer, Timothy D. Cook took over his
place as the new Chief Executive Officer of Apple.
In 2012 September, Apple has introduced its new iPhone 5 which is the lighter, thinner and more
powerful of its mobile devices. This new product captured the attention of the whole world by
getting a pre-order of 2 million and it is twice than the previous iPhone 4S. Followed by the
4
upcoming years iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 plus,
iPhone Xr, iPhone X max, iPhone SE, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 pro, iPhone 11 pro max.
2.0 RELEVANT POSITION
Relevant position in relation to a business, means the position of director, manager or other
executive position or secretary, however that position is designated. Relevant positioning
5
defines where your service stands in relation to others offering similar products and services in
the marketplace as well as the mind of the consumer.

Top/ Middle level: Human Resource Manager
Denise Young Smith, is Apple’s head of human resources. This position would mean that Smith
will be in charge of the team responsible for strengthening Apple's diversity, helping to make the
iPhone's workforce, recruiting practices, and other HR-related business aspects more
accessible and respectful of women, minorities, and the LGBTQ community. Apple has based its
reputation on the strength of its employees. This company's HR approach is the primary
explanation for sustained success and outstanding market results. The HR of Apple Company
aims to optimize returns on investment by reducing financial risks while capitalizing on human
capital. The human resource management of Apple Company is charged with various
responsibilities including recruitment and selection, leadership development, incentive
compensation, employee development, and employee relations among others. These activities
are carried out by human resource managers efficiently and consistently.

Lower level : Line Leader
There are three types of line leader groups in the Apple Company. The first person to lead the
line is Jonathan Ive. Jony Ive was an Apple hero. The design pioneer has created a kind of
creative mind-set with the company's co-founder and former CEO, Steve Jobs, to design the
modern, space-age look of futuristic devices like iPhone, iPad and iPod. After Jobs' death in
2011, Ive put tremendous energy into the creation of Apple Watch and the building of Apple's
new glass-walled, doughnut-shaped headquarters in Cupertino, California. It schedules and
allocates resources to fulfill the priorities of the CEO and makes comprehensive timetables and
operating schedules. The line leader of the second group, group B, is Bob Mansfield. Plan and
assign resources to achieve the goals of A. He's a senior director at Apple Company Bob
Mansfield is an American electronics engineer working for Apple. Before leaving that position,
he was formerly Senior Vice President of Technology to concentrate on undisclosed future
products. It has been reported that he oversaw the production of Apple Watch or smart TV
devices. The third line leader of Group C is Eddy Cue. Eddy Cue is Apple's senior vice
president, Internet Technology and Services, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. Prepare and assign
6
resources to fulfill the goals of B. Eddy manages Apple's leading digital outlets, including the
iTunes Store and Apple Music, as well as Apple Pay, Maps, Search Advertising, Apple 's
creative iCloud services, and Apple's efficiency and innovation features. Eddy also heads the
newly established team responsible for managing all facets of Apple's global video
programming. Eddy's team has an outstanding track record of developing and improving online
services to reach and surpass the high standards of Apple's customers.

Subordinate: Sales Advisor
The Sales Advisor position is part of Apple Support, the group that provides customer service,
troubleshooting, and technical support to Apple customers by phone, chat, or email. They are
responsible for answering customers’ questions over the phone or via chat about Apple
products, services, and accessories, including both software and hardware. So, the sales
advisor handles every product at once, include Apple Watch, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac, and
Apple TV. They are also among the first to learn about new, upcoming products, well before the
public hears about them.
3.0 HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
Human resource planning (HRP) is the continuous process of systematic planning ahead to
achieve optimum use of an organization's most valuable asset quality employees. Human
7
resources planning ensure the best fit between employees and jobs while avoiding manpower
shortages or surpluses. Usually, Apple follows selective hiring practices to recruit and hire
talented individuals. Human resources division will go through three mainly activities to recruit
talented people which are planning, recruitment, and employee selection. Human resources will
analyze and planning that the skill sets they require of these employees and number of needing
or lacking personnel in departments. Afterwards, HR will identify the important tasks, knowledge
and skill that need to be emphasized through the job postings, job referrals, advertisements,
college campus recruitment, etc. Lastly, HR wills assessing whether the skill, knowledge and
ability of candidates are fulfilling to the requirement. For example, Apple’s HR believed that can
hire top software engineer through this process to create quality product and staff planning as
well. On the other hand, Apple’s HR engage directly with workers to teach them new skills and
managers are trained on their responsibilities under the Supplier Code of Conduct. Training can
be improved the efficiency of staff productivity through a variety of approaches by Apple’s HR,
such as classroom training, e-learning, and professional conferences that are educational or
instructional in nature.

Human Resource Manager
Job
Current
category
workforce
Requirements
Availability
Reconciliatio
Action
n and gaps
planning
0
No action
and level
Top level
2020( 1 )
2021( 1 )
1
needed
Human Resource Manager in Apple Company hold on the top level of job category. Looking into
the current workforce of this year which is 2020 it has 1 workforce as per this year 2020. Next,
are the requirements which is for the upcoming year 2021, where they look for only 1.
Availability for this post or job is 1. The reconciliation and gaps are 0 so this shows the company
8
has no issues with the human resource department. Last but not the least, is the action plan
where there’s no need for action to be taken for gratitude.

Line Leader
Job
Current
category
workforce
Requirements
Availability
Reconciliation
Action
and gaps
planning
and level
Lower level
2020( 3 )
2021( 5 )
3
2(shortage)
- Utilize the
traffic on
company
website
- Make use
of free job
boards
- Advertise
job openings
on social
media
Line leader of Apple Company holds up to lower level of job category. As we see the
above table with a depth analysis the current workforce of this job in this year of 2020
has 3. Followed by the requirements of this there are about 5 requirements in the
upcoming year of 2021 for betterment. Next is the availability of this job is 3 and the
reconciliation and gaps of this are 2 due to shortage so this affects the organization
growth. Perhaps, action planning to solve this problem would to utilize the traffic on
company website, make use of free job boards and advertise job opening on social
media.

