Executive Summary
This paper is an analysis of companies competing in the wireless device and application products. The products are rapidly changing and have led to competition amongst major producers and developers of software. Google, Apple and Microsoft have made collaborated to make diverse and unique products that meet the needs of the customers. Some products have better applications, advanced applications and others new applications.
They have also collaborated with other mobile produces to make products with better security. The products have enhanced business operations and are being adopted by an increasing number of users.
The research study concluded that the competitor has engaged in research and innovativeness to create unique products. For companies to survive they should be easy to use, accessible and affordable to the customers. The applications must be of quality and collaborations will lead to unique products.
Introduction
Businesses engage in diverse strategies in order to keep up with the competition in the global market. The competition is championed by a constantly changing technological development and instability in the economy. Technology has in turn led to rampant access to information. The wireless devices and application developers have an ever ending challenge to keep up with the development.
This paper will analyze the internal and external environmental trends and strategic management of Google Apple and Microsoft. It will focus on the evolving product category, and the strategic formulation, implementation and outcomes of the competitors. It will also discuss the strategies that may give the competitors an advantage in the future.
Methodology
This analysis will analyze literature in journals. It will also review documented business articles.
Analysis
Environmental trends
The environmental trends of the Apple, Google and Microsoft are characterized by competition. The organizations keep track of developments in the technological world. They are also keen to market themselves to keep their revenues and maintain their name in the market.
The stakeholders of the companies are given attention. The employees of the organizations are useful in developing the competitive products. The experts are hired and employees are trained so that, the strategic objectives are achieved (Hitt et al 2009, p. 12).
Nerney (2011, p. 1) mentions that Google has employed software developers for mobile devices so that they can develop software that meets the demand of the market. The shareholders are involved in decision making.
The organizations can be affected by the changes that happen in the global economy. The market is predictable, and organizations have to restructure their traditional organizational structure to a business model that is adaptive to constantly changing environment.
Strategic management issues
The business has become competitive, and organizations have come up with ways of managing their business processes, enhancing communication, managing knowledge and have ventured into collaborations (Internet.com, 2011, p. 1). Wenzel (2011, p. 1) points out that competition are championed by the need to meet the customers’ needs.
The customers include business people who want to use application software both on the personal computers and on their mobile phones. Web based meeting and email in mobile phone has been enabled and facilitated business process.
Mobile devices that have a word processor have also been effectively used in business to communicate and share knowledge. Google eliminated the monotony that had been created by Microsoft when it produced its own application.
However, the product was not as sophisticated as those produced by Microsoft. Since Microsoft is the master of software, Google offered to collaborate to benefit from its expertise. Microsoft resisted and later agreed due to market competition. Google created its competitive advantage by offering its application free while Microsoft required the organization to subscribe or pay to access the software.
Moyer (2011, p. 1) reveals that Google has engaged in the research and creation of new applications. The applications that are being developed will be free and will pose competition to its competitors. Their strategy will enable them increase the number of users.
Another strategy used is demonstrated by Google and Microsoft. Google enables its users to migrate its online storage to office applications. It developed software to move emails, files, data and calendar among others so as to win more users.
Although their customers can migrate, a large number of the users have been using Microsoft application. Microsoft’s competitive advantage is to upgrade the wireless devices and application to meet the needs of the customers.
The market trends shifting from desk work to online. Information and work is done and stored online. A large number of business people are moving their performing their tasks on their smart phone or mobile phones. With the use of mobile phones and other devices like tablets, the organizations have reduced tasks.
The information technology experts who spend a lot of time fixing the personal computers in the organization are no longer required. Thus, the collaborating companies have taken on the role of maintaining and creating new applications.
Whenever there is collaboration, new features are introduced. They are superior to products in the market, and are appropriate for specific tasks and target specific needs of the customer. Google applications have features that are absent in Microsoft 365. Google applications have been offered without a fee for subscription giving it a competitive advantage.
The collaboration has led to introduction of important software used in business. The charges for applications are less expensive when compared to desktop software. Google is less expensive than Microsoft. Microsoft has introduced a discount and introduced affordable retail cost. The discount has given it a competitive advantage.
In line with Jide (2011, p.1) Google collaboration with mobile phone manufactures has caused competitive advantage. The collaboration with Motorola has features for enhanced security and features that enable marketing which increases the prominence and sales increase. Customers are cooperative to appeal to use the integrated services from two companies.
According to Wenzel (2011, p. 1) most of the customers look for mobile devices with a bigger package. The customers ask for brands such as Microsoft or Google without doing any prior investigations. There are other customers who engage in intensive and extensive research and go for certain brands for specific wireless devices or application. Some may even prefer other unfamiliar brands.
In accordance with Blackboxmobile.com (2011, p. 2) applications designed by one organization can only be applicable in their brands. They are designed for enhancing security and making the product unique. Security in turn increases the number of users hence the brand becomes prominent.
