What makes Apple Inc. the best place to work and why?

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Apple Inc. is the ideal company worth working for. It is an information technology company that is focused on making consumer products such as computers, music players, tablets, mobile phones and television (Reuters, 2018). Apple is famous as a brand due to its ability to address individual consumer’s demands. To become the best technology company, Apple incorporates the skills of software engineers, developers, development managers, design engineers and hardware engineers. The salaries of the various professions vary but are relatively high as compared to other companies like Samsung Electronics. The company has an opportunity for advancement. It trains its employees and prepares them for management positions when room arises.

Apple Inc. has favorable working conditions. It holds onto the belief that each individual who makes Apple products is entitled to a healthy and a safe workplace. It safeguards its employees from the harmful substances such as benzene by ensuring that all their electronic suppliers meet the US safety requirement standards as set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Apple Inc. upholds human rights and labor requirements by providing an environment free from discrimination, excess working hours, unfair wages, mistreatment, and involuntary labor. The working hours are set at 60 hours per week and a day of rest with emergency exceptions.

Apple Inc. is best known for the Mac line PC systems, the iPad products, the iPhone smartphone and the iPod media player. OS X is their major operating system. The company is facing competition from other technology firms majorly from Samsung. Samsung is one of the giant electric makers in the entire world. It prides itself on making electronics such as TVs and appliances, mobile and IT communication such as smartphones and device solutions such as displays and semiconductors (Rasheed, Nawaz, & Abbas, 2012). Apple and Samsung compete neck-and-neck in realizing the best products, higher sales and profits, and revenues. Between the two, however, Apple ranks higher than Samsung. In 2016, despite Samsung selling more than thirty smartphones while Apple only capitalized in three Apple made thrice the revenues made by Samsung. Apple’s competitive advantage is due to their durable and technologically advanced products (Rasheed et al., 2012). Their products have leading iOS software, unbeatable hardware designs, prized brand, and app ecosystem. The product abilities give Apple the advantage of higher prizes in the market compare to similar products from other companies. Apple makes its products with a consumer focus. They grow with the consumer needs and produce what individual consumer wants. Samsung has a lower ration compared to Apple despite it higher sales. Apple has discouraged new entrants to the communication company that could be a source of competition. The manufacturing cost associated with mobile and electronic devices is high (Rasheed et al., 2012). New entrants may not be able to sustain their existence. Apple remains competitive by producing its parts. Apple therefore is fit for the external environment due to its competitive advantage.

Workplace diversity entails having a heterogeneous workforce. Diversity is important in the creation of innovative products and unique service delivery. It can drive the company towards competitive advantage and success. A diverse workforce attracts and puts to use different talents, voices and ideas. Human resource is considered a more useful resource for development as compared to natural resources. Apple has built on the idea that creativity and innovation vary among people. It believes that inclusion and innovation go hand-hand (Apple.com, 2018). They have a representation of all races and gender, religion, age, ethnicity, identity and ability within their workforce. In 2016, the company had a representation of 54% white people, 18% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 8% Black, 2% multiracial, 1% other nationalism (Doan, 2016). Over the years, the company has focused on employing women who have been in the minority. In 2015, they hired more than 11,000 women a sixty-five percent increase from the previous year (Doan, 2016). Therefore, Apple provides an opportunity for everyone to pursue their dreams.

Apple is committed in adhering to higher ethical and moral standards. The company has a responsibility towards the environment, their employees, and the government and to their consumers.  To meet the ethical requirements, Apple has a clear code of conduct that it strictly adheres to. Apple Supplier Code of Conducts requires that all suppliers regardless of the country conduct themselves accordingly regarding to health and safety, labor, human rights and environmental protection (Apple2, 2014). Suppliers are required to remain ethical in all their endeavors. They should be responsible in outsourcing minerals. The minerals should not be from conflicted areas, violate human rights or involve the use of child labor. Suppliers should practice business integrity with no corruption, embezzlement and extortion. They should be clear on how they conduct their businesses with regard to health and safety and labor. Suppliers should also engage in community engagement. Morally, Apple is committed to protecting the environment (Apple2, 2014). Suppliers are expected to comply with Apple’s regulated Substances specifications and permits. Hazardous waste should be managed, reduced, disposed of responsibly or recycled.

Apple is leading in innovation. Each product they release is unique and better than their previous product (Johnson et al., 2012). The smartphones are the masterpiece of innovation. They are designed from their hardware to the operating system. Their products have changed with the changes in technology. In 1984, the company released the Macintosh which has become the basis of better computers today.  Later, the release of the iPod allowed people to listen to multiple songs without the use of CDs (Johnson et al., 2012). The iPhone combined different technologies to allow execution of command with the touch of a figure. Currently, Apple has introduced the Apple Watch and is focused on developing more innovative products. Without a doubt, innovation and the development of new products is one of the driving forces behind Apple’s success.

Apple operates on teamwork. It is one of their importance values and practice that has made it one of the leading giants in the communication market. The company divides its work into smaller projects and gives a project to a team. One person is appointed to head the team. The teams meet once in a week to discuss progress. All employers are closely knitted from the top managers to the lower positions. They work harmoniously .The teams are trusted to deliver without the need to micromanage them. Steve Jobs outlined how as the CEO he always welcomed new ideas and would in wonderful arguments based on ideas. Currently, Tim Cook is renowned for working smoothly with managers and other employees (DuBrin, 2015). Through teamwork, Apple has enabled individuals to grow and the organization to achieve its mission of re-inventing the mobile phone.

Finally, U.S. organizations have tried to incorporate diversity into their operations. Diversity enables the inclusion of different ideas that could impact the overall performance of the company. However, diversity affects communication (Doan, 2016). A diversified workplace has people with different languages, cultures and non-verbal orientations. Slang, styles, linguistic and humor can vary between native and non-native speakers. Communication is important in teamwork projects where each individual is expected to contribute. Poor communication can affect productivity and impact negatively on employee performance. A strategy to address the effects of diversity in the workplace should be to educate employees on the need to understand diversity and how it impacts communication.

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  1. Apple.com. (2018). Inclusion and diversity. Apple Inc.. Retrieved 14 January 2018, from https://www.apple.com/diversity/
  2. Apple. (2014). Apple’s Commitment to Safe Working Conditions in Our Supply Chain. Retrieved from: https://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/commitment_to_safe_working_conditions_082014.pdf
  3. DuBrin, A. (2015). Ledership: Reserch findings, practice, and skills. Cengage Learning
  4. Doan, D. (2016). Finnish SMEs’ perspectives on workforce diversity. Lahti University of Applied Sciences
  5. Johnson, K., Li, Y., Phan, H., Singer, J., & Trinh, H. (2012). The Innovative Success that is Apple, Inc.
  6. Rasheed, R., Nawaz, R., & Abbas, Y. (2012). Samsung Electronics and Apple, Inc.: A Study in Contrast in Competitive Analysis in 21st Century.
  7. Reuters. (2018). Apple Inc (AAPL.O). U.S.. Retrieved 12 January 2018, from https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/AAPL.O
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