Apple's Sustainable Competitive Advantage - Loyalty. Strategic Enablers within Apple. Apple’s generic strategy of broad differentiation adds competitive advantage by making the business stand out. Why or why not? The purpose of this essay is to discuss theoretical ideas behind creating and sustaining global competitive advantage; then applying these in an analysis of Apple Inc. Except for Google and Samsung Electronics, few other companies could seriously attempt to challenge Apple’s competitive advantage… He said “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”. Apple entered the market with its own not-so-smart speaker, at a premium price of $200. To have a competitive advantage a company should have a right strategy, consequently to have distinctive competences and as a result to have good resources and capabilities, Inch bring high profitability to the company. Value is what buyers are willing to pay, and superior value stems from offering lower prices than competitors for equivalent benefits or providing unique benefits that more than offset a higher price. I sit on a lot of PC company advisory boards, and, while this may surprise you, I actually point out Apple's competitive advantages on a regular basis. When Apple developed the Macintosh, it was very easy to use, had an industrial design, and technical elegance. Looking forward to the future, with no Steve Jobs, Apple’s competitive advantage is not sustainable. Can your business gain a Competitive Advantage through a Loss Prevention Program Every business with employees, retail customers, deals with cash and inventory; factors in "shrink" as an ordinary business write-off. Blue ocean vs. five forces. The first enabler is the leader, Steve Jobs who is CEO of Apple and co-founded in 1976. A more complete definition is based on competitive advantage, the object of most corporate strategy: “Competitive advantage grows out of value a firm is able to create for its buyers that exceeds the firm's cost ... Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. Major core competencies are identifiable through a VRIO analysis of Apple Inc. However, another possible reason could be Apple’s loss of competitive advantage vis-à-visits competitors. I … Apple’s PCs relied on proprietary designs that only Apple could produce.   While the term is commonly used for businesses, the strategies work for any organization, country, or individual in a competitive environment. This "planned loss" can be greatly minimized … Apple Inc.'s Sustainable Competitive Advantages Apple's closed ecosystem and brand appeal will protect its core iPhone business from hungry rivals. But it's the Apple Music, Apple's music streaming service, could be a competitive advantage that kept people on the iPhone, but it is currently available to both Android and Apple users. The end result of this paper will demonstrate how well Apple controls its competitive forces. An example of this is Apple’s differentiated expertise in software, hardware, and services. Because, hey, why not? Personal Computer Industry and dynamics. The creation of iPod, especially the one with the Windows operational system access, became one … Apple Inc. – Form 10-K. Apple Inc.’s E-commerce Website. Apple also spent more money on its Research and Development. However, it is clear Apple has several key “advantages” over other companies. Innovation is at the heart of Apple Inc.’s business. defines competitive advantage and discusses strategies to consider when building a competitive advantage, as well as ways to assess the competitive advantage of a venture. There are two main types of competitive advantages that exist and they are the: Comparative Advantage Expertise in building quality products at low cost. Rivalry Among Established Firms-HIGH Google, Apple’s second largest competitor is very good at software, application software and services, but has only developed a few unsuccessful hardware products. Looking toward the future, is Apple’s competitive advantage sustainable? Five Strategy Tools to Gain Competitive Advantage - Free eBook in PDF Format. Advantage #1: The Fed As of June 24, the Federal Reserve printed $8.7 billion to buy corporate bonds. The problem for me is Apple… Jobs created apples competitive advantage through his risk taking and bold new ideas, something that Tim Cook does not share with his predecessor. What Is Competitive Advantage? Figure 1 below illustrates the essence of apple value chain analysis. 