PSY 314: Developmental Challenge Learning Objectives 1) Identify and describe the range of physical, cognitive, language, moral, and social-emotional development of individuals from conception through adolescence. 3) Apply the developmental theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, B.F. Skinner, Bronfenbrenner, and/or Bandura to analyze instructional activities and student behavior. 5) Apply their knowledge of effects of diverse influences on development to individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Assignment Description For this assignment you’ll write at least a 4 page (excluding title or reference pages), double-spaced paper in which you demonstrate your understanding of child development, two major developmental theorists and contemporary professional practice. You will choose a specific developmental challenge at a particular age level and then write a paper that demonstrates your ability to apply concepts of two developmental theorists and professional practice. This assignment is worth 50 points. The term “developmental challenge” refers to a particular aspect of physical, social, or emotional development in which children or adolescents must develop new skills or competencies. For example, learning to read is a developmental challenge faced in early childhood. A list of possible developmental challenges is included below. If there is another challenge you would like to address, you must let me know what it is so I can approve it as an appropriate topic. In your paper you’ll need to describe the developmental challenge you have chosen, provide an analysis of it from the perspective of two relevant developmental theorists, and integrate findings from two professional references related to your topic. These references must come from the professional literature (peer-reviewed journal articles and other professional literature) that relate to the developmental challenge. Here are the specific requirements for the two references: 1) One of the references needs to focus on applications or best practices regarding the issue. This could be a best practices paper, a literature review, or recommendations from professional organizations. Best practices refer to techniques, methods, or approaches accepted by the profession as being effective in addressing the challenge. An example would be recommendations for elementary math instruction from a professional organization such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. An excellent resource for this type of reference is the professional organization for your particular discipline or specialty. You could identify the professional organization for your discipline and explore the best practice resources they have available through their respective websites. This reference should have been published within the past 10 years. 2) The second reference should be a current (within the last 10 years), empirical (based on data) research report of an actual study conducted on the is ...

1. PSY 314: Developmental Challenge
Learning Objectives
1) Identify and describe the range of physical, cognitive,
language, moral, and social-emotional development of
individuals from conception through adolescence.
3) Apply the developmental theories of Piaget, Vygotsky,
Erikson, B.F. Skinner, Bronfenbrenner, and/or Bandura to
analyze instructional activities and student behavior.
5) Apply their knowledge of effects of diverse influences on
development to individuals from a variety of cultural
backgrounds.
Assignment Description
For this assignment you’ll write at least a 4 page (excluding
title or reference pages), double-spaced paper in which you
demonstrate your understanding of child development, two
major developmental theorists and contemporary professional
practice. You will choose a specific developmental challenge at
a particular age level and then write a paper that demonstrates
your ability to apply concepts of two developmental theorists
and professional practice. This assignment is worth 50 points.
The term “developmental challenge” refers to a particular aspect
of physical, social, or emotional development in which children
or adolescents must develop new skills or competencies. For
example, learning to read is a developmental challenge faced in
early childhood. A list of possible developmental challenges is
included below. If there is another challenge you would like to
address, you must let me know what it is so I can approve it as
an appropriate topic.
In your paper you’ll need to describe the developmental
challenge you have chosen, provide an analysis of it from the

2. perspective of two relevant developmental theorists, and
integrate findings from two professional references related to
your topic. These references must come from the professional
literature (peer-reviewed journal articles and other professional
literature) that relate to the developmental challenge.
Here are the specific requirements for the two references:
1) One of the references needs to focus on applications or best
practices regarding the issue. This could be a best practices
paper, a literature review, or recommendations from
professional organizations. Best practices refer to techniques,
methods, or approaches accepted by the profession as being
effective in addressing the challenge. An example would be
recommendations for elementary math instruction from a
professional organization such as the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics. An excellent resource for this type of
reference is the professional organization for your particular
discipline or specialty. You could identify the professional
organization for your discipline and explore the best practice
resources they have available through their respective websites.
This reference should have been published within the past 10
years.
2) The second reference should be a current (within the last 10
years), empirical (based on data) research report of an actual
study conducted on the issue. For example, the article may
report the results of a correlational study, an experiment, or a
survey. The key requirement is that the article reports the
results of an actual research study conducted by the article’s
author(s) and it addresses the challenge of your paper. If you
are not sure if your article meets this requirement, please check
with your instructor.

