Introduction
The business strategies used by Apple Inc. are evident and considerable. They have helped the company to remain competitive in the market and enhance its competitive advantages in the electronics industry. Through the use of “Bowman’s Strategy Clock”, various business and marketing provisions emerge in regard to Apple inc.
Bowman’s Strategy Clock refers to a scheme used in marketing to explore the competitive position of an organisation. This must be compared to the competitive abilities of other business rivals.
The model was established by Cliff Bowman and David Faulkner to elaborate on the 3 Porter standard strategies, which consider competitive advantages of an organisation in relation to cost advantage/differentiation advantage. Business strategies refer to how an organisation analyses, understands, and meets the needs of its respective customers (Pride & Ferrell 2006, P.7).
Organisations produce and sell commodities that address such needs with precision. Evidently, Apple Inc. has managed to address the unique demands of its customers with various products including the iPhone 4 and iPad tablets.
A stringent and appropriate marketing concept is a combination of values and considerations made explicitly to address customers’ needs. Nevertheless, these aspects relate to marketing concepts, market segmentation, targeting markets, marketing strategies, and positioning strategies adopted by Apple in regard to Bowman’s Strategy Clock.
Business strategies discussed in regard to Apple Inc.
Targeting strategy
Apple Inc. has selected its specific target markets for prompt service provision. Customers demand goods, which satisfy their needs with utmost satisfaction (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel 2011, p. 274). It is from this context that the entire business prospects lie in selecting the target market.
Additionally, the need to execute efficient production mechanisms has always helped Apple Inc. in delivering its business objectives as it addresses its targeted customers’ demands. In this regard, the company is aware that consumers usually go for products, which are of considerable quality and widely available at affordable costs.
By understanding these provisions, Apple Inc. strives to produce quality and affordable electronic products that address its targeted customers’ demands. It is possible to stay afloat in the market if a company considers the needs of its clients. This is an important provision in various contexts.
Additionally, emerging with novel products, which embraces the aspects of technology among other provisions is a considerable move to both companies. It is crucial to consider the production capabilities of such clients in the entire context.
Importantly, the products namely iPhone 4 and iPad among others target a wider range of customer segments. They have been given a wider market distribution to enhance their accessibility and help in reducing their costs at various marketplaces as they address specific market demands.
Assessing Apple Inc.s’ prospects in terms of ‘suitability, acceptability and feasibility’
Apple Inc. has managed to structure its target markets and production systems to attain low cost products mentioned earlier. Contextually, this is an important occurrence in the business realms. It is from this concept that numerous organisational business strategies emanate (Ferrell & Hartline 2011, P. 25).
Managing to uphold the aspects of business production and capabilities in order to reduce costs and other characterising factors is an important provision in the business realms. Apple has a specific population, which it targets with its products. The aspects of market segmentation, business strategies, and target marketing usually contribute constructively.
For example, Apple Inc. has to analyse its target markets in order to produce products that will address customers’ unique demands. Concurrently, iPhone 4 has various features that meet considerable demands of various customers. It targets customers belonging to some social class and literacy. In this context, it has been possible for the company to analyse its market segments and produce products that are appropriate to them.
The need to meet the market demands with novel products usually plays critical roles in this context. Another concept in this phenomenon is the pricing and distribution capabilities of the company involved immediately after designing and producing its products (Drummond & Ensor 2005, P. 75). They need such pricing capabilities to address the economic capabilities of the target market.
For example, Samsung has managed to attain massive business opportunities with its Samsung Galaxy S 2 due to fair pricing, appropriateness, and extensive distribution. From this concept, it is evident that companies require massive business opportunities in order to attain their business strategies with appropriate production mechanisms.
Contextually, increasing the volume of production will eventually reduce the costs, cut prices, increase sales, enhance revenues, and augment profitability as it sells massively to the target market. These provisions indicate Apple’s prospects in terms of ‘suitability, acceptability and feasibility’.
Strategic marketing
Apple managed to attain its strategic goals through appropriate strategic marketing provisions. This relates to focusing resources on identified opportunities in order to increase productivity, sales, and profitability (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel 2011, p. 35). This has allowed the company to attain considerable competitive advantages. In this context, the company has managed to embrace the aspects of product concept.
Evidently, customers require products that meet their demands with appropriateness. This helps in curbing unnecessary product rejections by the customers who usually demand quality products (Blanchard 2010, P. 42). They are also able to assess the quality and performance provisions of the concerned product. This can massively affect their buying trends (Rajagopal, 2000).
