Breakthrough Improvements at Apple Inc.

Apple Inc. is based in Cupertino, California. The company designs, manufactures, and mar­kets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players. Apple also sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, network­ing solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The company has always been a different company with a different view of the world. It is a special place where there are ample opportunities to create the best products. Apple is always ranked as one of the top innovative companies in the world. It stands at an exceedingly well-positioned position to take advantage of several major trends in the new digital economy.

The company is based on innovation. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, was the chief innovator of the company. Apple realized that an effective innovative strategy is the key to success in the global marketplace. Apple has crafted its own sustainable innovative strategy. Its innovation focuses on bringing together different parts of an eco-system and tightly inte­grating them together with meticulous attention to detail. Apple believes fostering employee diversity is critical to innovation. Smartphones, tablets, and Asian markets are the three ongoing trends that created the environment for Apple to continue its ascent.

Apple has built an innovation factory that harnesses creativity in its people, stimulat­ing new ideas, and launching successful, profitable new innovations. Apple leverages its diverse culture, innovation processes, partners, and networks to seize new opportunities in the marketplace. Experts said that Apple was innovative because of its ability to iterate designs, devices, and functionality and create products that became a benchmark for cus­tomer experience.

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all.”

Edward de Bono

Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to:

1. Explain creativity
2. Understand innovation and types of innovation
3. Discuss the S curve
4. Describe TRIZ and systematic inventive value augmentation
5. Explain value analysis and value engineering

Source: Poornima M. Charantimath (2017), Total Quality Management, Pearson; 3rd edition.