Sales Advisor
Job category
Current
and level
workforce
Requirements
9
Availability
Reconciliatio
Action
n and gaps
planning
Subordinate
2020( 27 )
2021( 30 )
27
3(shortage)
- Utilize the
traffic on
company
website
- Make use of
free job boards
- Advertise job
openings on
social media
Sales advisor of Apple Company abide the subordinate job category where an employee who
ranks below another employee within the corporate hierarchy. The current workforce of this job
in this year of 2020 are 27 which is good for the company to achieve the company goals.
Besides that, are the requirements of the upcoming year 2021 which is 30 where it’s probably
the life of deaths situation which I meant it’s fifty fifty. Moving to the availability of this job is
about 27. Moreover, the reconciliation and gaps of this are about 3 which leads to the shortage
and it is dangerous to the company. In nutshell, to solve this action plan is needed where the
company should follow the above mentioned.
4.0 JOB ANALYSIS
Job analysis is a family of procedures to identify the content of a job in terms of activities
involved and attributes or job requirements needed to perform the activities. Job analysis
10
provides information of organizations which helps to determine which employees are best fit for
specific jobs.

Human Resource Manager
Summary
Apple Inc.'s human resource department is responsible for a number of roles, including
recruiting
and
selection,
leadership
development,
benefit
compensation,
workforce
advancement and labor relations, among others. Such operations are carried out by human
resource professionals in an effective and consistent manner. Besides that, Job descriptions
include the basic information of the internal evaluation, including the quality of vacancies, the
number of employees and the strategic value of employment. Human resource professionals
will change roles to remove repetitive tasks and consolidate duties on the basis of a simple
description of the existing functions and time spent performing them. The basic goal of human
resource management is to ensure the participation in the establishment of a compliant and
welcoming team. There are four main elements of human resource management, namely
financial, organizational, personal and social management.
Job Description
Day to Day HR Operations
- Execute all operations regarding Apple Benefits, including but not limited to: Medical Schemes,
Pension Fund, Life Insurance, New Parents & Childcare Benefits, Housing Schemes (new hires,
terminations, changes, claims, reporting, reconciliations)
-
Leaves
administration:
entries,
mass
adjustments,
audits,
troubleshooting,
configuration changes
Reporting
- Day to day relationships with vendors and establish ways of working with them.
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simple
Write and maintain desktop procedures
- Propose changes to current practices to improve efficiency, employee experience and
compliance
- Partner with varied teams to execute operations and change processes (People Support,
Payroll)
- Partner with relevant teams to update internal communication tools, Record tasks, activities
and resolutions in our HR CRM, Support mass recruitments/acquisitions/special projects for
operations linked to Benefits & Leaves
- Deputize for other Benefits Admin Team members / Act as temporary back-up, Join
Benefits/People/Apple University presentations (New Employees, Baby Forums)
- Join presentations to introduce the activities of our team.
Subject-Matter Expert for Benefits & Leaves
- Act as a Benefits & Leaves expert to resolve advanced questions/unusual situations escalated
by People Support,
- Work with the Benefits Managers to propose adequate solutions,
- Educate other partners about Benefits & Leaves such as People Support, Other HR Teams,
Store Managers.
- Use expertise to build new processes, review employee information through different
channels,
- Partner with relevant teams Payroll, HR Legal, Compliance and proactively make constant
research to enrich our knowledge base with the most recent information.
Projects
12
- Support the Benefits Managers in launching new offerings, propose adequate new operation
solutions,
- Expand the activity of our team to other countries not yet supported, and propose adequate
solutions,
- Lead mini projects to improve, streamline, scale and digitalize our processes and operations,
- Join or lead other projects involving Apple Benefits & Leaves, Employee Recruitment, Staff
Compensation and etc.
Job Specification

EXPERIENCE & TECHNICAL SKILLS

Bachelor or higher degree in Business/HR/Finance/Economics, or any related discipline
FUNDAMENTALS

Minimum 3 years of varied experiences HR/Benefits/Payroll/Others, preferably in an
international environment,


Estimated salary$88,150per year
Consulting experience considered a plus.

Excellent command of Excel.

Able to lead small projects from beginning to end and engage partners.

Very good command of English, ability to make presentations in front of international
stakeholders, write processes and guidebooks and Mandarin.
EXTRAS

Experience in HR/Benefits/Payroll operations for Greater China, South Asia, Australia,
Japan or other country a valuable plus,

Additional Asian language a plus Cantonese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and others

Experience with an HRIS system, Workday, Oracle, SAP, and extra experience is a plus

Experience with a CRM ticket system a plus,

Knowledge of employment or labour laws and employee benefit related regulations, and
market trends in terms of benefit offerings a plus
SOFT SKILLS
13

Putting the Employee Experience at the forefront of everything we do

Excellent organization, prioritization and multitasking skills

Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills

Creativity, Innovation and Constant improvement, outline pain points, proactively
suggest and implement new ideas,

Ability to use good judgment and make decisions

Discretion and ability to manipulate highly confidential data

Curiosity and constant desire to learn and expand knowledge

Amazing interpersonal skills, energetic and able to work with different cultures

Attention to detail and precision

Structured and methodic

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, adaptable and fast learner

Self-driven, independent and autonomous where able to work with limited instructions,
remote management.