3. Possible Developmental Challenges (not an exhaustive list)
· Learning to read
· Learning social skills/prosocial behavior
· Developing positive self-concept/self-efficacy
· Developing psychomotor skills (gross motor or fine motor)
· Developing reasoning and problem solving skills
· Developing self-regulation
· If there is another challenge you would like to address, you
must let me know what it is so I can approve it.
Possible Developmental Levels
· Early childhood
· Middle childhood
· Adolescence
Required Outline of the paper
1. Describe the developmental (e.g. educational, social,
physical, psychological) challenge and the particular
developmental level you have chosen. Be specific about the
challenge and the developmental level. In addition, describe
how the developmental level and challenge affects your choice
of professional intervention techniques (e.g. teaching,
counseling, parenting, etc.) to address the challenge. (5
points)
2. Provide an analysis of the challenge from the perspective of
the two most relevant developmental theorists for that particular
issue. Choose two theorists from this list: Piaget, Vygotsky,
Erikson, Skinner, Bronfenbrenner, or Bandura. For each of the
two theorists:
a. Describe at least two theoretical concepts that are most

4. relevant to the developmental challenge. Be
sure to describe how each one is relevant.
b. Describe at least one element of the challenge that is not
addressed by their theory.
(15 points)
3. Describe your two sources (one empirical paper and one best
practices paper) and how they relate to the developmental
challenge. For each source:
a. What was the purpose of the research or information?
b. Who were the research (or best practices) participants?
Where was the research (best practices) setting?
c. What were the major findings or results in the paper?
d. What were the major recommendations?
e. What are the limitations of the paper?
(20 points)
4. Separate from the recommendations in #3d above, identify
and specifically describe at least 2 practical implications of the
information from the theorists in #2 or your two references –
how can you as an educator or other professional apply the
material from them to help the child or adolescent manage the
developmental challenge?
(10 points)
Additional Requirements
1. At the end of your paper, include a reference page with
references in APA-style.
2. Submit paper copies of both your paper and the two
references in class on the due date. Submit your paper to

5. Canvas, also. Do not submit the references to Canvas.
3. Be especially alert to the issue of plagiarism in this
assignment. Review the information on academic dishonesty and
the penalties for plagiarism in the course syllabus. You are to
write your own summary, not one copied from an article,
classmate, or any other source. Plagiarism is inexcusable and
appropriate penalties will be enforced, with no opportunity for
resubmission. All papers will be submitted to the plagiarism
detection software Turnitin.
4 Points will be deducted for careless work (e.g.
spelling/grammar errors), insufficient summaries, missing or
inappropriate copies of references, and incorrect references.
Proofread your paper! One point will be deducted for each
spelling or grammar error.
Late papers will not be accepted.
How to Use This Template
Each slide needed in your submission is provided in this
template.
Do not add slides
Do not delete slides (except the “How to Use This Template”
slide)
Replace the “blue” font on each slide with your presentation
content
Change all font to black
Use bullet points on the slides
Do not type every word you plan to say on the slide
Enter the text/transcript of your talk in the speaker notes section
The speaker notes section is the gray area below each slide

6. Do not enter your speaker notes in comment boxes
Do not include audio or video clips
Delete this slide before submitting your assignment
Delete this slide before submitting your assignment
Notes: This is the speaker notes section of the PowerPoint
presentation.
Do Not type every word you plan to say on the slide.
Everything you would say if you were giving a live presentation
should be provided in text form in the speaker notes section of
each slide.
1
BUS499 Capstone
Assignment 4
Insert Student’s Name Here

7. Insert what you would said to introduce yourself to your
executive audience and tell them what you are going to cover in
your presentation
Do Not type every word you plan to say on the slide. Use bullet
points only.
Everything you would say if you were giving a live presentation
should be provided in text form in the speaker notes section of
each slide.
2
SWOT Analysis of Company NameStrengths
Insert a bullet or two describing strengths of the
firmWeaknesses
Insert a bullet or two describing weaknesses of the
firmOpportunities
Insert a bullet or two describing opportunities available to the
firmThreats
Insert a bullet or two describing threats to the firm
Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly outline a strategy for the company to
capitalize on its strengths and opportunities.

8. 3
SWOT Analysis Strategy
Strengths and Opportunities
Insert a bullet describing the strategy to capitalize on strengths
and opportunities
Insert another bullet describing the strategy to capitalize on
strengths and opportunities
Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly outline a strategy for the company to
capitalize on its strengths and opportunities.
4
SWOT Analysis Strategy
Weaknesses and Threats
Insert a bullet describing the strategy to minimize weaknesses
and threats
Insert another bullet describing the strategy to minimize
weaknesses and threats

9. Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly outline a strategy for the company to
minimize its weaknesses and threats.
5
Competitiveness Strategy
Competitiveness
1st bullet point of levels and types of strategies to maximize
competitiveness
2nd bullet point of levels and types of strategies to maximize
competitiveness
Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly discuss the various levels and types of
strategies the firm may use to maximize its competitiveness.
6
Profitability Strategy
Profitability
1st bullet point of levels and types of strategies to maximize
profitability
2nd bullet point of levels and types of strategies to maximize
profitability

10. Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly discuss the various levels and types of
strategies the firm may use to maximize its profitability.
7
Communications Plan
Competitiveness Strategies
1st bullet point on the plan to communicate the competitiveness
strategies to stakeholders
2nd bullet point on the plan to communicate the competitiveness
strategies to stakeholders
Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly outline a communications plan the
company could use to make the strategies you recommended on
the previous slide known to all stakeholders.
8

11. Communications Plan
Profitability Strategies
1st bullet point on the plan to communicate the profitability
strategies to stakeholders
2nd bullet point on the plan to communicate the profitability
strategies to stakeholders
Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly outline a communications plan the
company could use to make the strategies you recommended
known to all stakeholders.
9
Corporate Social Responsibility
Responsible (ethical) corporate citizen
1st bullet point on the assessment of efforts by the corporation
to be a responsible (ethical) corporate citizen – specific
example
2nd bullet point on the assessment of efforts by the corporation
to be a responsible (ethical) corporate citizen – specific
example
Impact of efforts on company’s bottom line
1st bullet point on the impact the efforts have on the company’s
bottom line – specific example
2nd bullet point on the impact the efforts have on the
company’s bottom line – specific example

12. Insert exactly what you would say to your executive audience to
describe each bullet point on this slide
You should thoroughly assess efforts by this corporation to be a
responsible (ethical) corporate citizen and thoroughly determine
the impact these efforts (or lack thereof) have on the company's
bottom line. Provide specific examples to support your
response.
10
References
Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2013). Strategic
management: Concepts and cases: Competiveness and
globalization (10th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage
Learning.
Insert second source
Insert third source
Insert any additional sources
You should use at least three (3) quality references, one of
which should be the course textbook. Wikipedia and similar
websites do not quality as academic resources.

13. 11
Running Head: BUSINESS-LEVEL AND CORPORATE-LEVEL
STRATEGIES 1
BUSINESS-LEVEL AND CORPORATE-LEVEL STRATEGIES
8
Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies
Teona Goodman
Strayer University
Dr. Joseph Keller
February 26, 2020
Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies
In modern times, the business environment has continued to
experience competition among organizations operating in the
same industry. Competition is always enhancing due to
institutions make their operations more global. Principally,

14. organizations utilize business level and corporate level
strategies to have a competitive edge over their close
competitors. Business level strategies are the activities that a
firm undertakes to attain a competitive gain in the industry.
This strategy entails exploiting main competencies that add
value to the clients. This mostly takes the form of being unique
in the operations by the provision of diverse products from
those of close rivals. Essentially, there are five business-level
strategies that a firm can undertake to attain a competitive edge
and they include differentiation, focused differentiation, cost
leadership, focused cost leadership and integrated cost
differentiation/leadership (Leonard, 2019). This paper will
focus on the business level strategies and corporate strategies of
Apple which operates in the tech industry.
Apple Business-Level Strategy
Apple is focused on making the best products in the
industry. The company heavily focuses on innovation by making
new products as well as making improvements to the ones that
are in existence. It is due to the innovation that Apple has
maintained to be a dominant force in the sector. One of the
areas that Apple beats its close rivals is the differentiation of
the products it offers. The differentiation has made it maintain
its position in computers, digital music players, mobile phones
and online music stores. For instance, Apple engages an
individual institution to deliver an operating system and
hardware for its products. This move assists the company to
concentrate on the quality of design. Additionally, Apple has
placed itself in the high-end markets because it carries a
reputation for making products that are highly valued by clients.
The target market of its products is the individuals who are
willing to purchase more for products that have a better user
experience. Hence, Apple strives to make products that suit the
taste of their clients. Another differentiation strategy that has
been adopted by Apple is related to the distribution of its
products. The distribution of Apple products is done through
retail stores which it has established all over the world.

15. Furthermore, Apple’s delivery of service is unique and superior
because it boasts of state of the art bar for technical
maintenance, constant and dedicated client service. The
organization also permits clients to sample their products first
before purchasing them. The company also uses the cost
leadership strategy where it has invested heavily in innovation.
This has made the company to produce products which are
valuable and acceptable to clients at fairly low prices. Apple
uses this strategy to produce high quality, cost-effective
products using reasonably priced raw materials that are
supported by a vibrant team. The company has also joined
alliances with other companies that permit Apple to concentrate
on innovation and market intelligence. For instance, Apple has
the iTunes service which allows other organizations to
distribute videos, music, and games at low costs. This move has
helped eliminate disks and tapes. Additionally, this strategy has
become more positive due to the elimination of middlemen
because it can sell its products directly through its
website (Dudovskiy, 2019). I think the differentiation strategy
is the most important for the long term success of the
organization. This is a good choice because many people would
wish to have elegant products, unique and user-friendly which
make them stand out among many people. This strategy has also
helped the company to maximize profits through the provision
of products that stand out due to their high design and quality,
innovative and user-friendly.
Apple Corporate Level Strategy
The corporate-level strategies of Apple consist of the
diversification of its products at moderate and high levels.
Apple has a blend of individual computing and entertainment
with high-level integration which makes it more efficient in the
production and delivery of its products at fairly competitive
rates while remaining profitable. One of the benefits of the
diversification strategy is that clients can have their desired

