Question:
The report evaluates the communication strategies adopted by Apple. Both Electronic communication Apple operates in various countries and is headquartered in California, US.
The following report evaluates the communication strategies adopted by Apple. Both Electronic communication Apple operates in various countries and is headquartered in California, US. The brand specializes in the design of software and electronic devices. It has been one of the key innovators in developing interpersonal communication methods. The non-electronic methods of communication includes letter, memorandum as well as face- face communication. These three methods were the most traditional forms of communication and continue to occupy an important position in the business world. On the other hand, e-communication relates to using various online social media tools to communicate with friends and family. According to Densmore (2015), this form of communication is cheap and is fast. These assist users to communicate in an effective manner in addition to maintaining of their privacy. Apple has been using various forms of e-communication to connect with internal as well as external parties related to the business.
Guffey and Loewy (2012) mentioned that effective communication helps in the exchange of ideas and thoughts between two or more ideas. This is very important in the context of a business organization. This effectively assists the management of the organization to ensure flow of communication to the lower ranked business organization. Communication can be classified into electronic communication and non-electronic forms of communication. Bell and Muir (2014) mentioned that business enterprises operating in the electronic segment like Apple, Samsung and HTC have preferred the e-communication platform to the traditional mode of communication. This is mainly due to the easy accessibility as well as effective usage of these channels. These channels offer the brand to stay in touch with its customers at all times, thereby, assisting the brand to developing consumer loyalty over a period. However, non-electronic form of communications is more authentic and develops a positive consumer perception on the parties.
Key non-communication methods
For Apple, the key non-communication methods for communication include business letters, reports and memorandum. Jensen (2016) stated that it is mainly used for formal methods of communication and therefore assists the business organization its documentation process. Apple has been using the key non-communication procedures apart from the e-communication techniques of transfer of information to facilitate flow of communication
Muir (2014) have stated that In frequent intervals official letter are dispatched to the stakeholders of the company to report existing financial and operational condition about the business organization. In addition, reports are also prepared to inform staff members about the existing financial policies about the brand, Zhang (2015) have stated that Apple has been using non- electronics forms of communication since it is a comparatively a simple procedure to manage. Besides this, it saves the use of electricity, which is a key component for the brand in its production. This is a more official form of communication, and is used for the purpose of documentation.
In the regard of online communication, Apple has been using a combination of websites as well as social media portals. Besides this communicating through the help of digital devices is also an effective mode for communication for Apple. Sending and receiving messages through gadgets has been one of the important methods of communication for Apple. In the print form sending faxes has been a significant step for Apple for communicating within the organization. However Kirakosyan and Dănăiaţă (2014) noted that Apple mainly emphasizes on the internet to fulfilling its communication needs in the organization. The brand mainly communicates through email to carry out its daily operational functionalities for the brand. Therefore, Apple is heavily dependent upon online communication to stay in touch with Investors, Shareholders and consumers.
Ribbers and Waringa (2015) mentioned that the brand has been creating pages on the social media websites to gather immediate feedback from the consumers. It has also been providing updated information about the necessary product and service offerings currently being offered to consumers. Belkin and Kurtzberg (2013) mentioned that the social media pages have been an effective medium for Apple to develop informal relationships with consumers. For Apple it has been an effective medium for communication to assist the business enterprise in its growth .
SWOT Analysis
The following is the SWOT Analysis for Apple ‘s method as well as practices .
Strength
1. Operational structure – Apple has a strong operational structure that shall assist the brand to communicate effectively with external and internal parties of the organization. This includes the usage of different electronic and non –electronic methods for communication with different parties of the organization. Jackson (2012) mentioned that the organization has developed a customized portal for itself to communicate with other interested parties in the organization. Therefore, the brand has developed an effective mechanism for itself in the domestic as well as the international market to cater to the needs of the organization as per the market situation in the domestic as well as the international market.
2. Technology – Densmore and Himes (2015) have stated that Apple has implemented advance technology mechanisms to communicate effectively with the interested parties in the business organization. This has ensured a clear flow of communication from the top management to the lower-ranked employees in the organization. The brand has been able to re-innovate its existing s state of technology by investing substantially in the research and development to complement its communication initiatives. Belkin et al. (2013) mentioned that Apple has implemented superior technology in its product offerings to provide superior customer services to the buyers.
