Apple Case Analysis
I. Industry Environment
The industry environment is the set of factors that directly influences a firm and its competitive actions and competitive responses: the threat of new entrants, the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, the threat of product substitutes, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors (Hit, Ireland, and Hoskisson, p.40). In this case, Apple is just one of the many competitors in a saturated markets offering both hardware and software for personal computer systems. Intense players such as, HP/Compaq, Dell, Gateway, and Microsoft all take substantial market share in the industries Apple is competing with. Today in the computer hardware industry there is intense competition and the only way to gain market share is to take customers away from the competition; Dell, Gateway, and HP/ Compaq. Dell runs a direct-to-customer business which offers consumers lower prices, increased customization, and outstanding customer support. Gateway offers a service similar to Dell, but complements it with brick and mortar locations where customers can interact with sales representatives. HP/Compaq plans to focus on innovation in order to keep the large customer base they have already attained.
In the software sector, the competitor base is rather different where one company, Microsoft, has substantial market share on PC based machines. However Apple offers its own operating system on its own Apple computers, the software is not compatible with PCs. It can be said the market share in the software industry is directly proportional to how many hardware units it sells, and also how well it can get consumers to upgrade to their new OS X operating system. Apple with 6 percent in the desktop market and 10 portable has been fighting a losing battle for market share in the education market to companies like Dell. Apple is hoping to find new markets to enter with its iTunes, iPod, and iMac products.
II. Porter’s Five Forces Model
1. Threat of New Entrants: In the software industry barriers for entry are extremely high; Microsoft and Apple hold access to the distribution channels and the large capital requirements needed to enter. Also as new entrants try to enter the market both companies would retaliate in order to hold on to their market share. In the hardware industry newer firms can revolutionize a industry ...
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...during this time, management should have realized that the company’s true value was bringing to the market a highly differentiated product based on form, features, design, and quality. Although this has taken some time, I believe Apple has finally arrived at this conclusion and its strategy today incorporates the company’s core competencies and value added benefits. Apple adopted a competitive strategy that vertically integrates these complementary products that include the iPod, digital cameras, PDA’s, and wireless devices. In an effort to gain market share, Apple is pursuing several growth strategies. Obvious to this pursuit is international market expansion into the explosive Asian and European markets. Domestically, Apple is focusing on three variables concerning its growth strategy. Firstly, it must convert nonusers before they choose a competitor. Secondly, they need to enter new markets such as server based and mainframe computers. Thirdly, they are trying to win their competitors’ customer base through aggressive advertising and promotion.
Works Cited:
Hitt M., Ireland D., Hoskisson R.(2005). Strategic Manangement: Competitiveness and Globalization, Ohio: Thomson.
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