16. products of high quality and design since all products are
integrated and they run on the same operating system. Apple
also forms strategic alliances to benefit from the economies of
scale, acquire knowledge from close rivals and share costs and
risks. Another corporate strategy that has been adopted by
Apple is internationalization. The company has put up its
production base in China to benefit from the low cost of labor,
access to raw materials, the potential of a high market and the
favorable economic environment as a result of China’s stable
economy. I think the internationalization strategy is the most
important corporate strategy for long term success. I think this
is a good choice because the company has been able to beat the
competition. This is through the production of standardized
products in the market worldwide because the engineering
design and manufacturing are carefully controlled and
centralized. This makes identification of Apple products easy
and the only customization is the power source due to different
voltages in different nations (Ireland, Hoskisson, & Hitt,
2013).
Competition Environment
The tech industry is very competitive due to the many
players operating in it. Apple encounters competition at all
levels and lines of business. Due to the expansion of the global
market, competition has increased because of the globalization
of trade. Mainly, the iPhone and iPad from Apple are compared
with products from Samsung especially the galaxy family hence
considered a direct competitor. In the computing section, Apple
faces great competition from Microsoft, Acer, HP, and IBM.
Competition is the smartphone business that has grown although
the largest competition for Apple is in the tablets segment
where close rivals have taken almost 28% of Apple’s market
share of the tablet business. Despite the competition, the
business level strategies by Apple have supported it in
controlling the market as a result of high differentiation. This
strategy revolves around its ability to develop and design its
hardware and software as well as continued innovation and

17. having a development and research team. From a broad
perspective, the company continues to make innovative products
such as iPhones and iPads. The differentiation in products has
permitted Apple to price the products at high rates while still
keeping its loyal clients (Farooq, 2019).
At the corporate level, Samsung is Apple’s main
competitor. Samsung is recognized for its smartphones line of
business, especially on its galaxy series. The galaxy series has
been putting behind some of Apple products due to the features
and technology used. The competition is very aggressive
because Samsung has capitalized heavily on competitor
intelligence. Competitor intelligence entails studying what close
rivals are doing than making more sophisticated products which
some people may presume to be imitation or fast follower to
some lengths. Samsung also has an elaborate supply chain and
distribution channels which have made its revenues to keep in
growing. To counter this challenge, Apple has made all its
products share a similar design technique platform. The
establishment of retail and online stores by Apple has also
provided convenient methods for clients to buy the products
offered. This enables the organization to operate at lower costs.
The iTunes and App Stores make Apple the leader in the
accessibility of digital videos, music, and apps. Most
importantly, Apple has realized the importance of strategic
alliances with other organizations to offer services in the
production process. Apple has also embraced corporate
diversification, vertical integration, and internationalization
which have helped immensely to beat off the competition.
Competition has continued to adversely affect the market share
of Apple in the sector hence; the company has to be forceful in
its corporate level and business level strategies. Moreover,
Samsung poses a great danger in the smartphone business to
Apple. Samsung looks to be a dominant force due to its
strategic approach to innovation, penetration, promotion and
research and development. Samsung has heavily invested in
advertisement to market its products (Farooq, 2019). Although

18. Samsung offers products that are relatively cheaper than
Apple’s to capture the middle-class market, Apple will most
likely be the most profitable in the long term. This is because
Samsung faces competition from other firms that are also
offering the same products at the same or lower prices hence
customers can always switch product use anytime due to the
price element. This shows that clients have an option to get
substitute products to those offered by Samsung. In the case of
Apple, they have a specific target market who is clients at the
high-end markets who can pay more for the products. Clients
would want to keep the same standard and class due to the
uniqueness, quality, and design and user-friendliness of the
products despite the price. Hence, customer loyalty among
Apple product users is very high because they value the quality
of the products and they would not purchase imitations or any
other brand.
Competition in the Fast Cycle and Slow Cycle Markets
The tech industry is considered to be in the fast cycle
market. Some products have moved to the slow cycle market in
the industry like personal computers as others remain in the fast
cycle market. Smartphones and tablets have been experiencing
the fastest growth due to the new gadgets being sold in the
market. The gadgets are also replaced almost immediately
before clients have had a full orientation to them. Apple and
Samsung, who are the main rivals, appear to be pushing
themselves very hard to outdo one another in the smartphone
market (Hanson, Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 2016). For
instance, late last year, Apple launched the iPhone 11 Pro which
hit the market immediately. Even before the consumers have
had it sink in their minds, Samsung has the latest Samsung
Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 ultra which were launched in
February this year. With such a trend, a huge battle is expected
in the future for the companies and there is no certainty that any
of them is going to be dominant in the market and still be
profitable. However, in the slow cycle market, Apple has a
brighter future than Samsung.

