Building Business Leaders
Apple Company
Functional Units
Apple Inc. is subdivided into different functional areas, including retail, design, artificial intelligence (AI), hardware, marketing, and machine learning. Firstly, the primary role of the retail/sales team is to introduce people to Apple’s products and help them like the products (Apple Inc., n.d.). Also, the sales team may be involved in community networking and linking professionals with the tools they need for their work.
There is also the design team. Its primary role is to ensure product simplicity and usability. The design team considers how Apple products’ software and hardware features influence user experience (Apple Inc., n.d.). For instance, they are required to ensure the multi-touch feature of the iPhone responds to a user’s intent, regardless of how the device is held.
On the other hand, the machine learning and AI departments are concerned with designing Apple products according to current technological demands. The team collaborates with researchers from all analytics, computing, and storage areas to ensure the products are up-to-date. Another crucial functional area is the operations and supply chain department. The department is primarily concerned with ensuring that Apple products satisfy the global demand (Apple Inc., n.d.). Besides, the department helps the company attain its financial and sales objectives while ensuring an improved user experience.
Besides, the marketing department is another notable functional unit. Apple’s marketing department works directly with engineers and developers during product development. The collaboration is crucial because the marketing department oversees product development from the concept level to the launching stage. Other important work units at Apple include software, hardware, support, and sales and business development.
How Functional Areas at Apple Collaborate
Apple has retained the same functional structure adopted in 1998 to date. Despite the company’s multi-pronged growth over the period, it remains with the same structure. Firstly, the CEO acts as a coordinator since he coordinates various functional units, including design, engineering, operations, and sales (Podolny & Hansen, 2020). On the other hand, the company’s vice presidents are in charge of functions and not the company’s devices. No conventional managers take control of an entire process from development to the launching stage. Notably, Apple avoids concentrating major decisions at the top. Instead, the managers of each unit are fully in charge of their work lines and are needed to fulfill customers’ demands from each unit (Podolny & Hansen, 2020). For instance, if customers are unhappy with the product design, the line manager in charge of the design must take up the complaints and implement corrective measures.
Differentiation from Competitors
One factor that differentiates Apple from its competitors is its management style. The company has a central executive committee makes major decisions regarding design, operating systems, hardware/software, and services. There are no internal silos; thus, various functional units work together seamlessly. Another strategy that gives Apple a competitive edge is the ability to ‘think differently.’ Most of Apple’s products are a result of internal innovations. The company rarely copies what is done by its competitors. Instead, Apple has taken the driver’s seat, and most of its products result from internal innovation.
Lessons from Apple’s CSR Strategies
My company can draw key lessons from Apple’s CSR strategy, one being its concern for global sustainability. To this end, the company had to address concerns about its products’ lifespan. For instance, embedded batteries in most devices tend to get faulty fast. That would cynically be interpreted as a strategy to influence new sales. However, the company has since started to offer credits on old devices, which can eventually be transferred to new purchases.
Apple has made efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The primary objective of the company’s environmental sustainability is to produce carbon-free products by 2030. Its operations have mostly been carbon-free since 2018 to achieve the goal. Besides, the company intends to fully run all its offices and installations on renewable energy. Apple’s CSR initiatives are intended to achieve global health and beauty.
References
Apple Inc. (n.d.). Work at Apple – Careers at Apple. Apple. https://www.apple.com/careers/us/work-at-apple.html
Podolny, J. M., & Hansen, M. T. (2020, November). How Apple Is Organized for Innovation. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/11/how-apple-is-organized-for-innovation
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Question 
For an upcoming town hall with the CEO of your company, all business analysts have been asked to draft a consulting report. This report aimsstand the organizational structure and management style of one global company drawn from a list, to analyze CSR success stories, and to apply best practices in the global health and beauty company you currently work for. First, select a company from the List of Companies document. Next, visit the webpage links provided for the company and identify its various functional areas and its approach to CSR.
Building Business Leaders
Prompt
Your task is to draft a consulting report to your CEO. Your report should include the following information:
Define and differentiate your chosen company’s various functional areas, departments, or business units.
Analyze how these functional areas, departments, or business units work together to achieve strategic and operational goals. For example, consider their product design or customer service achievements.
What sets your chosen company apart from its competitors?
What strategies of your chosen company can be applied to the global health and beauty company you currently work for in this scenario?
The shortlisted reports will be shared with your CEO. Clear communication is an important facet of management, so please check your proposal for correct spelling and grammar.