What were Apple’s major competitive advantages? Has Steve Jobs finally solved Apple’s long-standing problems with respect to the Macintosh business?

Apple Case Study 2

Read on 4&5 the hbr book and the apple case to answer the following questions below:
4.Building Your Company’s Vision (Book) By James C. Collins; Jerry I. Porras
5. Reinventing Your Business Model (Book) By Mark W. Johnson; Clayton M. Christensen; Henning Kagermann

Business Strategy
Apple Case: Differentiation

Assignment Questions

1. What were Apple’s major competitive advantages? Has Steve Jobs finally solved Apple’s long-standing problems with respect to the Macintosh business?
2. How does Apple’s differentiation strategy reflect its vision?
3. Why can’t Apple use the same strategy as other PC manufacturers, such as Dell and Lenovo?

Research Netflix’s strategy and prepare a response paper discussing how elements of its strategy have evolved and assess how Netflix’s strategy Passes the three tests of a winning strategy.

Netflix Strategy

Elements of the Netflix strategy have evolved in meaningful ways since the company was founded in 1997. Please research Netflix’s strategy and prepare a response paper discussing how elements of its strategy have evolved and assess how Netflix’s strategy Passes the three tests of a winning strategy.

Give two examples of businesses in regard to the statement that has failed or/and maintained a competitive advantage in the market etc.

Global

Defend or oppose the statement: “Given the realities of today’s economy, particularly due to globalization, and the rapid changes occurring in business technology, all competitive advantages are short lived. There is no such thing as a sustainable competitive advantage that lasts over the long term.”

1. Give two examples of businesses in regard to the statement that has failed or/and maintained a competitive advantage in the market etc.
2. Definition of competitive advantage (2-3 sentences)
3. Discussion of globalization
4. Discussion the implications of globalization on competitive advantage
5. Make sure your answer is supported by strong argument and correct references.

Write a research paper, worth 150 points, over one of the major theories of ethics, either deontology or utilitarianism, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses

Research Paper

Write a research paper, worth 150 points, over one of the major theories of ethics, either deontology or utilitarianism, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses. The paper must be a minimum of 8 pages, not including Works Cited. APA style citations and a reference list must be used and provided. You must reference 4 citations – this includes the Shaw/Berry text and 3 outside reliable sources. Professional writing with correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar is expected. Your writing must develop your chosen topic and provide solid examples from readings, research, or your own experiences for support. There is no need to include the assignment instructions in your paper; instructions do not count towards the minimum two-pages of content.

Research Paper Outline
Prior to beginning the research paper, you will submit a Research Paper Outline, worth 20 points and a minimum of 1 page in length. The outline must be written in correct topic form to include title and thesis statement with major arguments indicated by Roman numerals and support for major arguments indicated by capital Arabic numerals. The format should be double-spaced, 12-point sans serif font, with 1-inch margins, and should be saved as .doc, .pdf, or .rtf file format. Professional writing with correct research paper outline format, spelling, punctuation, and grammar is expected.

Research Paper Draft/Final
All papers must be your own original work, and you may not use papers used previously in another course, even if they are from a previous session of this course. The format should be double-spaced, 12-point sans serif font, with 1-inch margins. Your papers should be saved as .doc, .pdf, or .rtf file format.

You will submit a Research Paper Draft, worth 70 points and a minimum of 4 pages in length. The rough draft should include an introduction, body, and a conclusion. There should be a minimum of four sources cited to include the Shaw/Berry text and three outside sources. The draft is a standalone document and any corrections noted in the draft will be expected to be in the final research paper.

What stereotypes were invoked in this case and by whom? How did stereotyping influence and or frame the situation for Elsa?

This Case Study Analysis should be 3 pages long with a cover sheet and reference page (cover sheet and reference page do not count in the page minimum).
This is an academic case study. Use correct APA formatting including citing references in the body of your text.
General formatting instructions are below. Items bolded should be included as headings in your paper.

▪ Introduction
Provide an overview of the case (1-2 paragraphs)

▪ Main body
Use the Discussion Questions at the end of the Case Study to guide you. This should be written as a narrative do not directly answer the questions in a Q&A format. Include in your analysis material covered in the textbook, supplemental material is a plus. Consider, assess, and clearly state at least three (3) points that defend your opinion. Identify and acknowledge positives and negatives of your position. Include supporting evidence from your sources, make sure to use proper APA in-text citations when warranted (3-5 paragraphs).

