Learning and Development in Apple Incorporation - Essay Example

Learning and development in Apple Incorporation Introduction Learning and development (L&D)is a major human resources management field that is focused at improving the performance of the employees in an organization. The primary activities that are covered by training and development include training, education as well as development. Although they are separate, the three activities are interrelated implying that for an organization to achieve better results of L&D, any of the three activities should not be overlooked (Reid et al, 2004). One of the major reasons that have caused firms to emulate continuous learning and training is due to the rapidly changing business environment. It is essential to note that workers must have qualities to adopt any kind of environment in addition to enhancing their skills. Through the specialized training provided by learning and development (L&D) as well as proper guidance, employee’s performance is significantly achieved. In this regard, there is need for managers to be thoroughly experienced in executing development strategies. While learning is a continuous process that aims at shaping up the skills that are hidden within an employee, development is a process that is focused at growing personal skills in order to rise the degree of knowledge among the employees (Rae, 2001). This paper aims at candidly assessing the state of learning and development strategies emulated by Apple incorporation, an international company that specializes in the production and marketing of personal computers, consumers electronics as well computer software. Relationship between Apple organization and L&D approaches theory and practice Despite the stiff competition that Apple Company has faced from its rivals that include IBM and Microsoft, its innovation and learning culture has significantly contributed to the improved performance in the technology industry. Being headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple has instigated a number of learning programs under the leadership of the former CEO Steve Jobs. One of the major strategies that Apple has adopted in its operations is recruitment of excellent and talented executives. In addition, the company has adopted a key L&D strategy that entails creation of a learning environment through the use of tools such as self direction, lectures, training among other learning programs (Gibb, 2008). In its day to day operations, Apple Company through its management team has initiated cognitive as well as behavioural approaches as major learning and development strategies. In this way, the company has encouraged effective communication between junior employees and the top management. Another strategy that Apple has adopted is making its employees own their training, learning and development. It is worth to note that in its effort to address stiff competition in the technology industry and to meet the increasing demand of technologies, Apple frequently produces new brands. Some of the notable products include Ipods, Ipads, iPhone and Macbook Pro among others. This has made the management team to streamline the employee’s skills thus ensuring that their rate of change is faster as compared to its competitors in the industry. A major initiative that the company has put in place is ensuring plenty of training that is geared towards making the employees self reliant. As a result of ensuring that the employees owns learning and development, Apple has continually improved their skills thus enabling them to have the ability to recognize and utilise new opportunities. Learning opportunities One of the major learning programs that were established by Apple under the leadership of Steve Jobs was Apple University. Being an executive learning program, Apple University according to Jobs was focused at improving the performance of the executives in order for them to think like him (Jeffrey and William, 2005). Through the university, the company has continued to improve the skills of its employees an aspect that has not only resulted to good performance of the company but also it has positively impacted on the company future. Through the creation of university-caliber learning units that included accountability, leadership, perfectionism and simplicity among others, Jobs was able to attain business strategies that have made the company achieve a competitive edge. Despite its efforts to improve the employee’s skills, Apple shut down the university based on the high costs of operations. However, as a result of Steve’s strong ambition to improve Apple culture and executives skills, he established Pixar University. Pixar University specialized in offering courses that included filmmaking, leadership as well as management. In this way, the company culture of improving employee’s knowledge and skills was not jeopardised. Apple authorised training centers One of the major features of learning and development as stipulated by Beard and Wilson (2002) is that it should be people oriented. This implies that its goals should be to improve employee’s skills as a way of developing them to meet the corporate and individual objectives. Through provision of such skills, the employees are significantly motivated an aspect that makes them to successfully complete their tasks. Through its L & D department, Apple Company has established training centers that are focused at improving its workforce as well as the skills of the college students who are potential employees. For example, through the Apple Authorized Training Center for Education (AATCE), students are in a position to acquire relevant skills that results to Apple Certification a key aspect that makes them competitive and experienced potential employees. Another major benefit of Apple Certification is that it improves the information technology skills that distinguish them as experts in the use of Apple applications (Reid et al, 2004). Through the provision of skills in the Apple software, majority of the students have been employed in the film industry among other competitive positions in the information technology sector. To ensure that relevant courses that meet the requirements of its employees and students, Apple Incorporation has established Apple Certified Trainers who ensures that quality standards are maintained in all its training programs (Merkle, 2012). Through the AATCE accredited curriculum, students and employees have the opportunity to acquire basic and extensive skills that have armed them with adequate skills to address challenges that are likely to face them in the course of their duties. Some of the notable software certifications offered by Apple in its learning programs includes Apple Certified Pro-level 1, Apple Certified Pro-level 2, Xsan 2 Administrator and Apple Certified Master Pro. Similarly, the company offers Apple Certified Desktop Technician as well as Apple Certified Portable Technician as its major hardware certifications. Innovation Blanchard and Thacker (2009) argue that learning and development is a primary tool that plays a vital role in enhancing the culture of innovation within an organization. Through L & D experts, an organization that is focused at producing quality products that meet the needs of its consumers is in a position to identify and meet its requirements. This is achieved through a guidance given to the management team as well as other technicians in the production facilities. Among the international companies in the technology industry, Apple has gained a remarkable position as the most innovative firm. This has been achieved through the use of effective business models. Through the efforts of its innovative leaders and the continued L & D strategies, the company has identified market opportunities and requirements thus enabling it to expand its market niche. The major factor that has contributed to improved performance for company is the treatment of innovation as a culture rather than a process (Tuomi, 2002). For example, the current Apple brands such as Ipods were initiated by few people who through the support from the research and development department noted the market demand for quality and user friendly modern products. Additionally, Steve’s objective of harnessing creativity within his work force was