Ability to deal with ambiguity/unclarity

Technology savvy

Job Code:200181745

Date: Jul 22, 2020

Location: California, United States

Line Leader
Summary
When more and more people discover Apple, they tend to visit the stores searching for ways to
integrate apple products into their lives. It is a job, as a Line Leader, to develop and manage the
numerous teams that engage with customers in this dynamic environment. In this position, they
14
lead people who help customers gain ownership, learn new skills, get technical support and find
business solutions. Adaptable and agile by nature, you are composed and gathered by meeting
the diverse needs of the teams in the midst of continuous changes.
Job Description
As a Line Leader of Apple Company, they inspire teams to achieve measurable results for the
specific business areas of the organization. Employees were just going to lead a sales force that
recognizes the needs of customers and offers solutions to create Apple loyalty. The technical
support team helps retain the trust of the customers in Apple and its products. The business
team takes the experience of Apple to the customers of the product. And the training staff that
you mentor will show customers where to get the best out of their Apple products. Those who
are building these lines of business by attracting and developing a pool of established talent. In
addition to team building, employees are creating excitement about products, launches,
programs and initiatives.
Apple's most valuable tool, the spirit, is their people. The benefits of Apple continue to boost the
well-being of the employees and their families in a positive way. No matter where they work at
Apple, they will make the most of their employee’s health and well-being benefits and time-away
initiatives. Apple are proud to provide equity opportunities to workers at all levels of the
company, and also give employees the ability to buy Apple 's stock at a discount, all of which
give employees a chance to share in the success of the Company.
Job Specification
•
You have demonstrated leadership ability with at least five years of experience in a
customer-facing sales setting.
•
Cross-industry experience is welcome — a retail background is not necessary.
•
You have a passion for learning about Apple technology and products.
•
Multilingual ability is a plus.
•
Average salary$67,495 per year
•
You'll need to be flexible with your schedule. Your work hours will be based on business
needs.
•
Proven ability to drive positive customer experiences that build loyalty and deliver
measurable results.
15
•
Ability to manage separate business groups within a complex environment.
•
Strong communication skills to clearly impart the Apple vision to the teams you oversee.
•
Job Code:114438157
•
Date: April 27, 2020
•
Location: United States
c. Sales Advisor
Summary
As a Sales Advisor of Apple, they will discover the needs of the customers and help them
connect to the latest Apple products. They will enlighten and influence a team of partner
employees focused on the sale, operation and marketing of the Apple Shop. Through the
leadership and power, they will create long-lasting and fruitful relationships with the partner
team and encourage them to follow your lead. They will create an unmatched customer
experience in your store together.
Job Description
As a Sales Advisor, they will be highly influential in growing mind and market share of Apple
products, while building long-term relationships with those who share the passion. Customer
experiences are driven through Sales Advisor and the partner team. Thriving in an ever
changing and challenging environment, you strive for excellence whether it’s maintaining visual
merchandising or helping to grow and develop the partner team.
Provide positive customer communication and experience though face-to-face, phone and
email; Create quotes, orders, work-orders, and invoices for sales and service; Assist with
shipping/receiving and organization/maintenance of sales areas; Able to sell Apple-based
services, accessories, and software to fit customer needs.
Job Specification
•
A passion to help people understand how Apple products can enrich their lives
•
Excellent communication skills allowing you to be as comfortable in front of a small
group as you are speaking with individuals
•
Average salary$29,742 per year
16
•
3+ years preferred working in a dynamic sales and/or results driven environment, as well
as proven success developing customer loyalty
•
Ability to inspire a partner team and grow Apple business
•
College Degree, or equivalent experience preferred
•
You’re passionate about Apple, and you inspire and educate customers about all that
Apple has to offer
•
You set the standard for Apple’s unique style of service through words and action
•
You are flexible with your schedule.
•
Your work hours will be based on business needs and will include weekends.
•
You are seen as an engaging role model to your partner team, this position comes with
competitive pay, full corporate benefits which includes paid time off, product discounts,
Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401(k) plan with matching contributions, and the
opportunity to make a difference.
•
Job Code: 200156679
•
Date: Mar 6, 2020
•
Location: Fargo, North Dakota, United States
5.0 RECRUITMENT
Recruitment refers to the overall process of identifying, attracting, screening, shortlisting, and
interviewing, suitable candidates for jobs within an organization. Recruitment can also refer to
processes involved in choosing individuals for unpaid roles.
17

Human Resource Manager
Internal Recruitment
The process of the internal recruitment and placement of Apple is as under,
Job Posting
Employee Referrals
Job Posting
This is the traditional method used by the HR Management of the Apple. The job is posted
simply on the website of the organization. This is the most common method to find qualified
applicants from inside the organization. The job opening is to post notice of the job on the
bulletin board of HR. in addition, the HR department of Apple post jobs electronically through the
internal communication of the organization.
This includes:
Sending of E-mails
Use of intranets to all employees about the vacant job position
The newspaper also uses for most important jobs and or position in the Apple. Moreover, the
medium of job posting may variant according to the host country.
This is responsibility of the HR department to make the adequate job posting that also ensure
the quota of minority workers. On the other hand, this is also helpful for the organization to
make aware other disadvantaged groups about available opportunities within the organization.
In addition, the downside to job posting is employee cynicism that happens when jobs are
posted as open. Sometimes, the organization can already selected and place a strong
candidate for the vacant post.
The site is exceptionally easy to understand with an awesome web crawler and one can apply
for the employment through the genuine site by transferring their resume and introductory letter.
The ability obtaining delegate is in charge of transferring and keeping up the positions on this
site. Apple is using different outside techniques for selecting.
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Employee Referrals
The managers of Apple prefer to hire the people from referred by existing employees. This will
the organization to hire the most appropriate and the top performer for the organization. In
addition, this also reduces the time and cost for the organization. Current employees plays
important role for finding of the new employees for the organization. In addition, management of
Apple also gives bonuses to employees for the successful referrals. The purpose of bonuses is
to make them realized that they are important for the organization. In addition, this also creates
the competition among employees for finding of the best employees for the organization.
Apple is not using this method at its full pace. The ratio is minimum and time bard recruitment.
In addition, the extensive use of this method is against the law and company can face some
legal issues in this regard. This method is used at very low level. Most of times, the new project
requires some posts on temporary basis therefore, the organization go for employee referrals to
fulfill its need and requirement. In addition, the talent acquisition team made by HR department
also helps to find out the skilled, capable and qualified workforce for the technology company.

Line Leader
External Recruitment
As second-in-command, the line leader use your people skills and business smarts to create a
retail environment that inspires both employees and customers. Put your enthusiasm for
technology, projects, and ideas to work while monitoring customer experiences, leading training
and development, and driving sales. Applicants should have 3–5 years of retail leadership
experience.
Some of the methods include; external recruitment methods where the particular firm or
organization establishes some links with other firms that deal with recruitments, for instance,
professional career organizations and looking for applicants outside the organization.
Apple Company utilizes both internal and external recruitment and selection methods in an
effort to enhance its workforce. Some of the selection methods employed include interviewing
where the job applicants or the short listed candidates are subjected to some tests in the form of
questions with an aim of gathering adequate information regarding the candidates such as
19
things about their abilities that could otherwise not be ascertained from applications and other
documents, for example, confidence.

