COMPANY: APPLE

Assignment 1:

The purpose of this assignment is provide you with the opportunity to analyze the mission/vision statements of an organization and to be able to create mission/vision statements. After you complete this assignment,  you would have mastered  two skills, which are 1) ability to critique existing mission and vision statements, and 2) being able to write a new mission and a new vision statement.

Instructions:

Select a company from the Company list – APPLE

Critique the mission statement and indicate which of the nine (9) characteristics and nine (9) components of a mission statement discussed in the textbook, the company’s mission complies with.
Develop an improved mission statement for the selected company. Include this improved mission statement in your assignment submission.
Critique the vision statement for the organization.
Write a one sentence vision statement for the chosen organization company.

Characteristics of a Mission Statement

Broad in scope; does not include monetary amounts, numbers, percentages, ratios, or objectives
Fewer than 150 words in length
Inspiring
Identifies the utility of a firm’s products
Reveals that the firm is socially responsible
Reveals that the firm is environmentally responsible
Includes nine components: customers, products or services, markets, technology, concern for survival/growth/profits, philosophy, self-concept, concern for public image, concern for employees
Reconciliatory
Enduring
Develop an improved mission statement for the selected company. Include this improved mission statement in your assignment submission.
Critique the vision statement for the organization.
Write a one sentence vision statement for the chosen organization company.

Nine components:

Customers—Who are the firm’s customers?
Products or services—What are the firm’s major products or services?
Markets—Geographically, where does the firm compete?
Technology—Is the firm technologically current?
Survival, growth, and profitability—Is the firm committed to growth and financial soundness?
Philosophy—What are the basic beliefs, values, aspirations, and ethical priorities of the firm?
Self-concept (distinctive competence)—What is the firm’s major competitive advantage?
Public image—Is the firm responsive to social, community, and environmental concerns?
Employees—Are employees a valuable asset of the firm?

Assignment 2:

This assignment will teach you about how to conduct research, write a professional report to communicate your findings, and incorporating APA style in your paper.

Instructions:

Select the same company you used for your week two (2) individual assignment. – APPLE
Write a paper no more than 1000 words in which you discuss what strategies the selected company should pursue.
Go to the company’s website and click on Newsroom.
Read through the most recent 10 press releases.
Determine two strategies the company is actually pursuing.
Give at least two (2) pros and at least two (2) cons of those two new strategies the company is pursuing.
What strategy or strategies would you recommend for your chosen company? Explain the rationale for proposing the selected strategy or strategies.
Present an outline as to how to achieve the strategy/strategies. For example, you recommend any of the strategies below, then outline the steps the company needs to take in order to achieve it.

Strategies:  Cooperation among competitors, joint venture/partnering, merger/acquisition, private equity acquisitions, first mover advantage, outsourcing, etc.

Would you recommend that the company consider a combination of multiple strategies?  Why?  Below are strategies that you could propose to management.

Backward integration

Related diversification
Forward integration

Unrelated diversification

Horizontal integration

Retrenchment

Product development

Divestiture Market development

Liquidation

Product penetration

APA Requirement

Assignment 3

This assignment will give you the chance to review a company’s annual report, act as a consultant for a well-established organization. You will also be able to  conduct research, use a strategic analysis tool to analyze a company, write an executive summary to communicate your findings, and incorporate APA style in your writing.

Instructions:

Assignment  hired as a consultant to perform a Strategic Analysis for APPLE at this point in the analysis you are required to:

Develop a SPACE Matrix for the company.

Review the company’s business as described in the company’s most recent Form 10K.
Review industry and competitive information pertaining to the company.
Write a one page executive overview, summarizing strategies that you recommend for this business segment, given your SPACE analysis. Be specific as to your recommendations.

You should submit:

Executive overview. Overview should be formatted using APA style.
Space Matrix (should be included in the overview). Use the excel template and submit the excel file along with your overview.

APA Requirement