469-474) • Compare Apple’s and BlackBerry’s drivers for firm profitability for 2011 (see p.470 for 2012). Indeed, from the Apple II in the year 1978, trough the Macintosh in the year 1984 area and till the introduction of iPod and iTunes in the 21st century, the firm has been developing its competitive advantage on … Competitive advantage grows fundamentally out of value a firm is able to create for its buyers that exceeds the firm's cost of creating it. In this type of strategy, a company gains competitive advantage by venturing into an existing market and building on the weaknesses of its competitors. Some other advantages are there too which helped Samsung to become one of the top three electronics industry in the world. Loyal customers are important strategic assets which gives the firm a sustainable competitive advantage over competitors. But as theInternational Business Times recently highlighted, one of the secret elements aiding Apple’s competitive advantage is the integration of different products into a suite that draws users into an entire ecosystem of consumer electronics that interface seamlessly onto one platform. … Apple’s strongest forces of control serve as competitive advantage over the markets, and furthermore accurately explain how Apple can maintain its dominant position in … These are few major competitive advantages of Samsung. Apple’s current competitive advantages can be linked to its initial competitive advantage because user’s now-a-days value the user experience just like when Mac was initially introduced (Bajg, 2012). Based on the VRIO framework, Apple’s competitive advantage will be assessed in this paper.One of Apple’s most valuable resources and capabilities is indisputably its strong brand name and marketingstrategy. At the outset, Apple hadmany competitive advantages that allowed it to become a profitable business. From this idea, he thought that the innovation is the key to get competitive advantage. Using the star analysis, I will examine how the company achieves global competitive advantage by […] International Business Global competitive advantage – creating and sustaining: the case of Apple Inc. A Magic Mouse from Apple. Other competitive advantages are: A culture that embraces cultural differences and adapts approaches to local markets. The company's strength is product, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers. Book Description - ISBN 978-1-62828-933-6 (40 Pages) This free eBook describes five tools available to managers that help them to gain a competitive advantage within their market sector. Research does suggest that a Apple Case Study What were Apple’s Competitive Advantages? Apple had a huge competitive advantage because they entered the smartphone and tablet market much earlier than most of its competitors. Click the PDF icon below to download the eBook from the Online Library. Javalgi and Moberg (1997) hypothesized that loyalty can be discussed either as a behavior or an attitude. Apple value chain analysis is an analytical framework that assists in identifying business activities that can create value and competitive advantage to the business. The main competitive strategy of Apple Inc is developing new and innovative products that blend technology and art. Unlike Apple Inc, Samsung uses the red ocean strategy. Types of Competitive Advantages. Another advantage is that Apple`s products are easy and very comfortable to use. Competitive advantage can be attributed to a variety of factors including cost structure, branding, and the quality of product offerings, distribution networks, intellectual property, and customer service. References. Competitive advantages can be broken down into comparative advantages and differential advantages. Such competencies are clear competitive advantages for the company’s long-term profitability in the computer, consumer electronics, and online digital products industries and beyond. New Macs, iPads and iPhones got a price bump, too. The Internet’s Impact on Competitive Advantage Using Information Systems to Achieve Competitive Advantage Essentials of Management Information Systems Chapter 3 Achieving Competitive Advantage with Information Systems Comparing Apple and Blackberry Mini-case #16 (pp. The Essence of Competitive Advantage To begin, it may be helpful to take a more in-depth look at what it means to have a competitive advantage: an edge over the competition. The invention of the iTunes Music Store also became one of the advantages (Lashinsky, 2011). A competitive advantage is what makes an entity's goods or services superior to all of a customer's other choices. Mr. Competitive advantage is having a superior performance relative to your competitors. The ease of use has been Apple’s first competitive advantage. 'Attitudinal loyalty' (i.e. Why Apple Has a Strong Competitive Advantage Ben Bajarin on June 2, 2011 One of the primary things about being an effective technology industry analyst is that I have to clearly communicate our perspectives about the technology industry as a whole to my firms clients. Apple launched their iPhone, iPod, and iPad that put them in a very strong position against the threat of substitutes. –Calculate some key profitability, activity, leverage, liquidity, and market ratios for Apple and Blackberry. This part of the Five Forces analysis shows that Apple must maintain its competitive advantage through innovation and marketing to remain strong against new entrants’ moderate competitive force. Apple's competitive advantage is growing in the smartphone, tablet and personal computer categories. 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