Sales Advisor
Alternative Recruitment
Fortunately, there are other recruitment options available. Many of these alternative methods
are a lot more effective and offer many benefits that may very well turn out to be the best
options for the Apple Company.
Here are 4 alternatives to mainstream recruitment by Apple:
Niche Work Boards
Niche Job Boards give companies and employers a tailored method of hiring talent for their
teams. These job boards allow recruiters to advertise employment and attract industry-focused
candidates. As a result, unfit applicants are weeded out from the start, saving you a lot of time in
the screening process.
Recruitment of Social Media
It's no secret that social media is transforming the way people do business around the world.
Social networking has brought us a new way of thinking about sales, marketing, and analysis.
Apple believes that recruiting through social media is very much likely to get a talented
employees to run the company.
Recruitment of Campus
Visiting colleges and universities is a great way to find the talent you can train and build for your
business. You should give internships to talented students who have the potential to make a
major contribution to your business. Recruitment on campus removes the need for third-party
recruiters and thus Apple reduces expenses such as advertisement, initial screening and final
pick. The Apple recruiting team should meet and get to know the candidate personally and test
them more specifically.
Recruitment of Referral
The use of employee referrals is one of the most common recruiting methods in Apple
Company. This recruiting process has become one of the mainstays of the hiring environment
20
because of its flexibility and reliability. Referral recruitment happens when an organization, with
the aid of its staff, partners and alumni, hires potential candidates for open positions. After all,
who are better ambassadors than their own Apple staff! They are well acquainted with the
company culture and are ideally suited to pick the right applicants to balance open positions. In
add to this, they will also be able to ease the transition process of any new referral hires. It's
much easier for new hires to adjust to the atmosphere of Apple Company when they have
friends and acquaintances who already work there.
21
6.0 Selection
Selection is the process of selecting a qualified person who can successfully do a job and
deliver valuable contributions to the organization. A selection system should depend on job
analysis. This ensures that the selection criteria are job related and will provide meaningful
organizational value. A contact from a recruiter followed by a phone interview, and then if you
qualify a phone interview with the hiring manager. There got lots of interviews/several rounds to
get the job and that is common in many areas or you get panel interviews.
Group activities observed by employees. Normally, the Apple interview process includes up to 4
stages. The hiring process from its beginning to the very end may last from 2 weeks to 4
months. You'll have to approve important data mentioned in your resume.

Human Resource Manager
-
Resume ( Refer Appendix 4)
-
Interview
After the application deadline has elapsed, Apple gathers completed applications, and screens
for candidates who meet the basic qualification criteria specified in the job advertisement. This
process takes between 2-4 weeks. After the screening, successful candidates will receive a
phone call and are invited to a hiring event. At the hiring event, Apple aims to meet and interact
with the candidates to ascertain if they have the personality and traits required to excel in the
company. Candidates will sit down with the senior staff of Apple interviewing them. The Apple
employees introduce themselves and each candidate does same so that everyone knows each
other. The candidates are allowed to interact freely with each other, and with Apple employees,
while the recruiters make keen observations of how they interact with people, answer or ask
questions and react to various happenings during the event. At the end of this event, Apple will
weed out candidates who didn’t exhibit the desired traits and personality. The remaining
candidates are then moved to the next stage. Candidates who are successful at the hiring event
will be invited for an interview. This could be a 1-on-1 interview or a group interview with other
candidates. Candidates in a group interview might be required to participate in role-playing
activities, acting out various scenarios between an employee & customer.
22
The scenarios could range from customers making an inquiry into handling an irate
customer and even giving support to customers on basic issues.
At this stage the Apple recruiters do not just want to know how much the candidates know about
Apple, they have a keen interest in understanding the candidates: their personalities, hobbies,
aspirations and how they think. Candidates can be asked questions such as:

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Why should we hire you?

What would you say to a customer who wants to sync photos from their iPhone to a
computer?
Again, candidates who do not meet the Apple recruiters’ expectations are weeded out, and the
rest are moved to the next stage. Successful candidates from the 1st interview, are invited for
individual interviews, occasionally, there might be one or two other candidates who will also be
interviewed, but the number is usually a handful at this stage. The questions at the stage are
usually a bit harder and would require some thinking before you answer. At this stage,
candidates could be asked questions like:

Tell me about a time when you had to think out of the box to solve a customer’s problem

Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer

Name a time you had to deal with an impossible customer, how did you handle it?
The candidates might also be asked to come for the interview in an informal attire, which the
recruiters will also use to evaluate them. After this stage, successful candidates are invited for
yet another interview which is last interview.
Candidates will be invited for another interview, this time with the head manager or with the
high-level manager. The interview is similar to the last one, although the questions might get
more technical. Candidates can be asked questions about Apple products, the differences
between the IOS and other smart phone operating systems or questions about the latest Apple
product.
The questions could also get personal, the candidates can be asked about their passions and
ambitions, this is to evaluate their personalities and understand what makes them tick.

Line Leader
23
-
Application Form ( Refer Appendix 5)
-
Background check
Candidates who succeed in the interview will undergo a background check before they are
made an offer by Apple. The candidate’s references (Academic, Work, personal etc) are
contacted by the hiring manager to complete the candidate reference check. The candidate’s
law enforcement records are also checked to ensure they have no criminal past that might
become a problem when employed. Candidates who have no issues during this stage are
contacted and given an employment offer by Apple.
-
Interview
After the application deadline has elapsed, Apple gathers completed applications, and screens
for candidates who meet the basic qualification criteria specified in the job advertisement. This
process takes between 2-4 weeks. After the screening, successful candidates will receive a
phone call and are invited to a hiring event. At the hiring event, Apple aims to meet and interact
with the candidates to ascertain if they have the personality and traits required to excel in the
company. Candidates will sit down with the senior staff of Apple interviewing them. The Apple
employees introduce themselves and each candidate does same so that everyone knows each
other. The candidates are allowed to interact freely with each other, and with Apple employees,
while the recruiters make keen observations of how they interact with people, answer or ask
questions and react to various happenings during the event. At the end of this event, Apple will
weed out candidates who didn’t exhibit the desired traits and personality. The remaining
candidates are then moved to the next stage. Candidates who are successful at the hiring event
will be invited for an interview. This could be a 1-on-1 interview or a group interview with other
candidates. Candidates in a group interview might be required to participate in role-playing
activities, acting out various scenarios between an employee & customer. The scenarios could
range from customers making an inquiry to handling an irate customer and even giving support
to customers on basic issues.
At this stage the Apple recruiters do not just want to know how much the candidates know about
Apple, they have a keen interest in understanding the candidates: their personalities, hobbies,
aspirations and how they think. Candidates can be asked questions such as:
24

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Why should we hire you?