3. Goodwill and reputation- Apple has considerable goodwill and reputation in the market. Therefore, any form of communication made by the brand shall have importance. In this regard, Guffey and Loewy (2012) noted that it could be said that Apple has been innovative about the selection of communication platforms in the organization. As such, it can be said that Apple has s been using a combination of electronic and non-electronic methods to successfully execute business communication initiatives.
Weaknesses
Overdependence on e-communication – In the recent years, Apple has been showing overdependence on e-communication platforms on a daily basis. Therefore, the brand has been slowly losing its effectivity in communicating using other electronic forms of communication. In addition, this has increased the operational expenditures of the business enterprise, thereby, hampering the business growth and sustainability of Apple in the long run.
Coordination issues- Apple has been facing coordination issues in structuring all its communication policies in a definite path. As such, there remains a doubt about the constructiveness about its communication pursuits. Monzani (2014) have mentioned that lack of proper communication has been affecting Apple’s communication towards parties present within and external to the environment . The coordination issues has been affecting the brand for a considerable period of time, thereby affecting the business sustainability of the business enterprise in the long run.
Opportunities
Apple has explored newer business areas in the recent times. Therefore, there remains an opportunity to enhance its communication levels to attract potential consumers towards the brand. In this regard, Iranmanesh and Najafabadi (2013) noted that Apple could use multiple channels of communication to touch a larger section of the society. The brand has implemented efficient communication structures in its organization to assist the organization in its growth. Therefore, such communication channels should be enhanced to improve the levels of communication in a business organization. According to Omenugha (2015), the brand has already diverged into different countries offering a wide range of products and services to the customers. A large part of this can be attributed to the effective communications channels implemented by the business enterprise. Thus, the Apple has to retain its communication platforms and modify it with the existing times to make it more efficient.
Threats
The emergence of substitute brands is a growing threat to the business sustainability of Apple. Monzani et al. (2014) have stated that the communication channels used by these brands have been more potent than Apple, thereby, attracting greater consumer attention. Besides this, the visibility of these entities has increased due to enhanced use of communication to the stakeholders of the company. Therefore, these threats shall be a major risk to the business sustainability of the brand in the present economic condition of the country. Therefore, Apple has to consider these factors in framing the operational as well as the marketing policies of a business enterprise.
According to Guffey and Loewy (2012), Samsung and HTC have been the two main competitors of Apple in the global market. They have widely used various online portals in communicating with their stakeholders. Thus, it can be said that the internet have been an essential source of communication to the external parties of the business organization. Densmore and Himes (2015) mentioned that in communicating internally within the organization, Samsung and HTC have developed essential communication channels to ensure proper flow of communication from the management of the organization. Therefore, in contrast to Apple these organizations have been making extensive use of the internet to communicate with the consumers, investors and other concerned parties to enhance interpersonal communication. These attributes form the primary components of the communication strategies used by these companies.
Ribbers and Waringa (2015) noted that in the case of Apple, there has been certain dependence on the print media to communicate with investors, stakeholders and other groups. The annual statement of Apple is printed in the annual statements of prominent newspapers and other business magazines. According to Belkin and Kurtzberg (2013), the public is invited to purchase shares and debentures of the company and make required investment decisions. Besides this, prominent product launches are advertised to the public to create awareness about the product offerings in the minds of the common public. However, Apple is similar to its competitors in the case of the usage of the online portals that has influenced the organization to communicate frequently with concerned parties in the case of business necessities .
Recommendations
The following recommendations can assist Apple to improve its communication practices
1. Use of the traditional forms of communication- Apple can use the traditional channel of communication like faxes, letter and the newspaper to reduce operational expenses for the firm. In this regard, it can be said that the traditional form of communication can be executed with minimum amount of time and effort. Also, this would be a more conventional method of a communications to create a positive perception on the share holders of the company. These methods shall be able to deal with communication issues that have been hampering the growth of the Apple in the present market conditions. The traditional forms of communication have been tested and are found effective enough to carry information with certain accuracy.
2. Establish more communication platforms – Apple can widen its range of communication channels to facilitate faster exchange of data and information. This shall bring in more coordination among different departments, thereby, assisting the organization in its growth. Consolidating the existing communication channels is also a requirement that should be emphasized to ensure smoother flow of communication in the organization. Therefore, regular upgradation of the communication channels is also a j necessity that should be adequately examined to retain the current communication levels in the organization.
