Essay on Apple Computer and Long-Term Success - 1570 Words

In the 1970s, technologies such as video cassette recorders and personal computers were revolutionizing the industry. Co-founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, were drawn to this technology revolution and in 1976 started Apple Computers (Abdelsamad et al., 2008). The combination of their charisma and intellect enabled them to design the Apple I computer. Today, Apple is one of the leading technology companies in the world. However, internal factors such as Apple’s unclear marketing plan, employee work life negligence, and financial-legal issues have negatively affected their performance and sullied their corporate reputation. Apple worked to correct the issues that were detracting from their performance and has had great success in†¦show more content†¦The union was created to regulate and improve the working condition in this location. While outsourcing certain business functions to a country that has lower wages can allow the company to operate more efficiently and save money, it is imperative that the company treat these employees with dignity and adhere to labor regulations (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2007). Finally, Apple’s corporate reputation was tarnished due to the financial and legal incidents that the company encountered in 2006. Twenty-six years after Apple’s initial public offering, the company narrowly escaped being delisted from the NASDAQ stock exchange for not adhering to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) reporting timelines. This potentially damaging delisting threat was the result of controversy surrounding the backdating of company stock options from 1997 to 2002 (Abdelsamad et al., 2008). Trust between the shareholder and the company faltered and Apple’s share price fell almost $25.00 (Robertson, 2006). Additionally in 2006, Apple was forced to recall 1.8 million hazardous Sony laptop batteries being used in Apple products (â€Å"Apple recalls,† 2006). These batteries were found to be dangerous after several Apple customers saw their batteries spontaneously burst into flames. Though Sony covered the cost of replacing the batteries, Apple customersShow MoreRelatedApple : A Competitive Market1622 Words   |  7 Pagesmarket. Apple is a prime example of a company that is in a competitive market has had many innovations since its creation to help it stand out from other companies in the computer technology industry. Apple is one of the leading computer manufacturing companies and has been known for innovations in both technology and aesthetically pleasing products. Apple more well-known devices include the I-Phone which revolutionized the mobile phone industry, and the I-Mac Laptops and home computers which haveRead MoreLeadership and Innovation at Apple, Inc. 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