What would you say to a customer who wants to sync photos from their iPhone to a
computer?
Again, candidates who do not meet the Apple recruiters’ expectations are weeded out, and the
rest are moved to the next stage. Successful candidates from the 1st interview, are invited for
individual interviews, occasionally, there might be one or two other candidates who will also be
interviewed, but the number is usually a handful at this stage. The questions at the stage are
usually a bit harder and would require some thinking before you answer. At this stage,
candidates could be asked questions like:

Tell me about a time when you had to think out of the box to solve a customer’s problem

Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer

Name a time you had to deal with an impossible customer, how did you handle it?
The candidates might also be asked to come for the interview in an informal attire, which the
recruiters will also use to evaluate them. After this stage, successful candidates are invited for
yet another interview which is last interview. Candidates will be invited for another interview, this
time with the head manager or with the high-level manager. The interview is similar to the last
one, although the questions might get more technical. Candidates can be asked questions
about Apple products, the differences between the IOS and other smart phone operating
systems or questions about the latest Apple product. The questions could also get personal, the
candidates can be asked about their passions and ambitions, this is to evaluate their
personalities and understand what makes them tick.

Sales Advisor
25
-
Application form ( Refer Appendix 5 )
-
Test
The first stage of Apple’s recruitment process is online test. This part of the recruitment process
is the first chance for them to set a good impression and stand out from their competition. It is
very likely that they will also be asked some motivational questions as part of this stage.
Examples include:
a) What is your motivation for wanting to work at Apple?
b) Why do you want to apply for this particular role?
After they passed the online tests stage only, they will be invited to the Apple office for their first
round interview.
-
Interview
After the application deadline has elapsed, Apple gathers completed applications, and screens
for candidates who meet the basic qualification criteria specified in the job advertisement. This
process takes between 2-4 weeks. After the screening, successful candidates will receive a
phone call and are invited to a hiring event. At the hiring event, Apple aims to meet and interact
with the candidates to ascertain if they have the personality and traits required to excel in the
company. Candidates will sit down with the senior staff of Apple interviewing them. The Apple
employees introduce themselves and each candidate does same so that everyone knows each
other. The candidates are allowed to interact freely with each other, and with Apple employees,
while the recruiters make keen observations of how they interact with people, answer or ask
questions and react to various happenings during the event. At the end of this event, Apple will
weed out candidates who didn’t exhibit the desired traits and personality. The remaining
candidates are then moved to the next stage. Candidates who are successful at the hiring event
will be invited for an interview. This could be a 1-on-1 interview or a group interview with other
26
candidates. Candidates in a group interview might be required to participate in role-playing
activities, acting out various scenarios between an employee & customer.
The scenarios could range from customers making an inquiry to handling an irate customer and
even giving support to customers on basic issues.
At this stage the Apple recruiters do not just want to know how much the candidates know about
Apple, they have a keen interest in understanding the candidates: their personalities, hobbies,
aspirations and how they think. Candidates can be asked questions such as:

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Why should we hire you?

What would you say to a customer who wants to sync photos from their iPhone to a
computer?
Again, candidates who do not meet the Apple recruiters’ expectations are weeded out, and the
rest are moved to the next stage. Successful candidates from the 1st interview, are invited for
individual interviews, occasionally, there might be one or two other candidates who will also be
interviewed, but the number is usually a handful at this stage. The questions at the stage are
usually a bit harder and would require some thinking before you answer. At this stage,
candidates could be asked questions like:

Tell me about a time when you had to think out of the box to solve a customer’s problem

Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer

Name a time you had to deal with an impossible customer, how did you handle it?
The candidates might also be asked to come for the interview in an informal attire, which the
recruiters will also use to evaluate them. After this stage, successful candidates are invited for
yet another interview which is last interview. Candidates will be invited for another interview, this
time with the head manager or with the high-level manager. The interview is similar to the last
one, although the questions might get more technical. Candidates can be asked questions
about Apple products, the differences between the IOS and other smart phone operating
systems or questions about the latest Apple product. The questions could also get personal, the
candidates can be asked about their passions and ambitions, this is to evaluate their
personalities and understand what makes them tick.
27
-
Employment contract
Employers can customize an employment agreement that states the salary, benefits, working
hours and other important provisions for their new or existing employee. Employers who
compensate their sales employees based on commissions can prepare an agreement to reduce
misunderstandings by specifying the base salary and how commissions are calculated. Apple
Inc offer their business executives a contract that is different from the one provided to their
regular employees. Executive employment agreements being more complex because the
compensation structure include a combination of salary and commissions, provide for bonuses
based on sales, stock or other financial targets, and include non-compete, confidentiality and
severance provisions. Independent sales representatives offer Apple Inc the potential to
increase the sale of products or services without the burden of increasing headcount. Both
parties understand how commissions are calculated, when commissions will be paid, as well as
how the representative will treat confidential information from the company and whether the
representative also sell a competing line of products or services.
Hence, the interview method for this 3 job which are Human Resource Manager, Line Leader
and Sales Advisor are the same method used by Apple Company which has been mentioned
above.
28
7.0 Training and Development
Training and development refers to educational activities within a company created to enhance
the knowledge and skills of employees while providing information and instruction on how to
better perform specific tasks. In Apple Company, after the orientation process is completed, the
employee moves forward to begin the training and development resources of Apple Company.
Apple University is a resource that is continuously used for training of Apple employees. The
university is a learning program implemented to help employees “think different” or as some would
say, to think like Steve Jobs. It is Apple’s management training program.

