Global Strategic Analysis of Apple INC

1. Overview and Key Strategic Background 

1.1. Apple Characterization 

Apple Inc. (Apple) is the largest start-up in the world which focuses on the manufacture and designing of software, personal computers, and other electronic devices that have become a global brand. The American technology company established in 1976 by combined efforts of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak to sell a personal computer kit identified as Apple 1 (Zhang, 2017). In its early years, the company produced multiple failed products and experienced financial struggles. However, fast forward to more than four decades later, the company is at the epitome of its powers with significant inventions particularly the iPhone, iMac, and iPod among other devices and computer accessories (Zhang, 2017). The multinational corporation continues to experience high financial success evident by over 216 million units of iPhone sold in the year 2017. The organization has had a steady ascent over the past five years with revenues and net income rising from $170 billion and $37.04 billion in 2013 to $228.57 billion and $48.35 billion in 2017 (Zhang, 2017). With a global market share of 18.3% of the smartphone market second only to Samsung which stabilizes between 20 to 25 percent. However, the two companies have recently tied in smartphone sales in the US market. 

1.2. Apple Inc.’s International Operations 

Similar to majority of the multinational enterprises, Apple has established numerous divisions across the world in an effort to increase its global presence. The various geographical segments include the Americas, Japan, Europe, Greater China, and the Rest of Asia Pacific. The European segment encompasses all countries in Europe along with, Africa, India, and the Middle East. According to the company’s annual reports of 2016, the net sales in the domestic and international spheres accounted for 35% and 65% total net sales. However, the Americas provides the highest amount of sales compared to other geographical locations resulting in $86.613 billion despite dropping by 8% from the previous year 2015 $93.864billion (Zhang, 2017). It is evident that all operation segments experience a significant decline in net sales except Japan. This region provided an 8% increase in net sales in 2016 accounting for $16.928 billion compared to $15.093 billion in 2015. The biggest dropper was Greater China with a 17% decline from $58.715 billion to $48.492 billion in 2015 and 2016 respectively. 

1.3. Recent Strategic Initiatives and their Motivations 

Apple is systematically putting various initiatives that would provide a strategic drive into a greater market share in the future. Through the iPhone, Apple has been able to maintain top five positions in market share since its introduction. The firm continues to use the smartphone to improve its performance by leveraging its technology to ensure enhancements that will attract consumers to make more purchases (Zhang, 2017). The introduction of the iPad has been a strategic initiative that disrupts the PC world and threatens to take over despite its slow growth. The 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch iPad Pro versions are suitable devices for the average PC user. Developing its operating systems iOS also helps maintain its luxury and unique brand. Technology has been leveraged to increase security of the devices from unauthorized third parties (Zhang, 2017). The firm also improved its devices by enhancing the camera of the iPhone and processor to support augmented reality (AR)-enabled applications and services. Additionally, Apple increased its accessories to include health and fitness monitoring, mobile payment systems, smart home products, and robot manufacturing. The above measures individually may seem as nothing to worry about but as a whole will be lethal to its competition. 

1.4. Apple’s Domestic and International Rivals 

Apple Inc., has multiple domestic and international rivals in the various strategic initiatives mentioned above. The Mac, which is the company’s flagship personal computer, continues to gain ground on its rivals as it increased sales in the PC market. In the first quarter of the year 2017, the firm gained 4.5% year-over-year sales to set its PC worldwide market share at 7%. Despite the significant drop in PC sales by 23% accounting for 270 million units in 2016, Apple managed to gain 6.9% market share while increasing its sales to 18.6 million units a 30% growth (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). This is a significant growth as the company seeks to establish its dominance in the PC world against corporations like HP and Dell in the domestic market along with Lenovo in the international market. The organization continues to challenge Microsoft in the development of its operating systems with the former maintaining the highest market share both locally and internationally in the PC market (Zhang, 2014). There continues to be a significant race in the smartphone world as the company battles the Google Chrome OS. In smart home devices, the introduction of Amazon’s Alexa is a key factor in establishing its dominance in the domestic and international markets. 

2. Strategy Tripod Part One: Industry Conditions (Opportunities and Threats) 

2.1. Top Five Foreign Markets 

The corporation plants itself as an international participant with the view of gaining market share in foreign markets. Although the largest proportion of the company’s revenue comes from domestic sales in the US, the firm has notable foreign markets contributing an even larger share of the firm’s revenue when combined (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). European countries are depicted as the largest foreign markets for Apple where UK serves as a major source for iPhone sales with the product accounting for 42.5% of the smartphone sales in the nation in 2014 (Zhang, 2014). The European segment includes numerous major markets that could emerge as drivers of growth in future like India, Middle East, and Africa. China is another major foreign market included in the Greater China segment. As of yearend 2016, China generated $48.492 billion in net sales which was 22% of the total net sales that the company earned despite a drastic 17% decline from the previous year. Japan is another major contender in the foreign markets where the firm recovered nearly $16.928 billion in net sales which is 8% of the total. The top five is completed by countries in the Americas and Rest of Asia Pacific excluding the US and China, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong respectively. The declining importance of the Americas segment is evident as it experiences a drop from 44% to 40% of the total net sales from 2014 to 2016 respectively. A similar impact is evident in the Rest of Asia Pacific with a slight drop of 10% in net sales from $15.093 billion to $13.654 billion noted in 2015 to 2016. 

