• CLO2: Apply critical thinking to address issues in business • CLO3: Convey information clearly and fluently, in high quality written form appropriate for their audiences • SLO1: Describe the strategic tangible assets of a firm, the value chain, and explain how to harmonise the value chain to achieve strategic outcomes • SLO2: Explain the fundamentals of operations management and the seamless integration between inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics and the customer • SLO4: Describe the strategic tangible assets of a firm, the value chain, and explain how to harmonise the value chain to achieve • SLO5a & b: Create an environment for cooperative and constructive working relationships with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds Compare and contrast Apple and COFCO on how they have managed their ‘strategic resources and operations' to achieve a competitive advantage in respect to: sourcing of raw materials, global manufacturing strategy, their people, sustainability, global supply chains and logistics models through to delivering goods and services to customers. Both companies are leaders are in their field and have been in business since 1976 for Apple, and 1949 for COFCO. A brief background to both enterprises is provided below. Apple is a prominent hardware and software company best known for its development of personal computers, the iPod, IPhone and IPad that combined with innovative marketing strategies that has ensured a continuous market for its products. Apple was founded by Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak. Jobs and Wozniak had been friends in high school and in 1975 were members of The Homebrew Computer Club, a now-legendary group where electronics enthusiasts met to discuss the Altair 8800 (the only personal computer available at the time) and other technical topics. Wozniak designed his own microcomputer and offered his plans to Hewlett-Packard, where he was working as an engineering intern. After HP turned him down, Wozniak joined forces with Jobs to manufacture personal computers in Job's garage. That endeavour started out as a shoestring operation, but quickly became successful. The pair introduced a relatively modern-looking computer in a plastic case in 1977 and incorporated as Apple Computer that same year (Rouse 2009). Apple became the most valuable company in history on Monday 21st August 2012 in terms of global market capitalization. Heading into the final hour of trade, the stock had risen better than 2 percent, to give the company a market-cap of over $620 billion with shares trading over $662.00 apiece (Benzinga 2012). Apple employee numbers is just over 50 000. A suggested pro-forma for the body of the assignment would be: Title page - including details of all group members. Executive Summary - Summary of research and analysis. Table of Contents Introduction - Purpose of this report and introduce the following topics. I. History and evolution of Apple and COFCO operations and supply chains (Approx. 1200 words). ? Provide separately a current snapshot of Apple and COFCO global companies.
Describe separately how Apple and COFCO achieved market share domination.
Analyse separately the value chain, market forces and strategies used at Apple and COFCO. II. Compare and contrast Apple and COFCO (Approx. 2500 words).
Managing their ‘strategic resources and operations' to achieve a competitive advantage in respect to: sourcing of raw materials, global manufacturing strategy, their people, sustainability, global supply chains and logistics models through to delivering goods and services to customers.
Interconnectivity of their strategic resources and operations to achieve a global supply chain advantage III. Sustainable operations and global supply chains at Apple and COFCO (Approx. 500 words).
Identify the criticality of integrated sustainability concepts around globalisation of inbound logistics, operations and outbound logistics at Apple and COFCO IV. Conclusion & the future at Apple and COFCO (Approx. 500 words).
Identify the key issues that will require board and executive time in the future
Challenges confronting Apple/COFCO as they commence the next stage of growth.