Organization Competency Assignment Help Core Competency and Its Effectiveness
Core competence represents the unique ability of a company acquired by the firm that cannot be imitated easily by 
others. It is the combination of pooled knowledge, skills, technical capacities and firm’s ability that allow a business to be competitive in the industry. Apple’s core competence is its innovative design, technology and differentiation strategy. Apple always believes in providing innovative products and focuses on offering unique features to attract the customers (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, 2008). Company has able to produce cutting edge and develop new design or featured products to differentiate its products with competitors. Apple’s innovative design and features differentiate its products from others. On the other hand our business strategy case study help experts said that, innovation strategy of company provides a competitive edge in the marketplace. Apple should never stop innovating and should be focused on providing innovative products to fulfill the demand of market. Company believes that innovation in products, services and business model is only strategy for creating long-term values and maintain its position in industry. Apple’s products’ effective design, feature, easy to use, security, high-speed, high-quality bundled software, etc helped company to take competitive position in the industry (Kinney & Raiborn, 2012). Company has contributed to add new and innovative products such as iPods, iPads, iPhone, iTV with specific features and number of computer software’s or apps, etc. Innovative design and feature core competency strategy helps Apple to fulfill the demand of market and maintain its position in the industry through providing them new or innovative featured products. This strategy works for Apple to maintain its competitiveness in industry (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2012). For example, after the launch of Apple’s App Store in 2008, company has created more than 425000 applications and became the world largest software distributer company. It analyzes the demand of market and develops products by considering them that helps the firm to maintain its sales and performance in changing business environment (Ramirez, 2011). Apply has been continuously developed the user friendly products that enable it to maintain the success in the market.
Distinct Competency and Effectiveness Distinctive competency is a competitive activity that helps firm to perform better than its competitors. Its competence distinguishes Apple from its competitors. Apple distinct competency is its superior brand and product placement as the most superior quality manufacturer. Company’s solid foundation of research and development, product lifecycle management, product differentiation and marketing mix help the firm to take competitive position in the market (Griffin, 2011). This competency is hard for competitors to imitate and make the leading position in the industry. Apple’s differentiation strategy enables it to capture different segments of market. Company competes in different niche market segments by differentiating its products. Differentiation strategy provides safeguard to Apple against its competitors as it creates a strong brand value of the company (Weinstein, 2004). Brand value can create a substantial barrier for entry of others that helps it to maintain competitive position in the industry. On the other hand, superior brand, high customer services and effective marketing mix helps Apple to enter into new market. Excellent customer service in its retail stores is another distinct competency of Apple. Apple provides exceptional customer services that enable it to take competitive edge in the market. Through providing excellent customer services, Apple effectively attracts the people and maintains its competitiveness in the industry. Apple response its customers quickly and solves the problem of them in less time that help it to retain the customers (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, 2008). Customers prefer Apple products due to its best services and user friendly products.
Apple Major Competitors Apple’s products include iPods, iPads, iPhone, computer and number of computer software’s or apps etc and in each segment it faces competition in global market. Main competitors of Apple iPhone are Samsung, Sony, Motorola, Nokia, and Blackberry those provide similar mobile phones in global market (Yahoo, 2013). In computer segment IBM, Microsoft, Dell, Acer, Compaq and Sony are the major competitors of Apple. In software or apps segment Google, Microsoft, Amazon, RIMM, HP etc are the major player of the industry. On the other hand, Samsung, Dell, HP and Sony provides the phones, Smart TV and iMac products similar with Apple products, so these are the major competitors of company in the global market (O’Grady, 2009).
Organization Future Challenges Apple’s core competency and distinct competency contributes to maintain the competitiveness of it in the market, but its high operating cost structure will impact on its position in the industry. High operating cost structure creates reduces its effectiveness in competitive market. Company’s operational and logistic costs are high above industry average, so it should be considered by the firm in future to maintain success in the industry (Hill & Jones, 2007). In recent time, due to increasing competition in the market, Apple is required to reduce its operational costs. Additionally, Apple could be better prepared to face competition within the industry and actively play roles in price wars through developing lower cost structure and reduce its expenses. To obtain cost advantages, company can shift its strategy from differentiation only to combination of cost leadership and differentiation. Apple already has strong brand value, so it can decrease marketing expenses by reducing the prime time advertising campaign and focusing on social media marketing (Hansen & Mowen, 2006). Apple should also watch the new market and focus on Asian region countries such as China or India to cover the high market share in global market. Cost leadership strategy and new market entry would be beneficial for Apple to maintain its position in the market.
References Griffin, R.W. (2011). Fundamentals of Management (6th ed.). Canada: Cengage Learning. Hansen, D.R. & Mowen, M.M. (2006). Cost Management: Accounting And Control (5th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W.L. & Jones, G.R. (2007). Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach (8th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. & Hoskisson, R.E. (2012). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization (10th ed.). Cengage Learning. Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E. & Hitt, M.A. (2008). Understanding Business Strategy: Concepts and Cases (2nd ed.). Canada: Cengage Learning. Kinney, M.R. & Raiborn, C.A. (2012). Cost Accounting: Foundations and Evolutions (9th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning. O’Grady, J.D. (2009). Apple Inc. Corporations That Changed the World. USA: ABC-CLIO. Ramirez, J. (2011). How Apple Spawned the $7 Billion Apps Market. Retrieved from: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/10/14/How-Apple-Spawned-the-7-Billion-Apps-Market.aspx#page1 Weinstein, A. (2004). Handbook of Market Segmentation: Strategic Targeting for Business and Technology Firms (3rd ed.). USA: Routledge. Yahoo. (2013). Apple Inc. Retrieved from: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=AAPL+Competitors Get 100% original and quality business and organization competencies case study assignment help services from our experts. We assure you that you will get complete assignment help within the deadline and our experts have 15 years experience of proving assignment help to US,UK and Australia students.