I need help with the following and can provide the project plan table from Wk4

Add the following 2 columns to the project plan table you created in Wk 4 – Apply: Project Plan: 

1. Potential Risk Factors 
2. Contingency Plans 

Based on your prior research, determine potential risk factors for not meeting each of the project objectives. Develop a contingency plan for each of the potential risks. Add the potential risks and contingency plan to your Wk 4 – Apply: Project Plan. 

Use Microsoft PowerPoint® , Prezi® , or another software to create a 12- to 14-slide executive presentation—with appropriate images and diagrams—that summarizes the following information: 

• The organization’s information presented in Wk 1 
• SWOT analysis and market trend research 
• Project objectives 
• How success will be measured
• The value this project will bring to the organization
• Project metrics 
• Timelines  
• Responsible parties 
• Potential risk factors 
• Contingency plans 

Include detailed speaker notes within the presentation. Convert the speaker notes to a Microsoft Word document and add it to the citations slide.  

Cite all sources according to APA guidelines. 

BUS/475v10

WK 2 Apply: SWOT Analysis

BUS/475v10

Page 2 of 2

Wk 2 – Apply: SWOT Analysis

Name:

Selected Organization: Apple Inc

Complete
a SWOT analysis from a global perspective, if applicable.

Strengths

Weaknesses

1)
Global brand recognition
2) Strong product ecosystem with a proven ability to design, manufacture and develop proprietary hardware, software and applications
3) High profit margins
4) Extremely loyal customer base

1) High priced products
2) Over reliance on iPhone sales as a major source of revenue
3) Few new innovative products introduced over the past few years
4) Technology that is incompatible with other programs or products

Opportunities

Threats

1) Entry into the rirtual reality and augmented reality markets
2) Wearable technology
3) Voice controlled smart technology like Google Voice or Alexa

1) Tariffs and trade restrictions can negatively impact production and the company’s revenue and profit
2) Smartphones and tablets are increasingly common and may reduce the company’s margins
3) Negative publicity from patent infringement cases and unfair labor claims

Analysis

Summarize
your findings from the SWOT analysis for the CEO of the organization you chose.
Address
the following in your 2- to 3-page summary:

Apple Inc was established in 1977 and is one of the most valuable companies in terms of market capitalization and brand value in the world (Fortune, 2019). The company has revolutionized the smartphone and tablet market and is one of the most iconic brands in the world.

Apple is most known for the iPhone, which accounts for 54.7% of the company’s total revenue (Apple, Inc Form 10-K For The Fiscal Year Ended September 28, 2019, 2019).

In addition to consumer electronics, Apple offers many services to its customers like Subscription based services (Apple Music, Apple TV), digital content like iTunes, and other services like iCloud storage, Apple Pay and Apple News.

Apple operates in a highly competitive industry and has continued to perform and stay ahead of the competition. There are many large rivals in the industry that bring fierce competition so Apple needs to consistently innovate and take advantage of opportunities and explore new markets.

·
How would you match the organization’s strengths to its opportunities?

As the smartphone and tablet market become saturated, Apple Inc needs to look for different growth opportunities. Augmented and virtual reality can offer a big opportunity for Apple Inc to break into. According to IDC, the AR and VR markets are expected to reach $18.8 billion in 2020 (“Worldwide Spending On Augmented And Virtual Reality Expected To Reach $18.8 Billion In 2020”, 2019).

Tim Merel from TechCrunch (Merel, 2019) said that the AR market needs to overcome 5 obstacles to become a mass market:

· hero device (i.e. an Apple-quality device, whether made by Apple or someone else)

· all-day battery life

· mobile connectivity

· app ecosystem

· telco cross-subsidization

Apple’s product ecosystem, its ability to create proprietary software partnered with the release of the new iPhone 11 and Apple’s recent acquisitions of 3D technology and face recognition companies like PrimeSense, Metaio and RealFace, the company is capable of overcoming all 5 obstacles (Johnson, 2019).

