Logistics and Operations Management at Apple Inc.

Question: Discuss the significance of the process design on the product and different stages of the Apples product and its designing process. Answer: Introduction In this report I have selected the mobile product of the Apple Company for the designing. Apple is an American company, which is a multinational cadre company and its headquarters are in Cupertino, California. It sells, develops, and designs the computer software, online services and the consumer electronics. The main products of this company include that iPhone, android phone, Smartphone, the iPad tablet computer, Mac personal computer, iPod portable media player, and the Apple smart watches (Cheng, 2014). Its consumer software includes OS X and the iOS operating system, the iTunes media player, the safari web browser, the iTunes media player, iLife, iWork creativity and the productivity suites. Apples online services also include the iTunes Store, Mac App Store, iOS App Store and the iCloud. Refer the information technology is concerned, Apple is the worlds largest company and is also the second largest company as far as the production of the mobile phones is concerned with the world. This company was in April 1976 established by Steve jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne for the selling of the PC kit of the Apple1. The very first generation of the smart phone iPhone came into existence in the year of 2007 at a mere price of just 499 dollars for 4 GB and only 599 dollars for the data capacity of 8GB models. The 16 GB 16 GB model was later on launched on 5th of February 2008 (Cowart and Chumney, 2011). It had so many of the unique features which included the 2.5 G quad band GSM along with the Apples Mac OS X app mail and the safari, along with these all it also have the web based Google weather, the dashboard and the map. In its 2nd version was then soon launched in somewhere around in the July of year 2008 with an iPhone 3G name which was too low priced for just 199 doll ars for the data coverage of 8GB and another model with a price tag of 299 dollars with the data memory storage of 16 GB. The concerned versions of the iPhone support the GPS navigation and also the networking 3G (COX, BELL and GLOVER, 2009). In order to provide a classy and newer look to the phone, a flat silver back plus a large curved antenna type of features were removed from this model. Some of the Software capabilities were also increased to attract the clients which included the introduction of the App store which enabled to download movie songs etc from it and that too free of cost for the Apple smart phone holders. Later in the year 2010, the Company again designed the iPhone and launched new iPhone 4. Some of its attractive features were such as 960x640 displays, Apple A4 processor, 5 MEGA PIXEL cameras which are provided with the Led light, a VGA camera in front, and face timing video calling. Soon after a short period of time of release of it, some reception issue found in it, due to its stainless steel band which was present on the edge of the phone that served for the Wi-Fi and the phone cellular signals (CROSS et al., 2015). Later, by the overtaking the other peer company named Nokia became the worlds largest maker of the smartphones, it launched the famous iPhone 4S on the day of 14th October 2011 which had the feature of the Siri voice helpful technology and the Apple A5 phone processor. On the ninth month of the year 2012 Apple launched the iPhone 5 which had a 4 inch big screen display, along with the Apple A6 upgraded and much developed chip, the 4G LTE connectivity along with many attractive and eye catcher features. In the year 2014, the company launched the iPhone 6 series along with the series 6 plus version; these both versions had display sizes of much more size than the screen display of the iphone 5 or 4 (Ehrenberg, 2011). Later exactly after one year time, it introduced yet another version of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus which had in it the 3D touch feature which attracted the clients on the market all across the world a lot, 12 MP of rear camera and faces the camera of also much clear 5MP. Later in the present year of 2016, it has launched the iPhone 6SE which has got the same display size of just 4 inches, as the 5S and the rest of all of the features excluding the 3D touch feature. Soon the Company is planning to launch the much awaited iPhone 7S which shall be having so many of the enhanced features that shall really be a worth value of the money spent for the consumers (Barns, 2005). Following report shall discuss the features and the design process effect on the Apple iPhone 7S. Significance of the process design on the product: The Process designing is considered as a vital task as it directly affects the actual quality of the concerned product. This in actual sense is the place where