Apple Inc.’s mission statement and vision statement define global market strategies, pointing to the company as one of the world’s most valuable businesses. The company’s corporate mission and vision statements motivate employees to support and contribute to innovation for competitive advantage against Samsung, Google (Alphabet), Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, and Sony. Apple adjusts its implementation of the corporate vision and mission statements over time to reflect changes in the company from the time of Steve Jobs to the current leadership of Tim Cook. The mission statement and vision statement represent the company’s efforts in addressing current business opportunities in the computer technology, consumer electronics, cloud computing, digital content distribution services, and semiconductors industries.
Apple’s corporate mission and corporate vision are linked in how they push for continuous growth despite competitive challenges. Considering the variety of industries where the technology business operates, its corporate mission and corporate vision embody the diversity of strategic approaches for these industries. The Five Forces analysis of Apple shows strong competition. This competitive aspect of the information technology market is considered in the company’s strategic implementation of its mission statement. Also, the company’s vision statement directs business efforts addressing competition toward a future of leadership in the global information technology and online services market.
Apple’s Mission Statement
Apple’s mission statement is “to create technology that empowers people and enriches their lives.” The company’s business processes are based on this corporate mission statement, which touches on the interface between people and technology. Apple’s mission statement has the following components:
- Technology creation
- Empowering people
- Enriching lives
Technology is the target business output stated in Apple’s corporate mission. The company’s purpose in product design and development is to roll out technological goods and services, such as smartphones and online services. As a result, Apple’s generic competitive strategy and intensive growth strategies aim for advanced technologies to compete in the market. This strategic aim is evident in the company’s efforts to develop and enhance its own systems on a chip, such as the M2 series.
To satisfy its corporate mission statement’s focus on technology, Apple’s strategies account for other technology firms. Many technology firms are not direct competitors. However, these firms’ strategic plans influence industry and market conditions, business performance, and the fulfillment of Apple’s mission statement.
The corporate mission statement also guides Apple’s goals to include empowerment for the users of the company’s products. The empowerment and enrichment components reflect trends in the market, such as shifts in demand for high-quality digital services. These trends, discussed in the PESTEL/PESTLE analysis of Apple, affect the kinds of technology products included in the company’s implementation of the corporate mission.
Apple’s Vision Statement
Apple’s vision statement is “to make the best products on earth, and to leave the world better than we found it.” This corporate vision statement includes excellence and the net benefits of the technology company’s products. Apple’s vision statement has the following components:
- Making the best products
- The earth as the target market
- Leaving the world better
The vision statement’s point on “the best products” requires Apple to align its strategic objectives for the purpose of achieving excellence. To make the best products, the iPhone maker has the organization, resources, and capabilities to do so. For example, this corporate vision statement makes Apple’s operations management apply high standards for productivity and efficiency. The different areas or divisions of the organization must continuously improve to protect the business against competitors who are also continuously enhancing their respective organizations and information technologies. High standards for quality also apply to apps for iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS.
The term, “earth,” in the corporate vision means that the company’s strategic purposes and objectives include excellence at the global level of industries, such as consumer electronics. As a result, Apple’s marketing strategy targets the international market for consumer electronics and online services, corresponding to the multinational presence of Apple stores. This global scope implies that the company develops its products, such as smartphones and laptops, to cater to the diverse needs of customers worldwide.
Apple’s corporate vision statement also guides operations to “leave the world better,” which implies satisfying the stakeholders of the business. The company’s purpose in stakeholder management focuses on achieving a net benefit for the world through information technology and related services. Thus, the vision statement influences Apple’s corporate citizenship efforts toward minimizing environmental impact and contributing solutions to the world’s problems. Other business aspects, such as Apple’s organizational culture or corporate culture and its influence on human resource capabilities, also adhere to the principles and goals included in the corporate vision.
Improvements to Apple’s Mission & Vision
Apple Inc.’s mission statement satisfies some of the conventions in writing ideal corporate mission statements. The company’s corporate mission provides information about products and technology, but some adjustments may improve it. Ideally, mission statements should contain information about corporate identity and employees, among other aspects of the computer technology business. Apple’s corporate mission focuses on product development and impact on customers. Adding information on corporate identity, employees, and the strategic aims of the business can make Apple’s mission statement easier to apply for day-to-day operations.
Apple’s vision statement shows the future direction of the business. It satisfies some of the conventional characteristics of ideal corporate vision statements. For example, it is clear in terms of what Apple aims for, such as leadership in product design and development, and emphasis on excellence in the business organization. Also, the vision statement is abstract, inspiring, and stable to encompass the future of the technology business. However, additional details can improve Apple’s vision statement. For example, the company can make the corporate vision more specific about strategic direction and the target future state of various business areas, like Internet services and artificial intelligence. These details can make it easier for Apple’s employees to understand and fulfill the corporate vision statement.
How Apple’s Corporate Mission & Corporate Vision Influence Its Business
The development of Apple’s business organization is based on the description, purpose, goals, and other variables specified or implied in the company’s corporate mission and vision statements. The company’s business processes, such as privacy and security checks for mobile apps, follow the strategic objectives derived from the corporate mission and corporate vision. These objectives move the technology business toward long-term success. Deviations from the corporate vision and mission statements can create obstacles to business development or reduce the success of the company’s consumer electronics and online services.
Business Strengths. The strengths and opportunities discussed in the SWOT analysis of Apple are linked to the company’s mission and vision. For example, the excellence factor included in the vision statement pushes for high quality, which reinforces business strengths, like innovative capabilities and brand image. Also, the mission statement’s focus on technology has led to the development of Apple’s expertise in technological innovation, which strengthens the business.
Organizational Structure. The design principles and characteristics of Apple’s corporate structure are based on the technology-focused mission statement. For example, the company’s organizational divisions operate around the goal of producing technological products, such as iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. Apple’s corporate vision specification of the earth as the target market also influences the company structure. Such a global market scope requires an organizational structure that matches the needs of global business, including the management of regional operations. Thus, the components of Apple’s structure are developed based on the requirements of the corporate mission statement and the corporate vision statement.
References
- Apple Inc. – Designing for iOS.
- Apple Inc. – Environmental Social Governance.
- Apple Inc. – Form 10-K.
- Apple Inc. – Form DEF 14A.
- Apple Store List.
- Apple unveils M2 Pro and M2 Max: Next-generation chips for next-level workflows.
- Fitzsimmons, A. B., Qin, Y. S., & Heffron, E. R. (2022). Purpose vs mission vs vision: Persuasive appeals and components in corporate statements. Journal of Communication Management, 26(2), 207-219.
- Lüthy, A. (2023). From the Mission Statement to Value-Oriented Corporate Management. In Value-Oriented Leadership in Theory and Practice: Concepts-Study Results-Practical Insights (pp. 79-93). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
- Rastogi, T., Agarwal, B., & Gopal, G. (2022). Consumers’ awareness towards sustainable marketing practices: A study in consumer electronics industry. ECS Transactions, 107(1), 15885.
- U.S. Department of Commerce – International Trade Administration – Software and Information Technology Industry.