Apple was the first company to come out with a voice-activated virtual assistant called Siri. This gave Apple’s devices a competitive edge over their rivals. Apple became complacent and did not maintain their competitive advantage. This gave competitors like Google and Amazon an opportunity to create and market their own virtual assistants like Google Voice, Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo and Microsoft Cortana. Apple can increase their efforts to continue and develop and expand Siri’s capabilities to strengthen their product ecosystem, provide a better user experience and remain competitive.

The IDC forecasts that the market for wearable technology will grow to 489.1 million units by 2023. Out of all wearables, the most common will be earwear and smartwatches that will account for 55.9% and 22.3% of the market (“Wrist-Worn Wearables Maintain A Strong Growth Trajectory In Q2 2019”, 2019).

The top contributing factor to the increase in wearable market is the demand for health-related wearables. The Apple Watch comes equipped with features that measure activity levels, heart rate, blood pressure and sleep patterns. Apple is well positioned to take advantage of the increase in this market by enhancing the features available in the Apple Watch.

·
How would you convert the organization’s weaknesses into strengths?

Apple has relied on iPhone sales as a main source of revenue. When the iPhone entered the Chinese market in 2009, it became the company’s second largest market compared to the US. Apple products are also considered status symbols due its price but also offered quality that no other company can beat. Since iPhone prices were high, it was seen as a luxury item that only rich people can afford. This created an opportunity for Chinese rivals like Huawei, and Xiaomi to manufacture highly comparable smartphones and tablets and sell them at much lower prices. These new options converted many Chinese consumers to support and buy products from Huawei and Xiaomi instead of Apple. This resulted in 16% revenue drop in China in 2019 (“China’s Smartphone Market Falls 14% In 2018”, 2019). Apple should change its strategy in China and leverage their brand recognition and innovation to stay ahead of the competition and increase market share.

·
What recommendations do you have to mitigate the impact of the threats?

When the iPhone was first released in 2007, it disrupted the whole mobile phone market and set the standard for new smartphones. Since that time, smartphones have improved a lot and it is increasingly difficult for Apple to differentiate its iPhones from other smartphones. New changes released by Apple are very incremental and nothing ground-breaking. Many smartphones offer the same features, similar designs and color choices as the iPhone. The only major differentiator between the iPhone and rival devices is Apple’s iOS. The only competitor to iOS is Google Android, which is available on every non-Apple smartphone around the world. If Android continues to improve and offers a great customer experience, the iPhone’s unique selling point will disappear. Apple’s brand loyalty plays a significant role in Apple being able to maintain market share. Apple needs to find a way to open its iOS software to third party developers and make it compatible with other operating systems while maintaining safety and brand integrity.

·
What action(s) does the organization need to take to advance their organization goals and/or expand their competitive advantage? Why does the organization need to take this/these action(s)?

The smartphone and tablet market are getting saturated and this has a negative impact on Apple’s revenue and profitability but there are many avenues that Apple can pursue to maintain competitive advantage and ensure continued growth and success.

Apple Inc should continue to focus on developing and expanding its proprietary software and hardware systems. These are the company’s major differentiators and main competitive advantage over its rivals. Apple should also improve its research and development competencies and introduce more innovative products at a faster pace.

Changing the strategy in China should be addressed as soon as possible. The Chinese market is the largest smartphone market in the world and increasing and maintaining market share is vital to the company’s continued success.

Enhancing smartphone and wearable technology features leads to many opportunities for continued growth for Apple. The company should also increase focus on the AR and VR market since Apple already has the capacity, resources and capability to dominate in this field.

Citations

Global 500 | Fortune(2019). Retrieved from https://fortune.com/global500/2019/search/

Apple, Inc Form 10-K For The Fiscal Year Ended September 28, 2019(2019). Retrieved from https://s2.q4cdn.com/470004039/files/doc_financials/2019/ar/_10-K-2019-(As-Filed)

Worldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected to Reach $18.8 Billion in 2020 (2019). Retrieved from

https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS45679219

Merel, T. (2019). The Reality of VR/AR Growth. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/11/the-reality-of-vrar-growth/

