IMS and Business Objectives
One of the most successful innovative corporations that produce new technologies and influence the global innovation market is Apple. It was first established as a computer company back in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. which includes the impact of information systems in the organization and their relevance to various activities carried out by the company. The company has presented the most commonly used technologies – hardware, software, laptops, phones, and numerous other devices. Apple has multiple stores all over the world and sells its products to the customers willing to try out new technologies. A loyal customer base is the primary competitive advantage of the company.
Innovations drive modern society since they increase people’s quality of life. They shrink the geographical boundaries and improve communication systems all over the globe. The level of the company’s profitability puts Apple as the second-largest technology manufacturer in the world. Further, Apple has developed its own Information Management Systems (IMS) to preserve, store, and gather data using the most secure techniques. IMS is a system that tracks and retrieves data within the business environment, collects and manages data, and provides data to management by analyzing and filtering according to various business requirements (Barolli, Takizawa, & Enokido, 2017). The company owns a well-structured internal communication system and widely implements virtualization as a critical strategy to increase its competitive advantage.
Apple has several primary business objectives mainly aimed at improving the company’s performance. The first aim is operational excellence, which increases productivity and efficiency level by implementing advanced technologies into the working process. The next objective refers to customer and supplier intimacy implying that Apple seeks to satisfy its clients and make a trustful connection with multiple vendors. Apple also protects its data and spends enormous amounts of money on information protection technologies to ensure their client’s private data is secured. The other major company’s goal is improved decision making since information systems technology has allowed businesses to use data and predict the future. Considering the mentioned objectives, it is observable that they correlate to Apple’s IMS in a way that technologies are the key to increasing the competitive advantage and customer satisfaction.
Technology, Transportation, and Warehousing
The information system at Apple plays an important role in managing all the processes in the company. IMS helps the company impact the corporation’s expansion worldwide to sell products in various places. Besides, it allows for flexibility and accessible services provision directly. Apple has elaborated the logistic system using advanced technologies so as to live up to the set objectives. Its supply chain monitoring technology helps the company to redirect products from the assembly plant in China to where it is needed, based on sales (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). Typically, the products are shipped from China in unmarked boxes with the security details; then, they are transferred by airfreight to the destination. Using the available software for watching the movement of cargo, Apple can gain value. The company needs to be aware of the inventory’s location to adjust it in accordance with the current needs.
After the transportation, the products are located in the warehouses, where the information security systems also monitor them. First, the warehouses have changed their regular planning and were divided into different sections: packaging, labeling, and others. Augmented reality (AR) technologies help disclose the package details such as delivery time, assembly date, etc ((Meredith & Shafer, 2019). This technology is vital for tracking the product’s location and measuring the information system efficacy.
IMS and Competitive Advantage
Since time is money, Apple aims to provide information at the right time. Establishing communication with suppliers, partners, customers, and other stakeholders helps the company increase its competitive advantage (Bitner et al., 2020). It is necessary to mention that Apple has been a leading innovative manufacturer since its launch due to its fast actions aimed at developing and making connections with numerous other companies and people.
Due to the fact that Information Management System collects information outside the business environment, Apple manages to effectively distribute data not only between internal departments but also between external ones. IMS helps solve the problems effectively, either it is a problem within the office or on the corporation’s level (Bitner et al., 2020). However, one of the most significant factors responsible for Apple’s competitive advantage is customer satisfaction.
Apple customers are loyal to the company’s devices since the corporation provides the most superior technologies which meet clients’ needs and expectations. Steve Jobs conveyed to the public the main idea of the Apple brand – every new product of the company should be improved, taking into account the wishes and needs of customers. This is the key to the growth and scaling of the business. To ensure these variables, Apple carries out surveys and interviews in order to identify any fluctuations in the level of customer satisfaction. Approximately 85% of Apple’s consumers are willing to buy its products and would not change Apple for Android (Bitner et al., 2020). Apple has achieved a world-class Net Promoter Score using such tactics as starting with the customer experience, not with the product, and carefully listening to customer feedback.
IMS and Supply Chain Partners
Apple uses large amounts of upfront payments and a well-developed logistics system as a “strategic weapon” to ensure advantages over competitors. Apple’s well-established supply chain is a very powerful competitive weapon. Tim Cook, the head of Apple, attaches great importance to efficiency (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). The company focused on developing efficient supply chains and now works very closely with suppliers and manufacturers to configure the production process as accurately as possible.
Apple’s famous “secrecy” also plays a vital role in the efficiency of the supply process. In anticipation of the launch of new products, the company often places its employees in every link of the supply chain to ensure the safety of products and information about them. Supply plans determine the volume of output and requirements for purchasing materials for the next week or the following year. In addition, when preparing the release of new products to the market, IMS helps to ensure that customers receive products through all trading channels on time (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). Recently, Apple has also managed to achieve a price advantage over competitors who cannot achieve such a price level for their products without compromising profits.
IMS and Inventory
IMS is responsible for the advancements in the company’s inventory and order monitoring processes. One of Apple’s biggest secrets is that such products as MacBook, iPad, and iPhone are considered highly perishable and have an expiration date monitored by the information systems. Thus, if the stocks of iPhones of a particular model need to be updated, the employees find it out by seeing this information on the computer. This is how the company achieves an increasingly rapid inventory turnover (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). It all owes to Apple’s actions directed towards combining innovation with wise supply chain strategies. Their business model is also productive because of elaborated IMS, which helps monitor their items’ quality.
When it comes to monitoring orders, Apple offers users the apps or online tracking programs to ensure each product is delivered directly to the customer. Such a method also allows for increasing customer satisfaction and guarantees the company’s level of integrity (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). Apple sells high-quality products and aims to meet clients’ expectations; thus, keeping its products fresh and letting customers know the delivery details is vital for its reputation.
Managing Information
Managing information is vital in the modern world for every global company. Information management is a significant advantage, especially in a business where competition rules. For a commercial organization to be better than its competitors, it is necessary first to establish information management within the company. Information management is an essential attribute of the modern concept of organization management. It contributes to solving the priority tasks of economic activity, reducing costs, increasing the efficiency of using all types of resources, ensuring the flexibility of the market strategy, and improving the competitiveness of products.
Considering the abovementioned facts, it should be stated that the organization’s efficacy can be boosted by implementing advanced IMS. For instance, the company may compare last year’s data on profit to ensure its revenue grows or identify the points of its reduction. In addition, it may recognize a need for changes in some departments, for instance, to produce new items or cut down on them. Therefore, considering information collected by IMS is essential for boosting a firm’s productivity.
References
Barolli, L., Takizawa, M., & Enokido, T. (2017). Advances in network-based information systems: The 20th international conference on network-based information. Springer International Publishing.
Bitner, M. J., Gremler, D., Zeithaml, & V., Wilson, A. (2020). EBK: Services marketing: Integrating customer service across the firm. McGraw-Hill Education.
Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S. M. (2019). Operations and supply chain management for MBAs. Wiley.