Apple inc. is a U.S based organization that specializes in the manufacture of electronics, the iPhone, the iPad, and other related computer-based accessories. The organization operates in various sections of the world where it has opened regional offices. Apple has gained recognition for the design and the manufacture of quality products including the Macintosh, the iPhone series, and the iPad, among other products. The organization was also the pioneer in providing a platform for downloading and using iTunes. The company which is located at Silicon Valley was formed in 1976 and over the years, it has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Currently, the organization is the leading manufacturer of iPhones in the world. Its business has expanded extensively in the past years.
Apple operates in a general environment. According to Daft and Marcic (2011), a general environment is representative of the dimensions covering the external environment. The external dimensions in which this organization operates influences some of the operations of the organization but not daily. Some of the dimensions found in the general environment are natural, legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological, and international dimensions (Daft & Lane, 2010). The legal or political dimension is usually concerned with the legal rules and regulations that have been put in place and which affects a given sector in which an organization operates.
The international dimension represents forces that exert pressure on the organization from foreign countries like competitors or rivals. The socio-cultural environment is usually concerned with the feelings, emotions, ethics, and culture of different people and nations in which an organization operates. The economic environment presents the market with forces like taxation, inflation, and other macro-economic factors that have effects on the organization. Lastly, the technological environment entails the changes that result from advancement in technology (Daft & Willmott, 2010).
The general environment in which Apple operates in is very competitive. On the international dimension, the organization receives competition from foreign companies like Nokia of Finland, and Samsung of South Korea (Daft &Lane, 2010). These are fierce competitors who have led the high competition to the organization and other players. For example, in 2010 the organization sold about 8.8m iPhones compared with its closest rival Motorola who sold 8.5million (Silvika, 2010). On a positive side, there has been a shift in economic and technological development in Asian countries and this implies that Apple can outsource employees at low costs.
The technological dimensions in which the organization operates have developed technologically and scientifically (Daft & Marcic, 2011). For example, there has been an emergence of Smartphones which are a new kind of hardware. The socio-cultural dimensions generally represent the values, customs, norms, and demographic characteristics of people from where the organization operates (Daft & Marcic, 2011). Apple products are sold to a population with different socio-cultural dimensions. Lastly, the economic dimensions that affect the organization include the current inflation, financial market problems, and high unemployment rate, and recession.
The essay has helped me to better understand the different dimensions that are included in the general external environment. These dimensions have different purposes that aid management environments. Also, the analysis has helped in understanding the general environment better which could be useful in managing organizational operations. Lastly, it has aided in understanding how a dimension like international dimensions assists an organization in strategizing on how to deal with its competitors at an international level.
Reference List
Daft, R. L., & Willmott, H. (2010). Organization theory and design. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Daft, R. L., & Marcic, D. (2011). Understanding management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning
Daft, R. L., & Lane, P. (2010). Management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning
Silvia. E. (2010). Apple Becomes Largest U.S.-Based Mobile Phone Manufacturer. Web.