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Analyse the organisational culture and the influence/impact leadership has had on it.

Apples culture has been described as mostly turbulent in nature, and seen as forever changing (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp. 97). Firstly created and shaped by the breakthrough of the Mackintosh, and recently transformed through new digital products such as; the ipod, iphone, and the ipad (http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au 2011, pp. 2). Apples mission was to create and construct technological products that users would find elegant and simple to use (http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au 2011, pp.3). Jobs passion was to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp. 97). Some leaders push innovations by being good at the big picture, others do so by mastering details, Jobs ability boasted the achievement of both (www.time.com.au 2011, pp.20). E.g. Jobs visionary expertise was demonstrated when he was approached by an employee who asked if they should do some market research to see what customers wanted Jobs answered no, because customers dont know what they want until weve shown them this hinged from his amazing valence of empathy about understanding what his customers wanted (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp. 97). Jobs mastery of details produced some of the best products ever made specifically, " the circuit board of the inside of the Apple II, where he sent the engineers back to the drawing board to design a circuit board where the chips lined up neatly on each side of the board (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp.99). This reflected the mark of an artist to have such a passion for perfection, these were lessons he learnt as a very young boy from his father (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp.99). These positive influences including Jobs extraordinary charisma and leadership skills, was what brought together so many diverse personalities to Apple, the different way he channeled their talent so productively that he was able to inspire people to surpass what they even believed they could accomplish (http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au 2011, pp2). Their culture was brought to life through Jobs ability to focus on the

individuals underlying core values which gave personal meaning (some positive and some negatively), to each individuals membership (Lussier & Achua 2010, pp. 370). Apples competitors Microsoft, Intel, and Google took the usual route to platform leadership with inexpensive style, or free products where as Apple, was led by Steve Jobs strategic vision, demonstrated a path to platform leadership, not just for niche product segment but, design of products that continually set new standards. (http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au 2011, pp.2). Jobs ferocity beat Microsoft and Google at their own platform game however, this was not his motivator he cared most about the impact that technology and innovation delivered and could have on peoples lives (http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au 2011,pp.2). 431 words

How has the leader shaped the organisation and/or the industry in which it is situated? From the core, Apple has been endowed with Steve Jobs DNA (Isaacson 2011,pp. 527). His personality traits such as; intuitive cognitive ability, energy, internalizing control, self-confidence, and imagination that made it integral to Jobs way of doing business (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp.93). During his time, Jobs shaped Apple through the revolution of six industries; personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing and digital publishing thus became the greatest business executive of our era (www.time.com 2011, pp.20). Jobs impatience, petulance, and toughness towards the people around him resulted from his desire to work with only the best and get the best, amazingly he influenced belief in others that they could, if they also believed, to accomplish what seemed to be impossible Harvard Business Review pp. 100. E.g. The expectation of Wozs creation of a game called (Breakout), was created in four days when originally was thought that would take months (Harvard Business Review 2012, pp.97). To some extent Jobs demonstrated transformational leadership though amazing creativity and innovation e.g. marrying product ideas with technological solutions,

combined with his unbelievable risk taking and decision making techniques presented some very pressured moments at Apple (www.time.com 2011, pp.20). His leadership transferred to his followers who in turn became some of the best creative designers and daredevil engineers of all times by embracing Jobs ways and carrying forward his vision (www.time.com 2011, pp.20). Furthermore, at times Jobs autocratic leadership style particularly his single-minded vision made him difficult, demanding, regularly unreasonable, and with his impossible perfectionist ways astonishingly enabled Apple to keep growing and build a great and successful company (www.time.com 2011, pp.38).257 words.

References

Isaacson, W., 2011, Steve Jobs, Little Brown Book Company London. Isaason, W. 2012, The Real Leadership of Lessons of Steve Jobs, Harvard Business Review pp.93-102 Lussier, R., N., & Achua C., F., 2010, Leadership, Theory,Application & Skill Development , 4th Ed, South Western Cengage Learning. http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=24&sid=7 c30ad33-cdda-4f3f-ada9cac347703b7b%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=b uh&AN http://www.time.com

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