Johnson, L. (2019). Apple AR headset rumors: Apple may release headset in 2022, glasses by 2023. Retrieved from

https://www.macworld.com/article/3446839/apple-ar-glasses-rumors.html

Wrist-Worn Wearables Maintain a Strong Growth Trajectory in Q2 2019(2019). Retrieved from

https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS45521319

China’s smartphone market falls 14% in 2018(2019). Retrieved from https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/china’s-smartphone-market-falls-14-in-2018-with-just-under-400-million-units-shipped

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Apple Inc Metrics

Explain why this opportunity/threat was selected and how it is anticipated to benefit the organization

Apple Inc. is a technology behemoth that started in 1977. The company headquarters is in Cupertino, California and is one of the most valuable brands in the world. Apple products include software applications, computers and mobile devices and the company holds true to its mission and vision statement to create life changing products. Apple has many opportunities in the market, a factor that has all along build its competitive advantage.

The company is surrounded by many opportunities to ensure continued success. Apple commands a big part of the tablet, cell phone and wearable tech industry. These can all be complemented and improved by incorporating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality products (AR) into wearable tech. According to IDC, the AR and VR markets are expected to reach $18.8 billion in 2020 (“Worldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected To Reach $18.8 Billion In 2020”, 2019).

Getting involved in a trending and growing billion-dollar industry can be very lucrative for Apple. Apple can integrate VR and AR with the Apple Watch to bring more features and offer more convenience to its users. This technology can also make email, texts, and other apps come to life by being able to display this information directly in the consumers field of vision. Apple can also integrate VR or AR in text messaging or Facetime and give users can have a whole new text and FaceTime experience where users actually “see” each other, choose a location like Italy and chat in an alternative environment without physically being there. As an organization, Apple will benefit from increased sales VR and AR but the company will also benefit through improved efficiency and reducing costs. Trainings and meetings can be done in a virtual environment and employees separated by geographical regions can come together without the expense of travel. Virtual training can be done on a whole new level where new employees can shadow and learn from a senior employee without physically being there. AppleCare can also incorporate VR and AR in troubleshooting devices and making the interaction more human and personal. The possibilities are endless.

Create at least three measurable project objectives based on your analyses. Determine timelines and responsibilities for each purpose (e.g., with a RACI chart)

RACI Chart

Project Tasks

Project Owner

Business Analyst

Financial Lead

Design Director

1. Wearable Tech

Strategic Framework

A

C

A

I

Product Concept

A

C

C

I

User Testing

A

I

I

C

2. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

User Journey

C

R

I

I

Design Framework

C

A

I

I

Product Backlog

R

I

A

R

3. Customer Service

Measurement Framework

C

C

C

I

Delivery Roadmap

A

I

A

I

Technology Recommendations

R

C

I

C

Develop at least two metrics to evaluate the achievement of each of the project objectives.

Brand Loyalty

Although Apple is not always the first to market with new technology or features, the company has continually set the standard for brand loyalty. This brand loyalty has given Apple competitive advantage over its rivals. Apple’s mission and vision statement focuses on quality and providing products that can change their customers lives for the better. Apple products have a sleek and simple design but are also extremely powerful and advanced while still being easy to use. The company has been successful at delivering a seamless interaction between all their products, giving their customers ease and convenience. Tracking and increasing brand loyalty will help solidify Apple’s success when the company moves into the AR and VR markets.

Sales Revenue

Sales revenue shows if consumers are interested in the company’s products or service, if the company’s marketing efforts are effective and if the company is still competitive. Tracking sales revenue allows the company to determine what changes need to be made to the product, marketing and other competitive actions.

References

Worldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected to Reach $18.8 Billion in 2020 (2019). Retrieved from

https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS45679219

BUS/475 v10

Wk 1: Advanced Organizer

BUS/475 v10

Page 2 of 3

Wk 1 Apply: Degree of Alignment
Advanced Organizer

Review the companies listed in the case studies portion of the textbook. Choose 1 of the companies to use for all weekly assessments. Complete the chart below with information provided in the textbook and other resources. Provide your analysis below the chart.

Selected Organization:
Describe the organization in the follow chart:

Element

Description

Mission

Apple Inc. mission is “To bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services” (“Mission Statement Academy”, 2019).

Vision

“We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing.” (Farfan, 2019).

