Operations and Information Systems Apple Company (Research Paper Sample)

SYSTEM AND OPERATION MANAGEMENT
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Introduction
Companies in the current economic climate need to embrace effective operations and Information Systems. Although Apple companies have embraced this aspect, they have not fully incorporated it hence many of their organizational goals and development majorly on their productivity, product design and profitability have not been fully realized or achieved. Apple Company needs to incorporate effective operations management in their systems to enhance and improve and fix the innovative core of their businesses. These strategic operations and Information Systems of should be focuses on improving product quality, enhance cost effectiveness and gaining and sustaining competitive advantage.
This will help Apple Company to save money and divert its investments to more profitable activities vital for the company long-term solvency. Apple Company has acknowledged operations and Information Systems practice for the past years; this has helped a little in cutting down operations costs and effectiveness in management. However this has not been fully implemented hence the persistence of challenges, ineffectiveness and inefficiency within the company operations. In Apple company operations and Information systems is embedded in its products and services.
Operations and Information Systems Apple Company
This company was founded by Steven Wozniak, Steven Jobs and Ron Wayne in1976. The company started as a small scale company and has grown to a large scale company attributed to its early adoption of operations and Information Systems models. The company has been able to come up with high-tech products including computers iPod, iMac, iPhone, iTouch, and iPad and its own also own independent systems for the products, such as iTunes, Mac OS X system, and iOS operating systems Up to date these operations and Information Systems have long become ineffective owing to the dynamism and technological changes in the industry (Gunasekarana 2004). These challenges notably needs to be addressed by effective and efficient operations and Information Systems strategies focusing on its various operational aspects to produce quality products and services to its clients all over the world. These strategies will also ensure that Apple develops a strategic direction that will enable sustenance and competitiveness in computer and mobile electronic devices industry.
Apple Inc. operations management performance objectives
By evaluating the operations performance objectives in the context of Apple Company I will be able to identify the company challenges and thereof provide the appropriate strategies to address based on the integration of an effective operations and Information Systems mechanism. This is achieved through monitoring, recording, reviewing the current company operations and information system performance (Gunasekarana 2004).
These objectives are the core essential factors towards the achievement of competitive advantage, sustainability and strategic positioning within the industry. These performance objectives include quality, speed, flexibility, dependability, and cost. These objectives are evaluated in the context of the company various aspects of operation aspects crucial to the overall performance of the company in the industry.
Quality
Quality is a core factor in measuring a company operations performance. According to Stephen L. Chan (2007)quality level and its competences have significant effect various company growth and performance dimension(Stephen 2007).It is notable that competitive firms in computer, mobile electronic devices industry have produced high quality products and services. Apple Company has not fully conformed to the required quality standards which are already in place in companies like Microsoft, dell and HP. This is attributed mostly to the company weak and poorly placed operational strategy. Strategies that need to be adopted in regard to operational strategy include more research and development within the organization aimed to improve the quality of the company products.
Emphasis and focus should be put on developing high-quality products using new technologies to increase customer base and expand its markets across the globe (Mahadevan 2010). Secondly the company also faces the challenge in developing high quality designs in its operations notably in the production and product and service design of computers. Apple Company should set up quality standards that should be complied in all the aspects of manufacturing or production operations. Apple should be able to design products of high quality including computers and its electronic products to satisfy the customer needs. The company should improve its operations and process design where new and modern business models need to be incorporated (Stephen 2007). This aims to develop quality efficient business practices. Operations management objectives need to be implemented in various departments for effective running of operations. This will touch mainly the designing and implementation of the company management i.e. development and design of product and services software.
Operations planning and control of Apple company has not been upgraded, therefore planning and controlling the various aspects of production including materials, employees, scheduling and effective coordination of all the company stakeholders. The suitable strategies include establishing an effective planning and control ways that shall ensure the company productivity and growth is sustained (Gabriele 2005).Apple Company has notably invested in innovation and improving its products, however the company is facing the challenges of sustaining this aspect. Therefore Apple Inc needs to enhance its employee’s talents through training, research and development. The success of Apple Inc with increased improvement and innovation will ensure that the new technologies result into improved performance and high quality products and meet customer requirements.
According to Omar Hammami (2012) the study provides that Apple Inc has not upgraded or improved its supply chain and distribution channels over years. The company needs to adopt high quality operations systems in its supply chains consistent. With the company's business strategy and resources capability the company can ascribe to high quality operations management in its supply chain. Concerning the quality, this should be enhanced whereby Apple Company will provide highest level of customization in its products. This implies that the company has to establish a supply chain management strategy that reflects high quality level and competences (Barnes 2008). Finally the company should integrate "Quality Management System" in its policies and procedures to facilitate quality management throughout the organization (Evangelista 2011).
Speed
Speed is vital to any organizational operational strategy because it enhances faster implementation of operational strategies and competitiveness. Apple Inc has its product and service design and its product lifecycle longer, therefore Apple Inc should schedule its product and service design to take shorter time thus facilitating launching new products and the time taken to reach the consumers (Stephen 2007).In regard to process design this needs to be established on time in all the departments and its underlying operations. The company can achieve this through effective communication and coordination of duties and responsibilities in all the operations of undertaken by the company. Initiated projects should be scheduled on time to ensure that products are produced and launched on time to beat the competitors enabling the company gain competitive advantage. Speed under the supply chain management will ensure that high volume of products are produced and distributed on time within the set targets and time schedule.
Dependability
Dependability is essential regarding Apple Inc leadership across the various departments. The company operational strategy needs to be improved to adapt the current economic and competitive environment for growth sustainability. The product design ascribed by the company should be dependable and it is achieved through research, development, communication as well as effective communication(Barnes 2008). To foster dependability the company products and services should be given prior testing and known better before it is already created and supplied to the customers. Dependability can be determined through in the extent to which the company conducts extensive consultation among the clients and the employees who will be using the process and its underlying operations (Mahadevan 2010). To make its dependable and reliable to sustaining competitiveness, the company should ensure that control and planning system matches and is consistent with the clients, employees and stakeholders interests (Hannie 2008). Dependable strategies include hiring technology experts, training program engagement and skill enhancement development within the company (Wisner 2011).
Innovation should be made flexible in all means to ensure that it fits and adjust to the changing technological environment and the underlying competition in this industry (Alkhalifa 2010). The company has to have the resources and capabilities to be established if dependable. This involves establishing the dependability of the operational resources, the supply chain involving suppliers and distributors. To ensure dependability is put in place it is important to establish monitor and put in place strategies to ensure that the company quality management processes are working.
Flexibility
Flexibility ensures that Apple Company adjusts to the dynamism and challenges common in this industry characterized with highest level of competitiveness (Daft 2009). The chosen design ...