The diverse companies complement each other and collaboration may be inevitable to abandon. Google is superior in search engines while Microsoft has dominated in the creation of software’s. People are likely to test products developed by companies they have known and trusted. This is why Microsoft claims a large number of users of applications.
Moyer (2011, p. 1) mentions that Apple has developed software for the smart phones and has been able to offer best features in iPhone. It competitive advantage is to offer free applications for users of i pad and iPhone. Moreover, they have also ensured that they have a wide variety of the applications.
Lossa (2010, p. 1) indicates that Google is keen to collaborate with the other entrepreneurs so as to remain afloat. Competition amongst the major players in the wireless industry has been expanded. The innovation increase competition and diversify the products.
Jide (2011, p. 1) points out that the wireless mobile and applications, have also been introduced in the medical field. The collaborations are many, and the boundaries between different organizations are becoming narrow.
The organizations manufacturing the wireless devices and applications focus on meeting the customers’ needs. Since technology is moving in a fast pace, the developers have collaborated to gain advantage. The software is improved from time to time, making new applications and software that targeting particular needs of the customer.
They make simpler to use applications while making them accessible or convenient to the users. Organizations engage in development of a wide variety of applications to increase the number of users. They give trials and offer frees software’s. Applications that are for purchase are sold at affordable prices (Hitt et al 2009, p. 12).
The integrations and collaborations between diverse organizations have increased. The collaborations are done with an aim of gaining and improving software so as gain more users.
There are changes that are happening constantly and require the organization to keep up with the competition by making more of what is needed. Thus, they must remain innovative and engage in progressive research to be able to make predictions of what is going to happen.
Barnes (2006, p. 1) states that the market is not limited. It is diverse and the wireless devices and applications can be used across the globe. The devices and applications are more prominent in the developed countries than the developed countries. Since the products can be utilized across the globe, the global economy of is interdependent. An organization can remain afloat by obtaining a unique product.
Kim et al (2006, p. 78) mentions that the wireless technology competition has evolved and become more convenient. More and better software’s and applications have emerged and have led to success in business.
Other areas like education have also benefited from the dynamic changes as information is shared widely. The students of information technology have a great challenge of keeping track of the changes in the globe and should be innovative.
Conclusion
The organizations involved in wireless devices and applications are sensitive to the environment within and outside the organization. They create strategies to keep track of the developments in technology to be able to make revenue. They make changes within the internal organization and with its shareholders to be able to make necessary changes.
Google, Apple and Microsoft have strategized to engage in research, collaborate and become innovative. They choose to become experts in certain products such as search engine, music and software. Their collaboration makes them have unique products that give them competitive advantage.
The products are simple and have a variety of features. The companies will remain top in the competition if they produce products that meet the needs of the clients.
Recommendations
Microsoft can maintain a steep competition by maintaining its customers and attracting others. Since it is known for mastering in software, it can maintain the customers by providing the wireless devices and application as required. Partnering with Google will enable it to keep the customers when search facilities are introduced. It can also consider improving every version and application it introduces according to demand.
It should note that customers are interested in affordable, accessible and easy to use wireless devices and applications. Moreover, it should consider making the products affordable. Just like Google it should consider creating an application for importing data, files, contacts and email from Google so that it can increase the number of users.
Google has achieved an increase in the number of users by introducing options that are friendly. It should keep focusing on a number of features that are ideal for specific tasks. It should also consider making many devices with advanced features. This can be achieved by collaborating with Microsoft.
Microsoft applications will be appropriate if used in a business organization. Microsoft applications are more formal and complimentary to the communication within an organization. Google is friendly and is sometimes considered less formal but appropriate within the business environment.
Moyer (2011, p. 1) says that the developers must perfect the applications on the wireless phones and the application. For an organization to remain outstanding, they should ensure that the collaborations they engage in are characterized by quality. The customers shun away from applications that lag, have poor graphics especially with devices that have large screens.
Reference List
Barnes, S. 2006. Wireless Applications in New Zealand business: A strategic management. Journal of computer information system.
Blackboxmobile. 2011. Mobile device management and security glossary. Web.
Hitt, M. A. Ireland, R. D. & Hoskinsson, R. E. 2009. Strategic Management: Competitiveness And Globalization: Concepts And Cases. Web.
Internet. 2011. Collaboration. Intranet journal. Web.
Jide, C. 2011. ‘The Google phone could have Enterprise appeal’. Mobile Application Testing Times. Web.
Kim, S. H., Mims, C., & Holmes, K. P. 2006. ‘An introduction to current trends and benefits of mobile wireless technology use in higher education’. AACE Journal, 14, 1, 77-100.
Lossa, T. 2010. GM Woos Google: Collaboration Would compete with Ford/ Microsoft Sync. Web.
Moyer, E. 2011. Google looking for a few good mobile –apps developers. Web.
Nerney, C. 2011. Google tries to close mobile apps gap with Apple. Web.
Wenzel, E. 2011. Microsoft Office 365vs. ‘Google Apps for Business: Cloud showdown’. Business Centre. Web.