Question

a. Describe the strategic, tactical, and operational plans used by Apple.

b. Determine which types of managers create each type of plan.

c. Explain Apple's success in executing the three core processes of business: people, strategy, and operations

Answer 1

ANS a.

STRATEGIC PLANNING: It is a planning process in which strategy, direction , mission ,vision are explained by allocating it resources and how to pursue to achieve them.

Apple’s strategic plan firstly covers the mission and vision of the company that simply says that “Apple have such innovative hardware, software and internet offering best personal computing experience to all field of person whether they are students, creative professionals, educators and consumers all over the world” and similarly the vision statement which is committed by Apple is “they believe that they are making best and innovative product which turns complexity into simplicity and they also believe to own and control all the primary technology behind the product that they make”

Simultaneously apple have long term goal which includes “environmental responsibilities, design and development, enhancing and expending the technologies and supporting the community”.

TACTICAL PLANNING: it is a short range planning which emphasizing the operation carried out by various part of the organization and what they must to do for the organization to be a successful organization at some point within a year or less.

In case of Apple they carried out meeting on every Monday with all the main member of all the various department and discuss each and every thing regarding the product to be a successful product.

OPERATIONAL PLANNING: In this planning process all the strategic goals and objective are linking with the tactical planning and complete work structure of the operation is define. Operation planning covers all the are of the organization from finance, manufacturing , R&D, human resources to marketing. So for Operation planning, apple people are grouped together on the basis of expertise and explain all the factors and have focused upon those activities which help to reduce the cost and increase the flexibility in its operation.

ANS b.

Strategic planning executed by strategic planners or strategist who greatly involves in human resources and in their analysis of the organization.

Tactical planning: it is executed by as same level of manager as in strategic planning which mainly deals with the day to day progress and performance of the organization

Operation planning is executed by senior manager because this may include risk management and senior manager is the most experience person whose can resolve each and every risk coming to the organization.

ANS c.

Apple has focused on its marketing operation for its major products like iPod and iTunes. The marketing department provides great responsiveness to the outside world.

Apple follows “The Golden Circle” rule. They first focus on “Why?” (The purpose), then the “How” (the process) and then “What” (end products). There top most priority is people. They don’t just see themselves as a tech company making laptops and phones, they have a broader purpose, focusing on innovation to make great products that makes lives easier for the world. Apple has been successful in creating a brand value among the people. Because of their long streak of delivering good quality products, they’ve won trust of the customers.

Strategy of apple is to minimise resources while manufacturing more product.so apple make contract with several organization who have expertise in their product with best quality and then replace multipart of device to the single device with just one part.