designs, quality, and the manufacturing all come together. It has been studied in the researches that around 80% of the quality issues happen because of the design process of the products mass production. Design for the production: It is a set of processes which is used for the designing of the product that aims at the complete mass production. Such tools are for the optimization of the mega mass production. The design process is such a type of the process that relates to optimization and the adaptation of the design of the produced product so as to reduce the time, cost, and also the resources all together during the mass production. Such kind of activity is performed during the engineering phase, which comes after the accomplishment of the base engineering. There are some of the engineers who state that, this should be the first stage of the engineering process and no waiting of any kind should be a part of the last stage of the optimization of the design (Gent, 2014). Advantages of the design process: The ultimate aim of the design process is economical the manufacturing of that particular product. The significance of the process design is that around 70% of the cost which is spent on the manufacturing is well determined by and also during the design process and just 30% of the rest of the production decision that has and includes the planning and the machine tool for the complete manufacturing of the product (Hahn and Prieger, 2007). Reduction in the total number of the parts: The time when the basic design of the item is prepared or manufactured by the engineer, at that time the engineer believes for the best optimization of that manufacturing, design which shall outcome with the best required results without even affecting requirements of the customer and also the product specifications (Hoffner, Lee and Park, 2015). Reduction or a proper control upon the total quantity of the parts is considered as the best manner/way to control or reduce the manufacturing cost. Less part shall further lead to comparatively less cost by decreasing the cost of the purchases, processing time, inventory, development time, handling, equipment, testing, and the service inspection Etc. Main goal and aim of the product using the product design: The modification of the product is required to be in such a manner that it is able to fulfill the aimed goals as well as the objectives which are preplanned in the designing process (Nol, 2010). The Hence made design objective is required to be cost effective, accessible, functional as well as operational, production, aesthetics, historic preservation, security, as well as sustainable. All of these objectives are discussed below as-- Accessible: The design process shall help so as to consider the main requirement plus the wants of the disabled people. Cost effective: If it being cost effective, it shall help for the minimization of the companies budget (Pfaff, 2010). Secure and Safe: the aim also states that the product, hence produced is required to be safe and secure so that it may be freely used by people. Productive: The product and its feature that shall help the people in a numerous number of their daily tasks and works. Sustainable: Building up of such kinds of the elements and the strategies which shall enhance the environmental performance of the concerned product. Different Stages of the Apples product and its designing process: Here at the Apple Company, the designers have worked and served as the royal members at where the modification or the product designs conforms to the yet newer version. Here, the designers have got nil contact with the finance department plays in terms of the cost and the manufacturing material which they have with them the unlimited budget (Phillips and Phillips, 2010). It is in actual sense the very first place where these are manufactured first of all and the only members of the company support Jony Lve in the process of designing. New production process in the company ie Apple: The ANPP is a document that includes all of the steps which are involved in the development of the designing process in complete detail. The ANPP is in actual not the complete original concept of this company, but it has been used for the manufacturing of the Macintosh (Phillips-Melancon and Dalakas, 2014). It clearly tells about all of the stages of the development as well as the responsibility for the completion of the production process (Chan, Pun and Selden, 2013). It itself takes decisions for who shall work as far as the designing is concerned and at what time shall it be completed. Reviewing the manufactured product on each and every Monday: The team of the executives meets on each and every Monday so as to check the designing process and also completely understand any kind of hurdle of problems which may be faced by the manufacturing team (Chen, Liao and Lin, 2015). The Apple Company has got very less new product that