Apple Incorporation Organizational Structure

Running Head: APPLE INC.

Apple Incorporation Organizational Structure

Introduction

When the news of Steve Job's death hit the Internet, newsstands, and radio news, the Macintosh icon's death spread like wild fire. Across the nation Apple fanatics were devastated about the news. Questions arose about the survival of Apple without Steve Job's innovative ideas. Job's original innovative ideas changed our world. Form the iPhone, to the MacBook pro, to iPod, to the iPad, and several versions expanding from each of these. A touch screen piece of technology wooed our nation. According to Costello (2011), "As with many of its recent products, the iPad was a hit from its introduction. Its first weekend saw long lines that eventually led to short-term supply shortages. Needless to say, it was a success" (pg. 1). From April 5, 2010 until June 2011 25 million iPads were sold (Costello, 2011). With the average cost of an iPad being $600, this a $15,000,000,000 profit and this profit doesn't even include their other Apple products. These sales alone represent a strong, successful organization that excels marketing, financing, human resources, and operations.

Apple's Organizational Structure

Apple's organizational structure while Steve Jobs was still alive were Steve Jobs as the CEO and below him were 10 Senior Vice Presidents. They range from CFO, COO, Operations, Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, iOS software, Worldwide Product Marketing, Industrial Design, Retail and General Counsel. Mr. Jobs in one of latest speeches stated, "One of the keys to Apple is that Apple is an incredibly collaborative company. You know how many committees we have at Apple? Zero. We're organized like a startup. We're the biggest start up on the planet. We meet for three hours every morning and talk about all the business, about what's going on everywhere. We're great at figuring out how to divide things up into great teams, and we talk to each other. So what I do all day is meet with teams of people... I have one of the best jobs in the world. I get to come in and work with some of the most brilliant people in the world. We play in the best sandbox" (2012, pg.1). Sandbox learning is being able to departmentalization of the company assigning each worker into the area they are most strong suited. More importantly Steve Jobs, summed up his company by saying, he has one of the best jobs in the world. He is able to work with the most brilliant people everyday. When a CEO exudes this much exuberance, excitement, and speaks so highly of his staff, this is the first step to building a strong organizational structure, team, company, and Steve Jobs has proven to demonstrate this.

Michael Dell is the CEO of Dell and functions similarly to the organizational structure of Apple. Dell has 11 Senior Vice presidents, as Apple has ten. Dell is number 41 of the Fortune 500, thus making their recognizable and their structural organization a success as well. Apple beat out Dell being number 35 on the fortune 500 list. Some may say they fall short to Apple, which I agree, but I believe it's because the invention of the iPhone and iPad is ingenious. The second competitor of is Microsoft and their CEO being Steve Ballmer. Bill Gates is the Chairman and Chief Software Architect (CSA). Beneath Ballmer and Gates are levels of Senior