▪ Conclusion
Summarize main findings. Identify and justify the position you have taken (2-4 paragraphs).

▪ References
A list of sources referred to in correct APA format.

Case written by Deanna Malatesta, Associate Professor, O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University

Elsa sat in the parking lot of an upscale condominium waiting for her friend to join her. Elsa’s friend did not drive, so each week Elsa waited in the same parking lot for her friend so that they could go shopping. On this particular day, Elsa noticed a man and two well-groomed children walking to a silver SUV, just a few spots away. The children quietly climbed into the vehicle; the man slid behind the wheel and they slowly drove off. Elsa thought she had seen the children at the condominium before, but she was sure that she hadn’t seen the man and thought he looked out of place. Elsa had an uneasy feeling.

The driver appeared to be between 20 and 30 years of age and Black. One of the younger children appeared to be about three or four years of age, and the other about seven. Both children were Caucasian. Elsa contemplated calling the police to report what she thought looked suspicious but did not want to have her friend come out only to see she had left. After pondering a minute, she decided her friend would have to wait—she could explain it all later.

Elsa exited the lot and caught up to the silver SUV just as it was turning out of the complex. Elsa decided to follow the car, which now was on the highway. As she followed the car, Elsa called 911 and explained the situation. “I am following a man and two children in a silver SUV, and the man looks very suspicious. I have a bad feeling about this. I don’t think he belongs with the children.” Elsa also told the police dispatcher, “it may be nothing, but I would feel just horrible if something happened to these children and I did not report it.” She gave the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the vehicle license plate number, and her location.

Elsa continued to follow the SUV down the highway. About five more minutes into the drive, she witnessed a police car behind her. The police car pulled in front of her, put its siren on and motioned the silver SUV to pull over. Elsa also pulled over about 50 yards away, far enough not to interfere but close enough to be available in case the police needed to question her.

The officer exited the police car and approached the driver of the silver SUV. “Let me see your identification, registration, and insurance card please.” When the driver asked the officer why he was pulled over, the officer asked, “What is your name and where are you going with these children”? The driver responded. “My name is Steve Clark. I am their babysitter; I am taking them to my apartment to watch them until their mom comes home from work.” The officer asked, “Do you have the mother’s phone number”? Steve looked the number up on his cell phone and gave it to the officer. “Stay in the car and I will be back with you in a moment,” the officer said. Steve and the children waited in the car for about 15 minutes while the officer communicated on the radio with his station. Then another police car arrived. At this point the two police officers had a conversation between themselves. This went on for another 15 or 20 minutes before the first police officer approached Steve once again. With no explanation, the police officer handed Steve back his papers and told him he could leave. Steve asked once again, “Why was I pulled over?” The officer responded, “A woman called 911 and reported that she thought you looked suspicious. I am sorry for the inconvenience. You can go on your way, sir.” By this point Steve just wanted to leave. He was nervous and the kids were very unsettled. The younger child was crying. Steve pulled back on to the highway and went on his way.

To better understand the case, students can take an explicit bias test in about 10 minutes at Harvard’s Project Implicit Bias. In taking the test you will experience the phenomenon yourself. You can choose from many implicit bias types; gender, age, and race are just a few of the options. To receive credit for the test, please take a screen shot of the last page, without the score. This is easily posted on Canvas. The test is available at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/.

Questions

1. Do you think that Elsa thought of herself as a racist?
2. Do you think what happened to Steve would have happened if Steve had been white?
3. What stereotypes were invoked in this case and by whom?
4. How did stereotyping influence and or frame the situation for Elsa?
5. How did stereotyping influence and or frame the situation for the police?
6. What is your opinion about Elsa’s reaction to seeing Steve and the two children?
7. Would training on implicit bias have a beneficial impact? For whom?

8. According to the New York Times best-seller by Cathy O’Neill (2016), “Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy” using “big data” and some mathematical models can threaten the very fabric of democracy. How might implicit bias be a problem in using big data to make “democratic” decisions? Please give examples cite sources from peer-reviewed journal(s).