a major trigger towards creating of modern technologies that are widely used in the developed and developing countries (Davila et al, 2006). It is through the continued learning strategies that Apple has also emulated an effective design process that has resulted to production of quality products that are highly demanded in other sectors such as filmmaking, music, security and education among others. Added value issues As a result of the adoption of extensive learning and development strategies, Apple incorporation has significantly benefited both in terms of improving executives skills and employees knowledge as well as expanding the company market. With the introduction of products that depicts digital lifestyles, the company has initiated a strong business strategy that has seen it emerge as a market leader in the technology industry. As the company engages in more innovative products to meet the rising demand, the management has embarked on making its employees emulate a culture of innovation (Ulrich, 1996). For example, to diversify its product line, the company introduced Apple TV in 2007. With various features that meet the needs of consumers, Apple TV has benefited the company especially in its advertising strategies. Another significant issue that has been instigated by the Apple L&D department is creation of a strong brand. Through the participation of the managers in the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, the company has continued to improve the image of its products among its users an aspect that has not only resulted to strong customer loyalty but also increased annual revenue for the company. According to Bee and Bee (2003) the key goal of Learning and development is to develop the capabilities of company teams including the marketing and the production personnel and the managers. In this way, the team are in a better position to face off their competitors. Through the Apple learning programs, the company has been recognized by high number of consumers based on its superior products as compared to those of the major competitors. Through its innovation culture, Apple has become a self-sufficient company. This is depicted by its highly trained personnel who have embarked on manufacturing of computer components that are sold in the local and international market (Clifford and Thorpe, 2007). As compared to other companies, Apple products are easier to use. This has been made possible by the use of manuals that are given for free by the company. In this way, customers have become more loyal towards the company brands thus creating a strong positive customer-product relationship. Financial and marketing training Despite the stiff competition that Apple is facing from its rivals in the technology industry, it has initiated an extensive training program as a way of ensuring that its sales executives and the financial managers acquire relevant financial skills. For example, in its endeavour to retain customer loyalty and attract new clients, Apple trains its marketing team on the various pricing strategies. As a way of improving the company revenue and performance, the company trains its employees on two key strategic profiles that includes cost and value culture (Buckley and Caple, 2009). Value culture entails adopting a pricing strategy that equates the value of their products and the price the customers pay for their products. On the other hand, cost culture exposes the managers and the sales executives on the ways of acquiring its services at reduced prices. Through the support of the marketing researchers, Apple Company trains its procurement managers on the various ways to procure high quality raw material at reduced prices thus increasing the company profits. Government initiatives Based on its endeavour to improve the communication between firms and individuals, Apple has established a self-servicing accounting program (SSA). This is a program that entails acquiring a legal support from the government to ensure that businesses and institutions that want effective repairing of their products are done by the Apple Company. Being a government initiative to develop technology, institutions that are focused at using the SSA program must have three major qualifications (Annual report, 1999). First, they must purchase their computer parts from Apple Company. These include mouse, power cables and keyboards among others. Secondly, they must have an online connection with Apple Company. Thirdly, the institutions must be regular buyers of Apple computer components. Another notable support that the US government has offered Apple is the registration of the training programs. It is worth noting that even though the company is focused at improving its employee’s skills, it cannot undertake such initiatives without the support of the government. In this regard, Apple legal department has emulated all the necessary legal requirements to ensure that its training programs are in line with the government regulations. Recommendations Based on the increased demand for computers in the developed and third world countries, there is need for Apple to initiate online training programs. As the company embarks on diversifying its product line, majority of the consumers may not have the knowledge to use the new products. This implies that Apple should initiate online manuals that will guide its new customers on the way to use their products. Steve Jobs effort to improve the employee’s skills is depicted by the establishment of two universities that includes Pixar and Apple Universities. I recommend that the company establishes more universities in the developing countries. Taking into consideration the emerging demand for personal computers and sophisticated software in the developing countries, there is need for Apple to utilize this opportunity by establishing institutions of higher learning thus ensuring that its customers have the necessary skills to use their products. In addition, the technical skills provided in such institutions will ensure that students undertaking courses on Apple software have the ability to repair problems that may be faced by foreign customers (Davila et al, 2006). As Apple continues to attract more investors across many countries, I recommend that the company initiates more training programs for its shareholders. This will entail holding of annual training programs as a way of ensuring that all the shareholders are aware of the strategies that the company is undertaking to increase their dividends. In order to ensure the participation of all the shareholders in the day to day running of the company, there is need to establish a feedback system. Through such system, shareholders will be in a better position to give their own views on how to improve the profitability of the company as well as the performance of the employees. It is essential for Apple Company to introduce extensive training program for its new employees. Based on the competitive benefits that the company offers its employees, the possibility of attracting new employees from the competitors is high. This implies that for Apple to make the new employees be conversant with its emerging technologies there is need to establish learning programs that will be focused at orienting the new workforce. Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it is clear that learning and development strategies are vital tools that local and foreign companies cannot overlook. In addition to ensuring that employees are aware of how the company products function, training of employees is one of the major factors that instigate motivation among the workers. As a result of initiating a strong learning and development strategies, companies have benefited not only in attracting new investors but also in ensuring that the culture of innovation is attained. To attain a sustainable development, there is need for companies to initiate learning programs through physical classes or via online programs. These are key aspects that Apple Incorporation has adopted thus making it attain the competitive position in the technology industry. References Annual report. (1999). London: Institute of Personnel and Development [and] Annual Report. London Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 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