Apple vs. Microsoft Essay - 4129 Words

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the leadership, structure, and culture of two of the most influential and newsworthy companies in the technology sector: Microsoft and Apple. We will examine how the differences in the three aspects make companies different, and how leadership, culture, and structure influence each other in determining how the company operates and performs. Microsoft is the world’s leading supplier of computer software, specifically focusing on development, manufacturing, licensing, and support. The company operates in three primary divisions: Platforms and Services, Microsoft Business, and Entertainment and Devices (Yahoo! Finance). Microsoft has been extremely successful by staying continuously innovative in its†¦show more content†¦These policies are memorialized in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, to assure that the Board has the necessary authority and practices in place to review and evaluate the companys business operations, and to make decisions that are independent of the companys management (Microsoft.com). Since the divisions are provided with the Corporate Governance Guidelines, Microsoft would be classified as having a formal organizational structure. This degree of formality stems from Gates’ desire from control. It has been said that Gates would even require approval for Steve Ballmer’s l isted expenses. Microsoft’s exhibits a functional departmentalization by placing their employees in the appropriate divisions based on their specialized skills. The purpose of the new structure is an attempt to place more value on the evolving needs of the customer. By using a functional departmentalization, Microsoft feels they are offering their customers their greatest potential. Microsoft states â€Å"We see a new era of opportunity to provide greater value to our customers by weaving both software and services into forms that suit their needs† (Washington Post.com). Microsoft expresses a transformational structure approach by leading their employees with emphasis on previous experiences and examples in an attempt to learn from the past. With Microsoft’s strong value of theShow MoreRelatedApple vs Microsoft1309 Words   |  6 PagesBryant Ri’chard 11-22-2010 Sheri Easton-Long 6 P.M. Apple vs. Microsoft Apple (formerly known as Macintosh) and Microsoft, without a doubt, produce the largest operating systems in the world OS X Lion and Windows 7. With Apple bringing in $20 billion and $4billion in profit, and Microsoft bringing in $62.48 billion and $18.76 billion in profit, there’s no doubt that these two super giants are going down anytime soon. 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Although some people think Apple’s computerRead MoreApple Inc vs Microsoft4573 Words   |  19 PagesTable of Contents Page Introduction 2 Apple, Inc Overview 3 Apple’s Branding Strategy 4 Apple’s Brand Equity 5 Microsoft’s Marketing Strategy 6 Microsoft’s Branding Strategy/Equity 8 Apple vs. Microsoft Operating systems 9 Advertising Campaigns 10 Effectiveness/Conclusion 13 Appendix A 16 Apple Balance Sheet 17 References 18 Introduction The psychological perception of a companyRead MoreApple vs Microsoft - Comparative Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesAref Hassiba Macintosh vs. Windows Section: 13 g00041355 [2nd Draft] Have you ever faced any difficulty choosing your laptop? Did some of your friends advice you to purchase Mac based laptops and others told you to buy Windows based laptops? We all go through this confusion when it gets to buying our personal laptop that we will be using for everything in our life including working on projects, studying, chatting with friends, playing games, etc. In 1984, Apple published its first MacintoshRead MoreApple Computer vs Microsoft5065 Words   |  21 PagesIntroduction: It seems that the competition that has been brewing between Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has never really died down from the late 1970s, even as both companies have had ups and downs in the stock market and in the consumer products market as well. Apple Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., was a copyright infringement lawsuit in which Apple Computer sought to prevent Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard from using visual graphical user interface (GUI) elements that wereRead MoreMicrosoft vs Apple financial ratios Essay2868 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿ Apple Incorporated vs. Microsoft Corporation A Financial Analysis of Competitors Alex Trenchovska Columbia College Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Apple Incorporated vs. Microsoft Corporation A Financial Analysis of Competitors In modern society, electronics are used on a daily basis. Virtually everyone has a smartphone that they carry with them at all times, and most individuals have a personal computer for home use. In this electronic age, it is primarily two companies