As a marketing concept and a component of strategic marketing, the product provisions must be considered by the concerned company to ensure that they only provide appropriate products that address the demands of targeted clients. Apple has strived to provide products that precisely meet the quality standards desired by the customers.
Consequently, it has investigated what the customers demand with regard to quality and other provisions evident in this context. Additionally, it is important that both companies consider the provisions of performance in its products.
Additionally, the ability to provide the targeted customers with more than what they expected as evident in the iPhone 4’s context is of some considerable provisions. Additionally, it is important to augment the aspects of quality as witnessed in the Apple Inc.’s products as a component of strategic marketing. The aspects of quality act as promotional agents regardless of countless advertisements.
Whenever customers realise that what the concerned company provides is of quality, they will remain loyal clients (Gupta 2006, P. 65). This is a crucial provision when considered critically and evaluated contextually with regard to the two companies (Vilcox & Mohan 2007, p. 16).
Upon SWOT analysis, it is evident that the company has considerable strengths, some weaknesses, bountiful business opportunities, and considerable threats. For example, ability to produce quality products has acted as the company’s strength. Since clients would prefer commodities that embrace quality, performance, and innovative features, this becomes a critical provision in this entire context.
Additionally, the company has adequate resources, experienced human capital, technological provisions, well-established brand names, considerable market share, and ability to expand among others (Bohm 2009, p. 10).
Noticeable weaknesses of the companies in the realms of its business incorporate some hitches in the distribution network, quality aspects, and huge business networks that delay the aspects of decision making (Jain 2011, P. 30).
Opportunities in this context incorporate expanding market for its products, globalisation, expanded international business, reduced global business restriction, emergence of technology, and strong brand names indicated earlier (O’grady 2009, P. 26).
Conversely, threats incorporate piracy, stringent competition, economic hitches, some unfavourable international business regulations, and others. Nonetheless, the company has massive business strategies proposed by the periodic SWOT analysis on its performance and customer satisfaction globally.
Positioning strategy
Apple Inc. has established novel foundations of its marketing activities. It has installed marketing campaigns, loyalty programs, and new marketing materials. All these have followed similar positioning and marketing strategies as evident in this context.
Evidently, Apple Inc. has managed to uphold the aspects of selling concepts and positioning strategies in order to capture a considerable market divide, global presence, and market saturation (O’grady 2009, P. 56). Evidently, both companies produce quality products; nonetheless, these can only sell if the company enacts appropriate marketing and positioning strategies that will induce customers to buy the concerned products.
Contextually this is an important provision when considered decisively. It is appropriate to consider such provisions before approaching the market with novel products. Due to emergence of technology and other beneficial product provisions, both companies has been introducing fresh product into the market with due appropriateness.
Competition and competitors
Apple faces credible rivalry from companies like Samsung, Dell, IBM, HP, LG, as well other electronic companies in the market. Based on its unique marketing strategies, it is vital that the company has managed to survive in the market despite the challenges (Hoffman & Bateson 2009, P. 30). Precisely, it is the aspects of aggressiveness (in the realms of sales) that contributes to the company’s desired promotional provisions.
The company has been registering massive sales, turnovers, and profitability despite the negative micro-environmental forces. Upon application of appropriate marketing strategies, it has been possible for the concerned companies to realise massive business results (Richard 2009, p. 214).
Determining the target customers, market segment, and the appropriate market strategy for such customers has enabled both companies to enhance its sales and customer focus in various contexts. From this argument, the entire business prospects for Apple Inc. have managed to thrive in the global limelight despite the threatening challenges and stringent competition from other contenders.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusively, Apple Inc. has managed to enhance its market presence and profitability through establishment of appropriate marketing concepts. Additionally, favourable strategic marketing, macro/micro-environmental forces, market segmentation, targeting markets, marketing strategies, and positioning strategies have equally contributed to its success.
It is recommendable to uphold such provisions in the spheres of effectiveness, appropriateness, and prosperity. This is a vital consideration in various contexts. In regard to Bowman’s Strategy Clock, addressing business strategies appropriately augments profits, customer satisfaction, and loyalty.
Nevertheless, these has conformed to the aspects of marketing concepts, market segmentation, targeting markets, marketing strategies, and positioning strategies adopted by Apple in regard to Bowman’s Strategy Clock.
Reference List
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