Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2005
A Strategic Management
Case Study
+ =
Companies not seeing Apple as compatible with their software. 0.10 2 0.20
Apple’s niche audience provides the company with some 0.10 3 0.30
insulation from the direct price competition.
Weaknesses
Date Book Value/ Share Debt/Equity ROE (%) ROA (%) Interest Coverage
1.iTunes Music Store is a good source of revenue, especially with the iPod 1.Weak relationship with Intel and Microsoft.
and the availability on Windows platform. 2.Weak presence in business arena.
2.Developing own software and hardware. 3.Dependency on new product launches.
3.Apple’s niche audience provides the company with some insulation from 4.Weak presence in markets other than education and
the direct price competition. publishing.
4.Revamping desktop and notebook lines. 5.Slow turnaround on high demand products.
5.Web technology can be used to improve product awareness and sales.
6.Low debt—more maneuverable.
7.Good brand loyalty.
1.Increase in worms and viruses on PCs. 1.Increase awareness through the Web of the immunity of Mac products 1.Increase ties with Microsoft and Intel and their
2.Large population (Gen X & Y) which are extremely to worms and viruses. products.(W1, W2, W4 O2, O3)
individualistic and name brand conscious. (S5, O1) 2.Promote to business the safety of having a worm
3.Government crackdown on pirating music off the Internet. 1.Advertise using individuals that will link Generation X & Y to the and virus free computer by using Mac. (W2, W4, O1,
4.Much of the world is still without computers. iTunes and other related products. (S1, O2, O4, O5) O5).
5.People enjoy small electronic gadgets. 2.Use movies and music groups that are geared towards Gen X 3.Expand production into Asia (W2, O4).
and Y to promote computers and laptops. (S3, S5, O2, O5)
1.Companies not seeing Apple as compatible with their 1.Increase and promote the compatibility to Windows operating system. 1.Improve relationship with Microsoft and Intel so
software. (S5,T1) that companies will see them as compatible. (W1, W2
2.Dell and HP are major competitors. 2.Promote the originality of Apple computers and the different style and T1)
3.Increasing competition with music downloads. stable system that is worth the price difference in style, stability and speed. 2.Produce Wintel Compatible products (W1, T1).
4.Competition produces similar products at often half the (S2, S5, T2, T4, T5)
price.
5.The population at large unwilling to use Macintosh.
Conservative
IV V VI
Medium
2-2.99
VII VIII IX
Low
1-1.99
II IInternational
Medium
0
Cash Cows Dogs
III IV
Low
-20
Backward Integration X X 2
Horizontal Integration X X 2
Market Penetration X X X 3
Market Development X X X 3
Product Development X X X X 4
Concentric Diversification X X 2
Conglomerate Diversification X X 2
Horizontal Diversification X X 2
Joint Venture X 1
Retrenchment
Divestiture X 1
Liquidation
Apple’s niche audience provides the company with some insulation from the 0.10 --- --- --- ---
direct price competition.
Revamping desktop and notebook lines. 0.10 --- --- --- ---
Low debt—more maneuverable. 0.06 1.00 0.06 4.00 0.24
Developing own software and hardware. 0.14 --- --- --- ---
Good brand loyalty. 0.05 4.00 0.20 3.00 0.15
Web technology can be used to improve product awareness and sales. 0.10 4.00 0.40 3.00 0.30
Weaknesses
Increase in worms and virus on PCs. 0.15 1.00 0.15 3.00 0.45
Large population (Gen X & Y) which are extremely individualistic and name brand 0.15 1.00 0.15 4.00 0.60
conscious.
Government crackdown on pirating music off the Internet. 0.05 1.00 0.05 4.00 0.20
Much of the world is still without computers. 0.10 1.00 0.10 4.00 0.40
People enjoy small electronic gadgets. 0.10 --- --- --- ---
Threats
Companies not seeing Apple as compatible with their software. 0.10 4.00 0.40 2.00 0.20
Dell and HP are major competitors. 0.10 1.00 0.10 3.00 0.30
Increasing competition with music downloads. 0.05 --- --- --- ---
Competition produces similar products at often half the price. 0.10 --- --- --- ---
The population at large unwilling to use Macintosh. 0.10
Re
EBIT $500
Interest
® 2007, Tony Gauvin, UMFK Re
42
Implementation Issues
• Moving production overseas
– Unsettling for current workforce
– MIS Integration problems
– Change in culture
– May damage brand (Made in USA)
– Environmental outlook
• New marketing strategies
– Paradox of marketing to deficiencies of Wintel platform while
becoming cross platform capable
• Forward integration issues
– Do we have the talent to become direct sellers
– Cross selling competitors peripherals >> Brand Dilution?
• 2006
– iPods add Video
– Content from Disney, ABC, ESPN, SOAPnet
– Stock soars by 120%
– iPod morphs to
• Shuffle
• Nano
– Goes to Intel Architecture
– Sales increase by 45%
– Gross margin increase by 8%
• 2007
– iPhone
– Sales predicted to increase by 35%
– Gross profit margin predicted to increase by 8%
http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/charting.asp?symbol=AAPL
® 2007, Tony Gauvin, UMFK
47
Resources
• Case Notes
– Forest David; Francis Marion University
• Form 10-K SEC Filing, Sept. 25, 2005
• Datamonitor
– SWOT Apple 2004 & 2005
– PCs in the United States 2005
– Consumer Electronics in the United States 2005
– Market Watch
• Apple: Unix for the people, Unix for the masses 2005
• Value line Investment survey
– Apple 2007
– Computer Peripherals 2007
http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/images/apple-question.gif
® 2007, Tony Gauvin, UMFK
49