A Critical Analysis of Internal and External Environment: Case Study of Apple Inc.

Abstract

Apple Inc. is a famous information technology firm in the global market. The organization has a wide range of products which consists of MacBook, iPhones, Apple TV, iPad and Apple watch. In this era of globalization with technologies, Apple’s users seek for unique performance products that are aesthetically pleasing as well as emphasize good product qualities. In 1976, Apple was established by Steve Jobs and his partners to develop modern technology products. In order to assess Apple’s strategic capabilities, Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas is applied in this case study. There is several competitive analysis tools are written in this article including Internal Factor and External Factor Evaluation matrix, SWOT and SPACE Matrix, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) analysis as well as Internal-external (IE) analysis to evaluate Apple’s competitive intelligence. Throughout the report, every component in the evaluation model reflects the direction of how Apple overcomes the hurdles and how Apple could benefit by expanding their business in the international market. Lastly, Sun Zi’s Art of War is also being studied and included into business strategies of Apple. Keywords: Apple, Osterwalder, Factor Evaluation Matrix, SWOT, SPACE Matrix, Internal-external Analysis, Sun Zi’s Art of War