19. Conclusion
The technology sector is competitive and needs companies
operating in it to employ intense strategies to gain a competitive
edge and also operate profitably. Businesses can adopt the
business level strategies as well as the corporate level strategies
that ensure the company is attractive to clients. Apple has used
business-level strategies that are focused on differentiation and
cost leadership which have enabled it to be dominant in the
industry. The strategies of having unique designs and retail
stores have worked well for the organization. The corporate
strategies of diversification, alliances, and internationalization
have also posted positive outcomes. Nevertheless, in the fast
cycle market, Samsung poses stiff competition in the industry.
This is because many clients in this industry can afford products
offered by Samsung due to their low prices when compared to
Apple products.
ReferencesDudovskiy, J. (2019). Apple Business Strategy: a
brief overview. Retrieved from https://research-
methodology.net/apple-business-strategy/Farooq, U. (2019).
Apple Competitors. Retrieved from
https://www.marketingtutor.net/apple- competitors/Hanson,
D., Hitt, M., Ireland, D., & Hoskisson, R. (2016). Strategic
Management: Competitiveness and Globalisation. Cengage AU
Ireland R.D., Hoskisson, R.E., & Hitt, A. (2013). Understanding
Business Strategy Concepts Plus. Belmont, CA: Cengage
Learning.Leonard, K. (2019). Five Types of Business-Level
Strategies. Retrieved from
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-types-business-level-
strategies-781.html

20. Running Head: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
1
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 7
External and Internal Environment
Teona Goodman
Business Administrator Capstone
Dr. Joseph Keller
February 12, 2020
External and Internal Environment
Introduction
This essay looks at segments of the general environments that
rank highest in their influence of Apple. It also analyzes two
forces of competition which are most significant for the
corporation to choose and how the company has addressed them
in the past as well as its ability to address the forces in the near

21. future. Threats and opportunities affecting Apple Corporation
will be assessed as well as its greatest strengths and
weaknesses. The company’s resources, core competencies, and
capabilities will be determined.
General Environment
The general environment of an organization entails the
nonspecific element of the surroundings of a firm that can affect
its activities. The first ranking segments of the general
environment that affect Apple are political and economic
factors. The effects of these dimensions in the organization are
mostly broad and gradual (Lombardo, 2019).
Political Factors
In most cases, Apple does not have control over the
political factors which affect its operations; instead, it is the
governments in which they operate. Some of the political
factors influencing the activity of Apple in a particular nation
include political stability. When countries, especially the
developing nations, are experiencing political turmoil, it is
tough for businesses to thrive. Hence, the activities of Apple in
a country undergoing political instability might be curtailed due
to low purchasing power, which leads to low sales. The trade
policies of a nation will also affect the operations of an
international organization. Lack of promotion of free trade
policies by a government can inhibit the setup or growth of
Apple in such a country. Trade disputes are also an impediment
to business growth and development. For instance, the trade
disputes between the U.S. and China have led to slow business
in Apple products in China, which is a considerable blow to tap
that market. Additionally, runaway corruption, especially in
developing nations, also hinders the setup of businesses in such
countries (Lombardo, 2019).
Apple is affected by such a state of nations because it can be
hard to meet the demands of specific individuals when setting
up shop in those regions. Lastly, a poor state of infrastructure
will also affect the startup or growth of Apple in a country due
to its use of high technological equipment in production.

22. Economic Factors
There are some markets and conditions in the industry that
will affect Apple. The stability of the economy of a nation
dictates if Apple will thrive in a particular market or not. A
clear opportunity for Apple products is only guaranteed in
developed nations. Another factor is the rapid growth of the
economy in developing countries. When governments are
experiencing slow growth rates economically, the percentage of
sales of Apple products is also affected hence less profitability.
Lastly, when a nation has high disposable incomes, it forms
chances for Apple to sell its relatively expensive technological
products to people in the region it operates (Lombardo, 2019).
Five Forces of Competition
Any organization should be geared to understand its close
competitors, the quality of their products or services as well as
their strategies in marketing. Knowledge of such variables is
essential for survival in a specific market. The two most
significant forces of competition to Apple are competitive
rivalry and the bargaining power of customers.
Competitive Rivalry
Globally, Apple is facing stiff competition from companies
such as LG and Samsung. The competitors are also engaged in
the innovation and advertising of their products. To address
this, Apple decided to be more innovative and creative through
the creation of unique features in their products which attract
clients. They are also involved in sophisticated advertising and
use robust marketing strategies to woo customers. In terms of
product differentiation, Apple strives to make sleek products
with unique features to beat their competitors. However, many
products in the technology industry are similar to fulfill specific
purposes (Ferguson, 2019). To deal with low switching costs,
Apple has reduced the price of its products, and maintained high
quality, increased functionality of its products made them more
accessible as well as improved the network of its products.
Bargaining Power of Customers
The bargaining power of clients is robust in affecting the