is developed at some particular time, thus the team of the executives is able to clear and complete it on each Monday, and in case if it happened then the company shall review on the next Monday. Once the product is made, it is again tested and checked under high supervision channels: There may be some leaks which may affect the customer response towards the company, products, thus whenever any new product of the company is made or introduced in the market, the product is again given complete checking and testing test. The process of checking the product again, takes around 4-6 weeks in order to gather the workers/staff of the company who are responsible for the leakage. Later, the beta device is sent to the Cupertino for comments hopes and testing that checks the complete iteration of the new product. Thus, many of the versions of the concerned product are completed. Careful Analysis of the impact of the performance objectives of the product design: The Product design further leads to the organizational success as it directly as well as indirectly make an estimate of all the critical impacts of the success. The Variance in the Customer demand also leads to the production of a variety of the products, innovative product, and the shifting of quickly to the new full-featured one product. In present time, the buying decision making of customers mainly depends upon this growing factor of the list of the newer products. The clients purchase decision is very much based upon the price as well as the quality of the product. These discussed dimensions are of vital importance, but the newer dimension has also added much to the clients decision making or the purchasing process, order to delivery time, these are product safety, cost, customizability plus ease of maintenance (Ranjbarian, Kazemi and Borandegi, 2013). The Client also demands for the protection from all kinds of the defective pieces which lead to the downfall in the product liab ility loss. Proper product designing is a helping hand to excel and succeed in all of these impacts of the performance as well as highest growth objectives. Thus fulfils the satisfaction of the customer by completely evaluating the best available design of the manufactured product which have got pretty less chances of any kind of lower chances of a defect along with lower cost and higher quality product with many advanced and improved features. Thus, this report ends up or concludes that the process designing has and shall always have much higher and greater impact on the Apple Company. References Barns, S. (2005). THIRTY YEARS ON: APPLE PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND.Acta Hortic., (694), pp.283-288. Chan, J., Pun, N. and Selden, M. (2013). The politics of global production: Apple, Foxconn and China's new working class.New Technology, Work and Employment, 28(2), pp.100-115. Chen, C., Liao, G. and Lin, K. (2015). An attribute-based and object-oriented approach with system implementation for change impact analysis in variant product design.Computer-Aided Design, 62, pp.203-217. Cheng, C. (2014). DO CELL PHONE BANS CHANGE DRIVER BEHAVIOR?.Econ Inq, 53(3), pp.1420-1436. Cowart, T. and Chumney, W. (2011). I Phone, You Phone, We All Phone with iPhone: Trademark Law and Ethics from an International and Domestic Perspective.Journal of Legal Studies Education, 28(2), pp.331-355. COX, T., BELL, G. and GLOVER, F. (2009). A NEW LEARNING APPROACH TO PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY.Production and Operations Management, 4(3), pp.217-227. CROSS, J., FOUNTAIN, M., MARK, V. and NAGY, C. (2015). Arthropod ecosystem services in apple orchards and their economic benefits.Ecol Entomol, 40, pp.82-96. Ehrenberg, R. (2011). Science society: Meeting notes: Apple product fever.Sci News, 180(1), pp.9-9. Gent, E. (2014). News: Apple iPhone6 and Apple Watch finally unveiled.Engineering Technology, 9(9), pp.12-12. Hahn, R. and Prieger, J. (2007). The Impact of Driver Cell Phone Use on Accidents.The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis Policy, 6(1). Hoffner, C., Lee, S. and Park, S. (2015). "I miss my mobile phone!": Self-expansion via mobile phone and responses to phone loss.New Media Society. Nol, N. (2010). Establishing Strategic Objectives: Measurement and Testing in Product Quality and Design.Design Management Journal (Former Series), 11(4), pp.65-70. Pfaff, J. (2010). Mobile Phone Geographies.Geography Compass, 4(10), pp.1433-1447. Phillips, J. and Phillips, P. (2010). The power of objectives: Moving beyond learning objectives.Performance Improvement, 49(6), pp.17-24. Phillips-Melancon, J. and Dalakas, V. (2014). Brand Rivalry and Consumers Schadenfreude: The Case of Apple.Services Marketing Quarterly, 35(2), pp.173-186. Ranjbarian, B., Kazemi, A. and Borandegi, F. (2013). Analyzing the Antecedents and Consequences of Brand Love with a Case Study on Apple Cell phone Users.IJARBSS, 3(11).