Human Resource Manager
Apple believes that true leadership includes qualities and skills that turn good managers into
great leaders. Their leadership training course provides numerous avenues for enhancing the
qualities of good leadership in human resource manager and in their team. The Apple Company
training manager create some programs that help human resource manager to develop his or
her the leadership skills and garner the knowledge they need to perform well in their job
positions. The management was find the resources that will be most useful in human resource
manager training programs and these resources may include videos, books, industry
publications, visual aids and more. Also the Apple Company HR management will determine the
learning tools that will contribute to the understanding of human resource manager in the
program. Mentoring, training and organizational planning, with individual activities such as job
rotation, job shadowing and management leadership, are the often components of effective
leadership development training of Apple Company. They conduct regular development
planning discussions with the human resource management team members and future
leadership talent.
29

Line Leader
Apple Company define team training as a process that empowers teams to improve
decision making, problem solving, and team-development skills to achieve business
results. The goal of team training in Apple Company is to develop cohesiveness among
team members, allowing them to get to know each other and facilitate relationship
building. Some reasons Apple Company provide team building training for line leaders
include the following:
i.
Improving communication
ii.
Making the workplace more enjoyable
iii.
Motivating a team
iv.
Getting to know each other
v.
Getting everyone “onto the same page,” including goal setting
vi.
Teaching the team self-regulation strategies
vii.
Helping participants to learn more about themselves (strengths and weaknesses)
viii.
Identifying and utilizing the strengths of team members
ix.
Improving team productivity
x.
Practicing effective collaboration with team members
Apart from team building training, Apple Company also provide some skills training for line
leaders those who are selected include those from their soft skills section, such as how to
motivate and delegate, while others may be technical in nature. For example, if management
uses a particular computer system for scheduling, the line manager candidate might be
technically trained. Some managerial training might be performed in-house while other training,
such as leadership skills, might be performed externally.
30

Sales Advisor
One of the most important skills for sales advisors is great communication. Good
communication and effective leadership typically go hand-in-hand. Sales advisors involves
leading teams from different departments who may not be used to working together. Members
may have different skills and may be expected to bring something unique to the table. A
communicator who can provide clear instructions and expectations for their teams may increase
work productivity and efficiency. The HR management also train the sales advisors with soft
skills might include how to answer the phone or how to be friendly and welcoming to
customers. Apple Company provide marketing training for sales advisor used to focus on
quantitative means often to saturation and to increase sales. The marketing training was focus
on the consumers and not the organization because customer research is important at each
step of a product lifecycle, from inception to the post-sales customer relationship management
at Apple Company. The HR management present the broader market context and it will
frequently focus exclusively on market segments or product categories of the company. The
training management always try to address their company challenges, for example through
company-specific projects or the development of their own action plan to the sales advisors.
Apple Company also provide some sort of training to their sales force and this mostly includes
technical training to help the sales force to know about the company, the product or services
they sell, about their customers etc. But it is important for them to also include personal
grooming sessions for their sales force. The management was not only consider about just a
soft skills session which covers topics like communication, body language and etc by including
how to dress appropriately, how to keep their hairs and beard, how to groom their overall
personality, how to approach and talk with the customers, how to eat when dining out with their
clients etc. These training will provide an overall grooming mind-set to the sales force of the
company.
31
8.0 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
Performance appraisal, also referred to as performance evaluation, performance assessment,
progress discussion or employee assessment, is a process by which the employee's job
performance is reported and measured.

Human Resource Manager
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
The ultra-competitive market climate ensures that businesses are searching for innovative ways
to build a high-performance community. Yet you must stay focused on improving success in the
areas that matter most – those that are strategic imperatives by connecting HR activities to the
bottom line. Having healthy scorecards will help you do this. That's why businesses like Apple
are still using them.
Apple is using five performance indicators as part of a systematic approach to its long-term
success strategy. It covers customer satisfaction, core competencies, employee commitment
and alignment through a systematic survey of employees, market share and shareholder value.
Customer Satisfaction
Historically, Apple was a technology-and product-focused company engaged in the production
of better computers. Customer satisfaction metrics are only being implemented to direct
employees towards being a customer-driven company. Oh, J.D. Power & Associates, a
consumer survey service, is now working with the computer industry. However, when it realized
that its consumer base was not homogeneous, Apple found that it needed to go beyond J.D.
Power & Associates and create its own independent surveys to map key consumer segments
around the world.
Core Competencies
32
Business managers wanted staff to be highly concentrated on a few key competencies for an
example user-friendly interfaces, effective software architectures and reliable delivery systems.
Nevertheless, human resource management have acknowledged that assessing success along
such competencies could be challenging. As a result, the Apple Company is actively
experimenting with the acquisition of these hard-to-measure quantitative indicators.
Market Share
Achieving a crucial market share level was important to human resource management and
senior management not only for the obvious benefits of revenue growth, but also for attracting
and retaining app developers to Apple platforms.
Shareholder Value
Shareholder interest is used as a performance indicator, even though this attribute is a product,
not a catalyst, of results. The measure is included in order to counter the previous focus on
gross margin and revenue growth, measures that overlooked the investment required today to
generate growth for the future. On the other hand, the shareholder value indicator quantifies the
effect of the planned investment on business growth and development. The majority of Apple's
business is structured on a functional basis — sales, product design, and multinational
manufacturing and operations — so that shareholder value can only be measured for the whole
organization with the help of human resource management rather than at a decentralized level.
While these five performance indicators have only recently been created, they have allowed
Apple's HR department to focus their strategy in a variety of ways. First of all, Apple's key
performance acts mainly as a preparation tool, rather than a control system. To put it another
way, Apple is using the indicator to modify the "long wave" of corporate success, not to make
organizational improvements. In addition, Apple's indicators, with the exception of shareholder
interest, can be applied both horizontally and vertically to each functional organization.
Considered vertically, each individual measure can be broken down into its component parts in
order to determine how each part contributes to the functioning of the whole. Thinking
horizontally, indicators may be used to determine how, for example, design and production
relate to areas such as customer service. In fact, Apple has found that its structured scorecard
33
has helped build a vocabulary with observable results on how to implement and optimize
programs.
The five performance indicators at Apple are benchmarked against best-in-class organizations.
Today they are used to build business plans and are incorporated into senior executives and
human resource management, compensation plans.

