Rhetorical situation regarding Apple, Inc (Essay Sample)

Rhetorical situation regarding Apple, Inc
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Rhetorical situation regarding Apple, Inc
Although ranked as one of the most profitable companies in the world, Apple inc. has continued to have its own share of weaknesses as well as challenges. In most cases, the corporate management is most times described as very controlling and proprietary. It is in particular reluctant to open the operating system to outsiders in order to develop its hardware in such a way that will make Apple products compatible with theirs (Wozniak & Smith, 2009, p. 29). This has kept design control inside and up to standards which has in particular hurt the wide adaptation of its hardware components, which are mostly computers making its market share to increase at a diminishing rate.
Further, the CEO of Apple has widely been described as very demanding, a control individual. He is very secretive, and any personal blow on his part may highly affect the company. The corporation is also not shareholder- friendly as it has abused option granting in the past, and is reluctant to pay a dividend despite the growing cash level, as it has no debt equity (Hoffman & Ford, 2010, p. 45). Apple also faces threats that are challenging its success in the market where its products are perceived to be very expensive, a phenomenon that has remained a problem as it has moved its products out of the common market. Other smart phones for instance are less expensive and hence affordable as compared to Apple Corporation’s products. Moreover, the lucrative and smart ideas that it comes up with are easy to copy. For example, other phone manufacturers for example Samsung have incorporated its innovative idea of the touch screen interface. Applications are also developed for other devices and smart phones (aLüsted, 2012, p. 112).
In addition, technological devices have developed as an integral part of day-to-day life of most people in the recent years. Along with this growth, customers are demanding very high rating technological features, which have increased competition in the market for the most up to date devices (Linzmayer & Linzmayer, 2004, p. 17). Apple has a variety of products, which include iPad, iPod, iPhone, Apple television software, and many others but focusing on one of its products, the iPhone, it has not been easy for Apple to succeed in all its inventions and introduction of new products. Although the company is very successful, it constantly faces continuous competition, ridicule and sarcasm from its competitors. Samsung for Instance is an example of a company that offers stiff competitive especially for mobile products such as smart phones.
The release of iPhone 5 for instance has greatly faced many challenges. These constraints have come about due to the operations of the competing firm Samsung, which had previously released the galaxy SIII. The device qualities have been challenged as well as it perceives superior features. Apples iPhone 5’s reliability has been challenged and publicly undermined. This has in particular been achieved through magnification of the competitor’s galaxy SIII superior features and tools, which refutes the common place among most Americans that Apple’s products are of quality. The ideology of Americans of pursuing a trendy and contemporary lifestyle invokes the audience’s desire to possess the most updated mobile phones. Rhetorical situation has strengthened the effectiveness of Apple Inc contrary to the assertion of many critics. One intellectual property concern for Apple has been to keep its proprietary information a secret to keep off other companies from stealing its ideas.
Apple inc management is concerned with its sterling reputation which could be easily damaged if it fails to address risks and challenges appropriately .Thus, it has taken steps to become a stronger and a greener company .Following its challenge of environmental issues ,the company has put effort to reduce the environmental impact at its facilities .Majority of emissions has come from its products and from the life cycle of its products .Apple inc is constantly releasing upgraded products, this definitely results to the older technology being tossed aside. The corporation currently builds its products with materials that are suitable for recycling where it is concerned with the long lasting nature of its products and as such it it can responsibly recycle them (Wozniak & Smith, 2009, p. 51) .Apple is also encouraging its customers to recycle and this has been possible through the creation of the recycling program at its stores for old Macs, iPods and mobile phones . IPods are now constructed with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in place of fluorescent lamps , which contains no mercury. The two toxic chemicals .Polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants have as well been eliminated from its products.
To counter some of the challenges it faces, Apple Inc has continued to put a lot of effort to create and maintain its image in the market, which may have helped improve its popularity and profitability in recent years. This has been possible due to its impressive internal business organizational and operational strengths as well as its competitive advantage over other firms in the industry (Kuypers & King, 2001, p. 38). The company develops and designs products that are easy to use, of the latest quality and in accordance with the preferences of their customers. Successive customer satisfaction trends have also made Apple’s brand name so unique and popular, which has increased the demand for its products in the market. In addition, Apple’s CEO also has moved the company many steps ahead in the sense that he is very charismatic and visionary, who introduces great ideas regarding the products or markets to develop and expand the customer base (Hoffman & Ford, 2010, p. 27). In addition to having an international perspective in production, the company’s marketing strategies are as well great, as the company knows the opportune moment to introduce new products in a wise manner that takes advantage of gaps in the market or in accordance with consumers’ expectations.
Further, Apple products act as benchmarks of quality, setting high standards for the market, which make these products very competitive. The company has also had numerous opportunities to exploit, because its operations were ongoing for the last three decades, a factor which backs up its capabilities and power to thrive in the market. It is evident that the company has managed to beat competition in the market through quality and competitive products (Gray-Rosendale & Gruber, 2005, p. 65).
As a key competing strategy, Apple Company also tries to investigate what other computer production companies are doing to identify media production gaps that have not been exploited. It therefore proceeds to acquire the market and give the services, which most certainly end up setting the standard in such places. Moreover, the company also possesses the advantage of having...