Question

Assess the history and trends of operations management for Apple, Inc, focusing on the business or company from their business plane. Specifically, assess the significant forces that have shaped operations management in recent history

Answer 1

Answer:

Apple Inc.’s operations management (OM) involves the application of the 10 decisions of OM to ensure that all aspects of the business are running smoothly. In tasks the executives, the 10 choices identify with so many viewpoints as item plan, quality administration, procedure and limit structure, and area technique, just as stock administration, among other operational regions. For Apple's situation, the 10 choices of activities the board are deliberately actualized through composed endeavors in item structure and advancement, deals and promoting, and the association's store network, alongside the organization's different business zones. With significant administration in the PC innovation and computerized content dissemination businesses, Apple Inc. is an example of success in addressing the 10 decision areas of operations management. Operational effectiveness and strategies involving technological innovation help the business thrive, in spite of competition involving Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, Sony, Google, Amazon, Samsung, Wal-Mart, and other companies. This success highlights the importance of Apple’s strategic approaches to achieve high productivity goals and objectives in operations management areas.
Apple Inc. has a committed group of ranking directors, every one of which handles the usage of measures to address the 10 choices of activities the board. The organization has astounding execution in augmenting effectiveness in activities the board. This operational efficiency translates to competitive advantages and capabilities that fulfill strategic objectives, ultimately leading to the achievement of Apple’s corporate mission and vision statements
Apple Inc.: 10 Decision Areas of Operations Management
1. Design of Goods and Services. Apple's procedures in the structure of its items are dealt with through various hierarchical segments and authorities. For instance, the advancement and generation of Macs include a Senior VP for Mac Hardware Engineering and a VP for Mac Software Engineering. This coordination mirrors the nature and qualities of the corporate structure of Apple Inc. In this decision area of operations management, these VPs coordinate with the company’s Senior VP for Operations. The system of interactions ensures that the outputs in this operational area are successful in making Apple excel in the design of its technological products.
2. Quality Management. This decision area of operations management emphasizes quality standards and controls. Apple Inc.’s Senior VP for Operations coordinates with eight other Senior VPs to ensure compliance with the company’s quality standards. The organization is known for amazing models that penetrate distinctive regions of the business, including item structure and advancement, retail, promoting, online deals, mechanical plan, and human asset the executives
3. Process and Capacity Design. Apple's human asset the board techniques incorporate help to boost workforce limit with respect to item improvement and plan. Moreover, the organization works with providers to guarantee proficient procedures and satisfactory limit in this choice zone of tasks the board. For instance, suppliers are given directives for process design, as well as the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct to optimize their human resource management. Moreover, Apple Inc. strives for innovation in its facilities to optimize capacity and process efficiency. Thus, the company has a comprehensive approach for this decision area of operations management.
4. Location Strategy. Apple Inc's. Area methodology is specific, including constrained approval of merchants. Be that as it may, most approved merchants are situated in urban focuses to amplify pedestrian activity and brand introduction. At present, the organization has many stores in excess of 20 nations around the globe. Despite this limited approach to seller authorization, the company is now among the most profitable in the world, and Apple Stores have the highest revenue per square foot of retail space in the United States
5. Layout Design and Strategy. Apple’s layout design and strategy emphasize customer expectations. For example, company-owned and authorized-seller stores are spacious with minimal décor to ensure focus on Apple products. In the company’s other facilities, this decision area of operations management is addressed through innovative office layouts that encourage creativity and efficiency of workflows. Creativity is a critical factor among employees involved in product design and development processes at Apple Inc.
6. Job Design and Human Resources. This choice zone of tasks the board requires work plan and human asset methodologies explicit to the patterns in significant HR the executives needs. For Apple's situation, work plan and HR techniques depend on Steve Jobs' unique accentuation on brilliance. However, the company has been gradually changing its HR strategies under Tim Cook to reflect a more sociable workplace for optimum employee morale.
7. Supply Chain Management. Apple’s supply chain is among the most efficient and streamlined in the world. To address this decision area of operations management, the company uses automation of processes and regular monitoring of suppliers. This monitoring evaluates supplier capacity and productivity, as well as compliance with the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct.
8. Inventory Management. In this choice region of tasks the board, Apple Inc. utilizes diverse techniques for stock administration, for example, the serialized strategy for successful following and control of items. The organization additionally utilizes the first in, first out (FIFO) strategy, which guarantees that most old-display units are sold before new Apple item models are discharged to the market. Apple Store managers also handle the inventory management of their respective stores.
9. Scheduling. Apple Inc. applies this decision area of operations management through a combination of automation and manual processes. Computerization is utilized for booking exercises in the inventory network and generation forms. Then again, manual planning is utilized for individual Apple Stores and in certain parts of the organization's workplaces. The fundamental point of the firm in this choice region of tasks the board is to amplify the limit use of offices, hardware and HR.
10. Maintenance. Apple Inc. addresses upkeep needs through committed support groups. For instance, the organization has diverse upkeep groups for its different offices. Apple's IT groups likewise work as support groups for the company's servers and other IT resources. The VP for Human Resources ensures that the company’s personnel are always at adequate capacity to maintain high performance at the company’s facilities. Thus, Apple effectively addresses this decision area of operations management.