Values

Apple’s values include “inclusion, diversity, education, accessibility, environment, supplier responsibility and privacy.” (“Mission Statement Academy”, 2019).

Structure

Apple Inc. has a hierarchical organizational structure with divisional characteristics. This type of organizational structure is common in traditional business organizations.

Culture

“The company’s cultural features focus on maintaining a high level of innovation that involves creativity and a mindset that challenges conventions and standards.” (Meyer, 2019).

Analysis

Based on your advanced organizer and further research, analyze the degree of alignment between what the organization is currently doing (actions) and their mission, vision, values, structure, and culture.

Apple Inc has an impressive lineup of products that have changed the lives of millions of consumers. Apple Inc embraces technology and channels that focus towards the vision and the mission statement of the organization. The values of this organization provide management and employees with direction as well as an overview of what is required from them (D O’Rourke, 2018). Apple is a wildly successful technology company and has a market capitalization of over $1 trillion. The company has definitely lived up to their mission of innovating and creating great products that bring the best user experience for their customers. Although the company has enjoyed much success, Apple Inc has faced criticism and is accused of unethical business practices, sweatshop labor, and anti-competitive behavior (Gruber et al., 2017). For Apple Inc to continue being successful and staying aligned with their values, the company needs to focus on improving partnerships as well as supplier and production quality (Ng et al., 2018). I’ve met a lot of Apple Inc employees through my job and they all have great things to say about the company and the employee benefits they receive. Although the employees have great benefits, they all share the same frustration about the stress and pressure to perform. Based on that feedback, Apple needs to come up with a desirable solution where employees can still innovate and be effective while providing employees work life balance.

Citations

D O’Rourke, A. (2018). The world apple market. Routledge.

Gruber, T. R., Sabatelli, A., Aybes, A., Pitschel, D. W., Voas, E. D., Anzures, F. A., & Marcos, P. D. (2017). U.S. Patent Application No. 15/193,971.

Ng, E. H., Nepal, B., Schott, E., & Keathley, H. (2018). TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT & APPLE SUCCESS.

Mission Statement Academy(2019). Retrieved from

Apple Mission and Vision Statement Analysis

Farfan, B. (2019). What is Apple’s Mission Statement. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/apple-mission-statement-4068547

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

BUS/475v10

Project Plan

BUS/475 v10

Page 2 of 2

Wk 4 – Apply: Project Plan

Project Title: Apple Reality Project

Project Objectives:

· Identify the top 2 Apple products and/or services to first integrate with AR and VR features.

·

Determine and develop the top 5 AR and VR features and make prototypes

· Estimate supply chain needs, cost and production timeframe

Operational Step

Responsible Person

Timeline

Review Apple’s product/service mix and determine which top 2 products to start with AR and VR

Charles (Product Research Manager)

2/1 (1 week)

Conduct consumer surveys and market research regarding potential AR/VR features on Apple products/services

Darin (Market Research Manager)

2/8 (4 weeks)

Share survey results and feedback with management and the research team

Charles and Darin

3/8 (2 weeks)

Determine and develop the top 5 AR and VR features and make prototypes

Operational Step

Responsible Person

Timeline

Review sales data to determine peak sales opportunities by location

Jim (Director of Sales)

9/30 (1 week)

Identify the top 5 locations in which to conduct the desert taco pilot

Jim

10/7 (2 weeks)

Create marketing collateral and social media communications to promote the desert taco pilot

Oliver (Media Relations Manager)

10/21 (4 weeks)

Provide expected volume and product information for the inventory team

Jim

10/7 (2 weeks)

Estimate the required inventory and supply chain needs necessary to support the desert taco pilot

Operational Step

Responsible Person

Timeline

Based on expected customer volume, locations, and times, determine the product inventory required to support the pilot.

Louise (Controller)

10/14 (3 weeks)

Source supply companies and obtain product pricing quotes and delivery timelines.

Louise

10/21 (4 weeks)

Determine shipment and storage needs to support the pilot.

Louise and Ben (Operations Manager)

10/21 (4 weeks)

Purchase product for the pilot and arrange transportation to support the desert taco pilot at the various locations.

Louise

10/28 (5 weeks)

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2019 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.