23. activities of Apple. For instance, the low switching cost is very
high because the clients can switch brands due to the price,
accessibility, and function of Apple products. To curb this
situation, Apple has expanded its market base to ensure its
products are easily accessible by clients, as well as reduced
prices while maintaining quality to attract more clients. The low
switching cost being high compels Apple to ensure clients are
satisfied (Ferguson, 2019). There is also the case of high buying
information where Apple has availed information in the market
concerning its products to empower the potential clients to shift
from other brands.
Future Improvements
To reduce competition in the industry, Apple should lower
its prices further because its products are considered highly-
priced when compared to those of close competitors while
maintaining quality. Many potential customers would want to
own Apple products, but the prices inhibit ownership. They
should also target low-end market segments. In the developing
nations, the number of the middle class is growing; hence more
information on Apple products is needed. The products also
need to be accessible by this growing population segment to
enhance the bargaining power of clients, which in turn increases
sales.
Greatest External Threat
The biggest threat that faces Apple is competition from
close rivalries. There has been fierce competition in the
industry due to the aggressiveness of the other competing firms.
The competing organizations in the industry are also engaged in
the rapid innovation of its products using modern technology.
The aggressive competition has had a limiting effect on Apple
(Smithson, 2019). To deal with severe competition, Apple
should initiate fundamentals for keeping competitive advantages
such as pricing, quality, adaptability, and accessibility.
Greatest Opportunity
The most significant opportunity that Apple should grab is
to expand its distribution network. Apple should change its

24. limited distribution network to reach other clients in other
markets. Having an expanded distribution network will assist
Apple makes more sales to clients globally (Smithson, 2019).
There is a rise in demand for Apple products; hence expanding
the distribution network will cater to this demand.
Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the forces of Apple is that it enjoys a sharp brand
image globally. A highly reputable organization has high-profit
margins because it attracts more clients. Additionally, Apple
has an effective rapid innovation process, which leads to the
manufacture of quality products that attract clients. In the case
of weaknesses, Apple has a limited network of distribution of
its products; hence it does not maximize its potential in availing
products to clients. Another weakness is that Apple products are
highly-priced compared to those of close competitors. Lastly,
Apple depends on sales from high-end market segments only,
which limits its selling capacity (Smithson, 2019).
Strategy or Tactic
Apple should take advantage of its excellent brand
reputation, high profitability rate, and innovation prowess to
penetrate markets to enhance client base and increase customer
loyalty. To overcome these weaknesses, Apple should expand
its distribution network to cater to all clients, reduce prices
while maintaining the quality to attract low-end market
segments, which will help increase revenue.
Resources, Capabilities and Core Competencies
Some of the resources and capabilities of Apple include
product quality, which has remained unchallenged for long. The
quality of products has led to enhanced brand reputation. Apple
is also heavily focused on research and innovation, which has
helped it maintained the number one position in computing the
tech industry. Apple has also sustained global popularity and
presence because it operates its business in different
geographical regions, which has been to its advantage. Apple
has unique marketing strategies that have helped the
organization to be distinct and different. Marketing has helped

25. increase sales and engages clients better. Due to the focus on
the quality of its products through innovation, Apple has
created a considerable customer base and increase client
loyalty. Apple has kept a vast global supply chain, which has
ensured that the raw material is of good quality, which is key to
the production of Apple products (Pratap, 2019).
SourcesFerguson, E. (2019). Apple Inc. Five Forces Analysis
(Porter’s Model). Retrieved from http://panmore.com/apple-
inc-five-forces-analysis-porters-model-case-studyLombardo, J.
(2019). Apple Inc. PESTEL/PESTLE Analysis &
Recommendations. Retrieved from http://panmore.com/apple-
inc-pestel-pestle-analysis-recommendationsPratap, A. (2019).
Apple Resources and Capabilities. Retrieved from
https://notesmatic.com/2019/04/apple-resources-and-
capabilities/Smithson, N. (2019). Apple Inc. SWOT Analysis &
Recommendations. Retrieved from http://panmore.com/apple-
inc-swot-analysis-recommendations
Running Head: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND
STRATEGIC COMPETITIVENESS 1
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC
COMPETITIVENESS 2
Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness

26. By
Institution
Lecturer
Date
Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness
This essay explores a public corporation and how globalization
and technological changes have had an impact on it. The
industrial organization model and resource-based model will be
applied to show how they would help the company earn above-
average returns. An analysis of how the company’s vision and
mission statement influence its overall success will be given.
Lastly, the impact of every stakeholder on the institution’s
overall success will also be analyzed.
Apple is one of the top multinational companies which is
specialized in designing, developing, and manufacturing
electronic equipment. Such equipment includes mobile phones,
software, and computers. Globalization has played a
considerable part in the growth of Apple in the industry
worldwide. Globalization is the concept in which different
economies have amalgamated to reduce barriers of international
trade such as tariffs, the fees related to exports, and quotas on
imports. It is due to such circumstances that have enabled Apple
products to penetrate different markets in the world. Apple is a
leader in innovation and creativity; hence it needs enormous
investments in its workforce. They also require investments in
the machines they use in production. Apple has employed

27. strategies that utilize outsourcing, and that has assisted the
company in achieving unmeasurable success to lead in offering
quality products to its clients. For instance, globalization has
affected the company’s business strategy. Due to the increased
market and demand for apple products, customization has been
done in applying the differentiation strategy. Thus, Apple has
led in the production of electronics, software, and phones which
have exclusive features (Sohail, 2017). To enable such, the
company has heavily capitalized in research and development to
reap more in the technological field.
Globalization has also had an impact on the operations and
employment practices of the company. Due to the ability to
access different markets, the company has managed to
subcontract production plants in different parts of the world.
Therefore, it has prospered in the manufacture of products and
launched them in new markets. On employment, Apple has
succeeded to attract talented, committed, and innovative staff
members across the world. This pool of workers has helped the
organization to achieve its objectives due to innovation hence
leading in the technological industry. Globalization has also had
an effect on the products and services provided. International
markets require quality products and services from institutions.
Through partnerships with different producers in the world
market, Apple has used outsourcing and subcontracted suppliers
to supply various components to make their products attractive
and different. Globalization has also affected the company’s
resources and maximization of profit. The company has been
able to access the best human resources in the globe. The
company also spends a significant amount of capital to increase
the acquisition of capital and other production factors. Going
global has enhanced the market share of Apple, which has
enabled it to maximize profits. The distinct market position
earned by apple is due to the marketing campaigns it has been
carrying out (Sohail, 2017). This has helped Apple to gain a
devoted customer base throughout the world, which has
enhanced its brand equity. Thus, the company enjoys a

28. favorable brand reputation in many countries around the globe.
Lastly, the company has to cater to the needs of its client
base spread across the education sector, governments, small and
medium enterprises, and large corporations. To ensure every
quota is served, the company employs direct and indirect
distribution channels, which also includes online sales services,
retail stores, direct sales, and third-party retailers (Sohail,
2017). The company has ensured that every potential customer
of their products can access them easily worldwide without
struggle, and that has been enabled by globalization.
Technological changes had an impact on Apple because it
produced products that led to disruption in the technological
industry. For instance, the manufacture of the iPhone provided
users a gadget that was different from those that existed. The
device had touch controls, and it was a breakthrough internet
communication device. It is due to advancements in technology
that Apple has decided to make products with unique features
from those of competitors through the exploration of technology
within the existing technology area. The innovative nature of
the company through its workforce has been enabled by changes
in technology hence making it be the leading innovative
company.
Apple can use the industrial organization model to
maintain a considerable stake in the market. This model ensures
that the competition pool is small, creates barriers to entry, and
assists the company in assessing the competitor’s next steps. On
limiting competition, apple can undertake some actions which
can affect its market. The move will ensure that few competitors
take part, which will enable it to control the market. For
instance, if Apple decided to manufacture quality products with
unique features targeting the majority of the clients, they would
edge out their competitors. By doing this, they would be
required to reduce the price of their products while maintaining
the quality to attract more potential clients. That action would
drive away many competitors who manufacture low-quality
products and sell them at low prices. The sales of Apple

29. products would rise significantly because many people could
afford their products, and they would earn above-average
returns. Apple can also create a barrier to entry in some
markets, and that can limit the number of competitors in the
market entering. Entry can be barred to other competitors by
Apple by striking a deal with a nation to relocate its facilities.
Consequently, Apple would offer employment and profit the
local economy and can strike an agreement ensuring another
rival has problems starting up shop in the area. Through that,
less competition is guaranteed, and Apple can gain footing
through the country’s economic and political infrastructure.
Lastly, apple can earn above-average returns by predicting the
actions of their competitors. This is done using the game theory,
which consists of the competitors and the limited decisions they
can make. Through the use of matrices and tree diagrams, Apple
can evaluate its next moves by simulating the rival’s selections
and the probable results of the choices (Mate, 2017).
Knowledge of the rival’s next possible steps can determine how
Apple will interact with its competitors. After knowing the
competitor's moves, the company can understand that it can be
best to pre-empt the market and make the first strategic move,
which will beat the competitor.
Consequently, the resource-based model can also help an
organization earn above-average returns. The resources, in this
case, are strategic resources owned by an organization, which
allows developing a competitive advantage over the rivals. The
vital resources refer to those which are rare, hard to imitate, and
are unique and cannot be substituted. Apple can benefit
immensely by making products that are difficult to imitate,
valuable, and rare. Such products can only be attained through
numerous innovations and improvements on existing
technologies. The use of a business model that is focused on
strategic resources can help the company record-high profits.
The vital resources which are rare or valuable are due to the
high cost of acquiring them or their scarcity (Edwards, 2019).
Apple can leverage its innovative nature and create never seen