Line Leader
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
Those are the KPI’s of Line Leader which apple uses,
Team satisfaction
Ultimately, Apple believes that you'll never know if your strategies are working if you don't
regularly conduct surveys to see how happy and satisfied your employees are. Conducting job
satisfaction surveys will help you see areas of improvement you might've otherwise missed.
Additionally, job satisfaction surveys show your employees that you care about how they feel.
By allowing them to voice their opinion, you're showing them they are important to the company.
How others perceive each other's efforts
In an effort to make sense of other people, audiences often create and use categorical
representations to simplify and streamline the process. Noting the importance of categorical
thought in everyday life, Steve Job's talk focuses on the cognitive significance of categorical
social perception. It will discuss the biological determinants of categorical thought and how they
may have an impact on the efficacy of the mechanism of human perception.
Perhaps, Apple applied all this performance indicator to rise up the organizational where line
leader plays an important role as other vital employees in Apple Company.
34

Sales Advisor
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
These are four key performance to watch for,
Sales aspirations for the iPhone model are reduced
How many iPhones Apple has sold is significant because they will offer a hint as to whether or
not much all the speculation about the forthcoming iPhone 8 will have an effect on sales. Over
the past three years, iPhone unit sales decreased by 19 percent, 22 percent and 21 percent
respectively from March to June. Keep in mind that unit revenues over the last three years,
when adjusted for channel inventory shifts, have declined by 19 percent, 20 percent and 14
percent respectively.
At 40.5 million, which is what I'm projecting, iPhone revenues will be just over 20 percent
quarter-to-quarter and slightly over year-to-year. I've reviewed 16 sales-side analyst models and
their total iPhone unit revenues are 40.8 million, down just under 20 percent quarter-to-quarter.
When iPhone unit sales drops for more than 20 percent then there will be questions about how
much iPhone 8 rumors could have an effect on current model sales. However though Apple is
expected to provide guidance for the September quarter, if iPhone 8 has big supply issues it
may have an effect on expectations for the December quarter.
Gross margins may be the most important metric
35
Gross margins could be more relevant than how many iPhones have been sold. Apple's
guidance is that they will be between 37.5 per cent and 38.5 per cent, and the company has
been within 0.1 per cent of the high-end of its guidance for the past six years. And compared to
a year earlier, 38.0 per cent of the midpoint matched last year's 38.0 per cent score. If the gross
margins are below 38.0 per cent but still in the guidance (and particularly if they are below 37.5
per cent) investors may have a big concern added to their plate.
A wild card on a gross margin is what was the cost of the guarantee in the quarter. It is not
known until the 10-Q is released (usually the day after earnings are announced) and because
they ranged from 0.9 per cent to 3.0 per cent of sales over the last eight quarters, they may
have a substantial effect on gross margin performance.
Can services revenue grow fast enough
Tim Cook spoke about doubling Apple Services sales in the next four years. This means that the
company's services sales will rise from $24.3 billion in fiscal 2016 to almost $50 billion in fiscal
2020 or 19 percent per year. Since rising 18.4 per cent and 17.5 per cent in the first two
quarters of this fiscal year, if the growth rate of services starts to slow down, it would place a
little more pressure on Apple to buy services companies. Although I'm not expecting Apple to
purchase Netflix or a big organization adding incremental content revenue sources makes
sense.
Operating expenses are often overlooked
Apple's operating costs for the past 19 years have been below the high end of its guidance.
Although I don't expect this pattern to shift, it does mean that operating expenses are still
growing as a percentage of revenue.
For almost five years, operating expenditures as a percentage of income rose from 9.0 per cent
in fiscal 2013 to 9.6 per cent in fiscal 2015 to 11.2 per cent in fiscal 2016. If you add the first two
quarters for this year and the June quarter forecast, that will mean that operating expenses rose
by 20 basis points or 0.2 per cent of sales to 11.4 per cent. The increase in the operating
expense ratio has been driven by the company spending as sales, marketing and administrative
expenses have stayed relative flat as a percent of revenue.
36
Customer complaints
As a Sales Advisor of Apple, they act as the highest point of escalation for Apple customers as
well. They will handle complex, occasionally sensitive customer service and support issues
which will require you to work closely with different departments to ensure successful resolution.
They should be accustomed to working independently and it will hold responsibilities for
communicating official positioning on Company resolutions.
As a Sales Advisor they will identify emerging product or customer issues and develop creative
and realistic solutions. They will create an internal network of collaboration and they are
empowered to use judgment when considering Company and customer needs.
It’s their responsible for providing feedback for improving operational strategies and suggesting
applicable solutions. It will be curious about business procedures and not afraid to question the
current processes.
They will represent Apple as the company's main customer concern with the ultimate goal of
restoring consumer trust in Apple. They will boost consumer loyalty and trust in Apple as a
whole. Sales Advisor will see potential for organizational change and propose methods for
progress. They have the discretion to use acumen when it comes to balancing business and
consumer needs. As part of the Customer Relations department, will also take full responsibility
for customer cases and see these cases through to completion. Hence, Sales Advisor of Apple
Company handles customer complaints with full care and responsibility and it will enhance the
relationship with the company and customer.
37
9.0 Rewards
The achievement and benefit received by employees for their job performance in an
organization are known as reward. Employees join the organization within certain expectation
of reward. This will motivate employees to make their effort in achieving organizational goal.
Apple believes especially in offering employee rewards for independent thinking. The company
compensates its executives by giving them a bonus of 3 to 5 percent of salary. Last year
according to media reports, Apple gave out restricted stock units to a majority of its more than
100,000 employees. Apple also gives discounts on its range of products to further boost
motivation, not to mention retail staff’s ability to sell the products. Furthermore, Apple doesn’t
just reward work within the company. It also rewards volunteering. The company’s new
donation-matching program, for example, is being rolled out to all employees. Perhaps Apple’s
greatest achievement is that they have created a feeling that the work itself is rewarding.

I.
Human Resource Manager
Direct: Salary
The average Apple HR Manager earns $150,000 annually, which includes a base salary of
$140,000 with a $10,000 bonus. This total compensation is $48,255 more than the US average
for a HR Manager. The HR Department at Apple earns $15,446 more on average than the other
Department in Apple.
II.
Indirect: Paid Vacation
The Apple Company provides vacation leave to the human resources employees for the
purpose of rest, relaxation, and to attend to personal affairs. The amount of vacation leave is
based on the amount of time in paid status during a pay period, and whether they are exempt
(salaried) or non-exempt (hourly).
38

I.
Line Leader
Direct: Salary
The average Apple Line Leader salary is $63,350. The line leader salaries at Apple can range
from $44,693 - $77,659. Apple line leaders are set to receive bonuses of $2,500 (£1,800) each
as the company begins returning its overseas cash to the US.
II.
Indirect: Apple Goods
Apple line leader employees get an annual 25% discount when they purchase an iPod,
computer, or iPad. Every three years, they can get $250 off an iPad or $500 off a
Mac. Apple software is 50% off. The company also offers other discounts for family and friends,
depending on the product.

