As You Continue On Your Path To Earn A Business Degree

As You Continue On Your Path To Earn A Degree In Business Administrati

As you continue on your path to earn a degree in business administration, you will deepen your understanding of how effective management is a crucial aspect of overall business success, especially in today’s complex business world. As business and society continue to evolve, there will continue to be a demand for managers who are able to organize their resources and strategically implement the functions of management to achieve the goals of an organization. The final paper for the course is divided into two parts: Final Project One and Final Project Two. Both parts of the assessment will focus on decision making and the fundamental principles of management. In Final Project One, with the help of your instructor, you will select a successful company from the list provided.

You will analyze the company’s best practices and effective implementation of the fundamental principles of management. Final Project One is divided into two milestones which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Module Two and Module Three. Final Project One will be submitted in Module Five.

For this assignment, due in Module Three, you will submit a one-to two-page document that will provide a profile of your chosen successful company. This milestone will serve as a rough draft and must cover the six critical elements described in Part II of Prompt I. You are expected to provide a minimum of two to three sentences for each of the six critical elements: mission and vision, strategic management plan, organizational culture, decision making, principle of ethics, and human resources.

Instructor feedback should be applied to your Final Project One submission. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

Profile of a Successful Company

  • Explain how the company has communicated its mission and vision within the organization. In other words, explain how the company demonstrates the importance of the mission and vision to employees and other stakeholders.
  • Identify the role that management played in helping this company execute its strategic management plan. Justify your response. You could consider including a specific example of a time when this management plan led the company to success.
  • Describe how management has helped to positively influence the organizational culture within this company. You could consider using some specific examples, actions, or strategies that show how management has positively influenced organizational culture.
  • Explain management’s pivotal role in the decision-making process within this company. Be sure to include specific decisions made by management based on principles of ethics. You could discuss specific decision-making models used by the company that may have helped the company be successful.
  • Evaluate how the use of the functions of management within this company has adhered to the principles of ethics. You could consider how using the functions of management while adhering to the principles of ethics may have impacted the employees of the company.
  • Explain how this company strategically uses human resources to develop its personnel. You could consider how this use of human resources has enhanced the company’s business processes.

What to Submit: Submit the assignment as a Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins.

Paper For Above instruction

In examining the success of Apple Inc., a global leader in technology and innovation, it is evident that clear communication of its mission and vision is fundamental. Apple emphasizes innovation, simplicity, and user experience, embedding these values into its organizational culture. The company's mission statement, "To bring the best user experience to customers through innovative hardware, software, and services," is communicated through employee training programs, internal communications, and leadership exemplification. Stakeholders are regularly engaged through product launches, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and public statements that reinforce these core principles.

Management at Apple plays a critical role in executing its strategic management plan. For example, under the leadership of Steve Jobs and subsequently Tim Cook, strategic initiatives such as the shift towards services and wearable devices have been instrumental to the company's growth. Management's ability to adapt to market trends and technological advances—such as introducing the iPad or Apple Watch—demonstrates their strategic foresight and flexible execution, which contributed significantly to maintaining competitive advantage and financial success.

Furthermore, management has positively influenced Apple's organizational culture by fostering innovation, collaboration, and a focus on excellence. Leadership encourages risk-taking and values employee contributions, creating a culture where creativity thrives. Initiatives such as employee empowerment programs and continuous training have reinforced a culture of innovation and high performance, aligning employee behavior with the company's mission and strategic objectives.

In Apple's decision-making process, management utilizes ethical principles by prioritizing user privacy, transparency, and environmental responsibility. A notable decision was the company's stance on user data privacy, exemplified by advocating for stricter privacy laws and resisting governmental data requests. Apple's decision-making model incorporates stakeholder analysis and utilitarian principles, balancing profits with social responsibility, contributing to its reputation for ethical conduct and consumer trust.

Apple's use of the functions of management—planning, organizing, leading, and controlling—is evident in its adherence to ethical principles. For instance, in planning product releases, the company ensures supply chain transparency and environmental sustainability, reflecting ethical considerations. These functions help maintain stakeholder confidence and employee morale, fostering a corporate environment committed to ethical standards.

Regarding human resources, Apple strategically invests in employee development through extensive training programs, innovation labs, and leadership development initiatives. The company’s focus on talent retention and continuous skill enhancement has translated into innovative products and improved business processes. For example, Apple’s talent management practices, including competitive compensation and a collaborative workplace culture, have driven innovation and operational excellence, supporting the company's long-term success.

References

  • Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate Social Responsibility: Evolution of a Definitional Construct. Business & Society, 38(3), 268–295.
  • Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2020). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Cengage Learning.
  • Jones, G. R., & George, J. M. (2019). Contemporary Management. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2008). The Balanced Scorecard: Measures that Drive Performance. Harvard Business Review.
  • Robinson, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational Behavior. Pearson.
  • Shell, G. R. (2018). The Ethical Decision-Making Process. Journal of Business Ethics, 148(2), 319–328.
  • Ulrich, D., Brockbank, W., Johnson, D., Sandholtz, K., & Younger, J. (2012). HR competencies: Mastery at the intersection of people and business. Society for Human Resource Management.
  • Williams, C. C., & McWilliams, A. (2020). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making & Cases. Cengage Learning.
  • Wheelen, T. L., & Hunger, J. D. (2018). Strategic Management and Business Policy. Pearson.
  • Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods. Sage Publications.