Module Code: SM0374: Strategic management Apple INC
Module Code SM0374: Strategic management Apple INC Module Code: SM0374 Module Title: Strategic Management and Leadership Distributed on: w/c 24/10/11 Hand in Date: First week of assessment period Task A [85% weighting] Write a management report on Apple Inc. Two or three relevant articles will be posted on Bb to start you off, but you are expected to carry out your own research on the company, markets and industry. The report should not exceed 3,000 words (excluding references and appendices) and should have the following structure with each section numbered exactly as shown below: Section/Title Details/Guidance Cover Page Include module code, student name, ID and word count for the main text. Do not add pictures - keep the page clear and simple. Contents Include page numbers. Introduction [10 marks] Company background. Include its main products/services; recent financial data; its main markets and competitors; your definition of the industries to which the company belongs. The business environment in the last ten years [25 marks] Focus on the industry most relevant to the i-Phone. Analyse the macro-environment using the PESTEL framework and use the analysis to identify and explain the key features and trends that have encouraged or restricted the growth in the industry over the last ten years. Discuss how intense is competitive rivalry in the industry in 2011. Conclude this section with a list of the key success factors for companies in the industry in 2011. The company’s sources of competitive advantage in August 2011 [25 marks] Focus on the i-Phone and related products/services. Analyse and evaluate areas such as products, resources (including financial resources) and value-adding activities. Use your evaluation to identify and evaluate the sources of the company’s competitive advantage together with any weaknesses. The company’s competitive strategy [10 marks] Identify, with justification, the competitive strategy followed by the company. Explain carefully how the sources of...