30. before products that are not easy to obtain and cannot be
imitated. Thus, people will strive to purchase the products for
their use, and that will enable the company to attain high-profit
margins compared to competitors since they are the only
manufactures of the much-sought products.
Apple’s corporate mission has been changing over time.
The company is considerate of the changing business landscape,
which influences what the organization can do. Apple is
conscious of the changes in the market and industry
environment. The current mission statement states that the
company designs Macs, which are the best personal computers
world over along with OS X, iWork, and iLife and professional
software. It says that it leads in the digital music revolution
with the iPods and iTunes online store. There has also been a
reinvention of mobile phones using the iPhone and App store,
and it is defining the mobile media future and computing
gadgets with iPad (Rowland, 2019). This mission statement is in
line with the company’s objective to be the leading player in the
technology sector. It has revamped its mobile phones, its
software, and personal computers, which increase client
experience compared to those of competitors. The company also
wants to stamp its authority in the field of creativity and
innovation through the creation of unique and quality products.
The vision statement of Apple mirrors its mission
statement. According to their leader Tim Cook, the vision of the
company is to make great products, hence the constant focus on
innovation. The company believes in creating simple and not
complex products, and they feel they have to control the
primary technology behind the products they produce. Through
globalization, the company wishes to participate in markets
where they can make significant contributions. The focus of the
organization is on a few projects which are essential and
meaningful to them. The company employs collaboration among
its staff members, which allows them to innovate differently
than its competitors. The company does not settle for anything
less than success to maintain the leading status while providing

31. quality and unique products to its clients (Rowland, 2019). Both
the mission statement and the vision statement show that Apple
has its eyes fixed on success due to the quality and uniqueness
of the products they manufacture. These statements guide the
company’s actions to ensure they remain unbeaten.
Apple has different stakeholders ranging from employees,
suppliers, governments, media, customers, and competitors. All
these stakeholders have an impact on the overall success of the
organization. The employees are the ones mandated to carry day
to day activities in the corporation to manufacture the products
used by clients. They are the ones prescribed to be creative and
innovative to create unique and quality products. Hence, the
success of the products in the hands of the clients is pegged on
them. They have to ensure they maximize the resources
provided to give what the client needs and edge competitors.
Suppliers are also very essential in the corporation because they
supply components used to manufacture the products. A go
slow, or any misunderstanding with the suppliers can cripple
day to day activities in the corporation because components
used to make the products will not be availed. Governments in
which Apple Company operates also influence its operations.
For instance, regulations placed on companies such as tax,
tariffs will affect the overall performance of the organization.
Favorable government regulations will influence the success of
the company, while punitive decisions will hurt the business
and can lead to closure or retrenchments. The media is also a
massive pillar in the success of the organization. When the
media run negative stories about Apple, it dents its image and
reputation. A company with a dented reputation does not attract
clients or partnerships from other players. Hence, positive
media coverage of Apple will ensure the company is successful
because many people would want to be associated with its
mannerisms or products. Clients are the nerve center of the
organization. Without customers, the business is bound to close
the shop. Offering clients quality products and excellent
customer experience ensure the company succeeds in its

32. activities. Lastly, there are competitors, and Apple owes them
ethical and legal responsibility. The competitors should act
justly and comply fully with legal and regulatory frameworks to
allow healthy competition (Hakobyan, 2018). Unhealthy
competition can lead to unpleasant business for Apple making it
not to realize its objectives.
References
Edwards, J. (2019). Resource-Based Theory. Retrieved from
https://opentextbc.ca/strategicmanagement/chapter/resourc
e-based-theory/Hakobyan, A. (2018). Apple Stakeholder
Analysis. Retrieved from
https://teletype.in/@aramhakobyaninfo/Sy2tVAirEMate, B.
(2017). The Benefits of an Industrial Organization Model
Strategy. Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/list-7319667-
benefits-industrial-organization-model-strategy.htmlSohail, N.
(2017). Impact of Globalization on Apple Inc. Retrieved from

33. https://www.scribd.com/doc/61951649/Impact-of-
Globalization-on-Apple-IncRowland, C. (2019). Apple Inc.’s
Mission Statement and Vision Statement (An Analysis).
Retrieved from http://panmore.com/apple-mission-
statement-vision-statement