I.
Sales Advisor
Direct: Salary
The average Apple Sales Advisor earns $44,504 per year annually. Salary ranges was vary
widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional
skills, the number of years they have spent in their profession.
II.
Indirect: Paid Vacation and Product Claims
Apple gives discounts on its range of products to further boost motivation, not to mention retail
staff's ability to sell the products. Apple's PTO and Vacation policy typically gives 20-30 days off
a year to the sales management include the advisors.
Apple is rewarding nearly every employee with the whole of Thanksgiving in America and in
other countries, managers are told to find an equally appropriate holiday time week off. The
39
company added three paid vacation days to every employee’s year. Noting that it’s one of the
biggest shopping weeks of the year, it didn’t turn a blind eye to his retail and other teams who
would need to work that week.
10.0 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION
Findings
Apple is a major industry leader with a diversified product portfolio in the computer and
electronic device market. The products and services of Apple are clearly distinct from those of
its competitors. The business is economically in a strong position and should expect to have an
increasing revenue stream and a rise in its market share every year in the near future. One of
Apple's biggest assets lies in its vast brand equity wealth. The company has a robust
promotional and branding system that has been very effective in helping the business establish
its positive brand identity.
Apple's technical superiority over its competitors is another source of strength. The organization
invests much more on research and development than its competitors do. Apple has also
benefited immensely from the strong leadership of CEO Steve Jobs, who has been at the helm
of the company since its inception.
The aspect that gives Apple a competitive advantage is the fact that its products have acquired
a stylish and trendy image. Apple is not only seen as a pioneer in technical achievement, but is
also seen as an arbiter of artistic concepts, and its products are the leading edge of style and
artistic design.
Some of the distinguishing features of Apple Inc. is its decreased reliance on suppliers relative
to its competitors. The company produces all or most of the hardware and much of the software
is produced in-house.
As a result of better branding and customer loyalty, Apple is able to charge more for its products
than its competitors for comparable products and to retain its market share.
40
Another cause of significant problems for Apple is the vast amount of lawsuits that the company
has been involved in both as a plaintiff and as a lawyer. A number of lawsuits involving Apple
are still pending.
A great opportunity for Apple comes in the form of a growing demand for smart phones with
features such as internet connectivity and video recording and playback, etc. The iPhone is an
effort by Apple to take advantage of this opportunity.
The high degree of competition between technology firms means that Apple is under constant
pressure from its rivals. This threat is especially bad in the personal computer market. Another
threat to Apple is from some of the manufacturers to whom sources of materials and the
production of other parts have been outsourced. The hazard can take the form of low quality
production from these suppliers.
Political factors that affect Apple include increased taxes in the current period, which push
consumers to reduce their spending. The recent economic downturn has led to a decline in
revenue. Social factors influencing Apple include its reputation as a producer of trendy and
fashionable goods. Technological considerations include the need for multiple features in a
single product. Environmental factors impacting the organization include the need for pollution
control in the manufacturing of electronic goods. Legal considerations impacting the company
include the vast number of cases in which the company tries to restrict the infringement of its
copyright. The company has also been the subject of copyright and other lawsuits in various
countries, which has resulted in restrictions on the specific goods and services provided by the
company.
Apple's fundamental precepts include strong leadership, its image on the market as a pioneer in
technology and design, its scientific and technical experience, and its professional and
committed staff and knowledgeable management.
41
Recommendation
Improve Apple’s Standing in the Market
In order to improve its position in the market, Apple needs to improve product testing prior to
launch. However, this does not come at the detriment of Apple's technical leadership. Apple
needs to come up with accelerated development methodologies that would allow for rigorous
testing and early launch, all at the same time. In order to stay competitive in the market for hightech goods, Apple needs to retain its technological leadership and its trendy image. Apple will
also need to may its litigation activities in order to avoid defining itself as a controversial happy
corporation.
Avenues for Further Research
There are other avenues for further analysis of Apple's business open to researchers. Further
research should be carried out to determine if there are major discrepancies between Apple's
strategy in the United States and its strategy in the rest of the world, to compare Apple's market
strategy with that of its primary competitors, to compare the success of Apple and its affiliates in
different countries and to establish the reasons for any discrepancies in results. In addition,
work may be conducted to analyze the success and strategy of Apple in each of the foreign
markets in which the company operates.
42
11.0 CONCLUSION
The major conclusion that can be drawn is that we found that the most fascinating thing about
Apple is how creative and early adapters are. Apple is typically the first company to come out
with a new product line in advance of everyone else. It is rather dangerous, but it appears to
work to the benefit of Apple. It shows that taking chances can often make or break you, and that
Apple has a strong future and a lot to change. At present, Apple is showing negative aspects of
TNCs, leading to the international debt crisis through the abuse of workers. In a way, Apple is
supporting the debt crisis in the LDCs by purchasing their labor and raw materials on the
cheapest terms possible. When it is able to play the role of a profitable TNC, it will definitely help
the global economy. In fact, people in the least developed countries and the world should
benefit as well. It requires a commitment from all stakeholders: the company itself, the
customers, the shareholders and the employees. It is crucial for the TNC to shift towards
constructive behaviour, as this will decide people's perception of progress towards more
globalization as being driven by neo-liberalism.
Despite, Apple Company has a long development history and with the long-term growth, it has
achieved a certain successful development. The various strategies have contributed much to
the rapid and successful development. Therefore, the company cannot neglect the influencing
factors of the strategies such as the culture. However, it is difficult for the company to maintain
the leader position in the computer industry, thus it must take the correct and appreciate
strategies and make full use of them. Therefore, Apple Inc. can keep in pace with the market
development, and achieve the stable and long-term development.
43
APPENDICES
Appendix 1
`
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF APPLE INC
44
Appendix 2
Apple Revenue 2006-2020
45
46
47
Appendix 3
This statistics shows Apple Employee Salaries.
48
Appendix 4
SAMP
LE RESUME OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER
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Appendix 5
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SA
MPLE APPLICATION FORM OF APPLE INC
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Join us. Be you. Apple Inc. (2016, September 12).
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