3. Analyze market requirements- The market requirements of a business entity has to be analyzed , to make appropriate changes to the communication strategies adopted by the brand. Thus, in this context it can be stated that emphasis should be placed on the distribution system of the channel to evaluate the requirements of the sales channel. The Apple have a wide range of product offerings that would require immense communication levels to facilitate the growth of the organization in every country .
Develop partnerships – An establishment of partnerships shall enable an organization to facilitate the organization to develop strong communication channels. Pertinent business partnerships would enable to assist the organization in achieving further growth. Apple would be able to gain substantially and touch consumers from background, nationality and culture. Samsung and HTC have developed other business partnerships to restructure the communication levels in the business organization to assist to enhance their business network in the global market.
Customized online portal – Apple can establish a customized online portal to connect with the customers. As such, the brand would be able to develop informal relationship with customers. In this regard, it can be stated that Apple shall be able to gather consumer feedback and develop product constituents accordingly. A customized online portal shall enable an organization to connect with stakeholders and understand their issues and concerns.
Conclusion
It can be said that the Apple has implemented a substantial communication channel that has been useful for the brand in controlling its operations in various countries. However, there are certain obstacles that the brand has been facing that are having a harmful influence on the business enterprise. In this regard, it can be said that the overdependence on the e-commerce channels has been a pertinent issue in its communication channels in the organization. This has increased the operational expenses for the brand. Besides this, it has restricted the reach to a specified consumer segment, thereby, influencing the market share of the brand. In this regard, it can be said that Apple can adopt the conventional modes of communication to reduce the expenses and can contact a large number of consumers in the country. Apple can also look to develop more communication channels and establish business partnerships with other business entities. A customized online portal can also be developed to cater to the needs of the consumer as well as develop other business areas for Apple.
References
Belkin, L.Y. and Kurtzberg, T., 2013. Affective displays in e-mail communication: The evidence from the lab and the field. Research on emotions in organizations, 9, pp.279-308.
Belkin, L.Y., Kurtzberg, T.R. and Naquin, C.E., 2013. Signaling dominance in online negotiations: The role of affective tone. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 6(4), pp.285-304.
Bell, R.L. and Muir, C., 2014. A review of business communication under the leadership function. Business Studies Journal, 6, pp.99-121.
Carroll, C.E., 2015. The handbook of communication and corporate reputation (Vol. 49). John Wiley & Sons.
Densmore, M.L. and Himes Jr, S.H., 2015. A Synthesizing Conceptualization of Communication in a Marketing/Physical Distribution Setting. In Marketing Horizons: A 1980’s Perspective (pp. 179-183). Springer International Publishing.
Guffey, M.E. and Loewy, D., 2012. Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning.
Guffey, M.E. and Loewy, D., 2012. Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning.
Iranmanesh, A. and Najafabadi, E.H., 2013. The Impact of Customer’s Attitude on Buying Behaviour. Management and Administrative Sciences Review, 2(4), pp.360-370.
Jackson, J. ed., 2012. The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication. Routledge.
Jensen, M., 2016. Touchpoint Management and Interpersonal Communication. Studies in Media and Communication, 4(1), pp.30-48.
Kirakosyan, K. and Dănăiaţă, D., 2014. Communication management in electronic banking. Better communication for better relationship. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 124, pp.361-370.
Monzani, L., Ripoll, P., Peiró, J.M. and Van Dick, R., 2014. Loafing in the digital age: The role of computer mediated communication in the relation between perceived loafing and group affective outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, pp.279-285.
Muir, C., 2014. A Review of Business Communication Under the Leadership Function.
Omenugha, N.O., 2015. Interpersonal Communication as an Alternative Marketing Tool: A Study of Consumers’ Response to Face-to-Face Marketing Activities of Telecommunication Firms in South-Eastern Nigeria. Available at SSRN 2755308.
Ribbers, A. and Waringa, A., 2015. E-Coaching. Taylor & Francis.
Zhang, Y., 2015. An Empirical Investigation of the Role of E-Communication in International Collaborations. Handbook of Research on Global Supply Chain Management, p.85.
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