References and Additional Resources

Mahzarin, R. Banaji, and Anthony G. Greenwald. Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People Delacorte Press, 2013.

O’Neil, Cathy. Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. Crown, New York: Broadway Books 2016.

Payne, Keith, Laura Niemi, and John Doris. “How to Think about Implicit Bias. Amidst a Controversy, It’s Important to Remember That Implicit Bias Is Real—and It Matters.” March 2018. Available at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/

Evaluating Potential Partnerships
As globalization has become increasingly common, so has the importance of analyzing opportunities to create value through outsourcing the supply chain. In this assignment, you will create a checklist to help determine which country might be the best location for parts of your organization’s supply chain.
Scenario

You are a consultant who specializes in helping U.S.-based businesses expand into new international locations. You have a new client who’s looking to outsource their company’s manufacturing of hard drives and computer memory, and it’s your job to assist in selecting the new locations. The company is very focused on quality, sustainability, and equality, and your client would like these attributes upheld in the new manufacturing locations.

Your task is to evaluate two of the following countries:

India
Mexico
Thailand

Then, recommend one country you believe would be the most suitable for the company’s new manufacturing facility, and one country that would be considered the least suitable.
Prompt

Evaluate both countries being considered for a new manufacturing facility through exploration of course and outside resources. Then, recommend the most and least suitable location based on the company’s attributes and requirements.

Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Sustainability Measures and Environmental Regulation: Briefly describe sustainability measures and regulations in each country, and analyze how they may work well with or create conflict or tension with your U.S.-based company.
Examples of items to consider include regulations around pollution, waster, and power sources.
Cost and Workforce: Briefly describe each country’s workforce for the creation of computer components and the cost of that labor.
Examples of items to consider include workforce education levels, the overall cost of labor, types of manufacturing available in the country, and the existence of a specialized workforce that can create computer components.
Government Regulation: Briefly describe the overall regulatory environment of each country. Take the most likely mode of entry into consideration for each country.
Examples of items to consider include the types of manufacturing operations allowed in the country, the labor regulations, and the overall business regulations.
Intellectual Property: Briefly describe the risk of intellectual property being stolen by creating a manufacturing location in each country.
Examples of items to consider include each country’s reputation when it comes to intellectual property, intellectual property regulations, and any other legal protections for intellectual property.
Reputation: Briefly describe the ways an organization can face reputational risk through outsourcing its manufacturing to each country.
Examples of items to consider include if and why other organizations have closed manufacturing locations in each country, how your organization’s customer base will view manufacturing in each country, and the protections each country provides to its workforce and the environment.
Recommendations: Based on your evaluations of the key attributes and requirements, recommend one country that is the most suitable location for your client’s new manufacturing facility, and one country that would be the least suitable location. Justify your recommendations with evidence from your evaluations and the course resources.

Guidelines for Submission

Submit this assignment as a 500- to 750-word Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style.

What are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with the Port of New York & New Jersey?

SWOT Analysis

What are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with the Port of New York & New Jersey?
See rubric on page 6 of the syllabus: Post a 700+ word (approximately two pages) response using APA intext and endnote citations.

Prepare a report to discuss the company and its financial performance using the techniques you have been taught during the module. It is highly recommended to use the financial ratios analysis approach by discussing each ratio you will calculate

 Summative Assessment (Report)
You are asked to visit the website of a listed company in The New York Stock Exchange of your choice and download its financial statements. You are asked to prepare a report to discuss the company and its financial performance using the techniques you have been taught during the module. It is highly recommended to use the financial ratios analysis approach by discussing each ratio you will calculate, while a complete report must include the limitations of the ratio analysis.

What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these?

MBA goals

What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these?

The context that the school has given for the question is the following

Context for your goals, Your specific-post MBA goals, Why you believe an MBA is necessary to reach these goals, How an LBS MBA will help you reach these goals.

Define the ways in which innovation, creativity and enterprise are linked.

Innovation, Creativity and enterprise
Upon successful completion of this unit the you will be able to:

Define the terms innovation, creativity and enterprise.

Define the ways in which innovation, creativity and enterprise are linked.

Understand the contextual factors that can influence innovation, creativity and enterprise.

Understand why organization need to manage creativity and innovation effectively