2.2. Five Forces affecting the Apple’s Industry 

One of the major factors affecting the MNE’s industry is the threat of new entrants. This is critical in the foreign markets like China where Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo are providing significant competition to the company. In the domestic market, this is not an issue as the firm’s products remain popular amongst its consumers. The power of buyers is another issue in the industry where the continued increase of smartphone and PC users provides opportunity for the firm to improve on its market share in both local and foreign markets. However, the premium prices attached to the products and services of Apple make it difficult to enhance its position in foreign markets (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). Power of suppliers, threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry significantly affect the smartphone and PC industry. The strong product demand in the former enables favorable participation in choosing appropriate manufacturers despite the fact that it is difficult to change from one supplier to the next (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). The latter two forces of substitutes and rivals do not seem to favor the company in both domestic and foreign markets. The numerous substitutes in Asian countries threaten to eliminate its status in the region. There is significant competition from Samsung which provides similar quality in the standards and brand. 

2.3. Industry Value Chain key to Competitiveness 

Apple’s mission statement is a “commitment to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals, and consumers around the world through innovative hardware, software, and internet offerings”. The key take away from this mission statement notes the company’s intent to outperform its competitors. In this regard, the company helps achieve the finest quality products in its inbound logistics. The manufacturers of its parts usually come from Asian countries like China where cheap labor helps guarantee high profit margins. The operations of Apple are present in Europe, Americas, Japan, and Rest of Asia Pacific. The firm also has its own retail stores with majority in the US. These retail stores rarely offer discounts ensuring a standard profit margin across the numerous markets. Research and design (R&D) has proven to be a major factor in ensuring competitiveness in the international market. The firm recently invested nearly $500 million to conduct research in China and Asian markets to ensure its continued growth of sales in the region. The firm ensures customer excellence by maintain high level of service provision and marketing of products. Shopping for a computer and smartphone has become a major factor in promoting the product to its consumers. 

2.4. Apple’s Generic Competitive Strategy 

Apple Inc. has developed two main generic competitive strategies as its primary means of achieving competitive advantage over its rivals in the smartphone and PC industries. The organization incorporated differentiation as one of its strategies. The firm has been able to attain this practice whereby it ensures its smartphone and PC products are unique and distinctive from the major firms in the firm. Majority of the smartphones in the domestic and foreign markets utilize Google operating systems while the PCs incorporate the Microsoft Windows. It is only the Apple products that have the Apple iOS systems. In this regard, they are distinct from any other groups in the industry. These products will make the individual consumer believe that he or she is not just another common user in the society as the products cannot be matched by others available in the market (Cardoso, 2017). The products are excellent in design and looks as they are in the technology and performance. The multinational corporation also offers its products at premium prices thus integrating the cost focus aspect. This is the practice where the individual company set premium prices for all its products including iPhone, iPod, and Mac. Each of these products is at a significantly higher price than its competitors ensuring that it is distinctively separated from the rivals (Cardoso, 2017). The millions of consumers are willing to pay hefty price tags for the products as it sets them apart from the regular smartphone and PS user in the industry. In this way, they are irresistible to the target market. 

3. Strategy Tripod Part Two: Internal Resources and Capabilities (Strengths and Weaknesses) 

3.1. Value, Rarity, Imitable, and Organizational (VRIO) Aspects 

Apple’s resources are all valuable other than the iPhone’s compatibility to 3 rd party applications. In this case, the smartphone cannot support some web interfaces like Adobe Flash and refrains from synchronizing data if iTunes is not installed making it difficult to operate with other similar products (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). In this regard, it is evident that the devices produced by Apple Inc. are rare giving the firm a temporary competitive advantage. However, many corporations have been able to imitate providing consumers with the functionalities that were previously only unique to the iPhone brand (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). The multinational enterprise has been able to establish brand name, hardware and software that are difficult to copy. The numerous products including Mac, iPod, iPad, and iPhone, have had their software protected by numerous patents (Cardoso, 2017). Corporations in the industry cannot imitate giving competitive advantage to the firm. The corporation can exploit the software resource by approving greater access to various mobile and PC applications along with web based content (Moon, & Phillips, 2017). 

3.2. Capabilities and Resources Support the Generic Strategy 

The effectiveness of the managerial judgment and the quality of subordinate staff has been an important factor in ensuring quality of products. Apple allows a free and relaxed workplace where the employees can brain storm and develop high quality and unique electronic consumer devices (Heywood, & Meyer-Sahling, 2013). The multinational corporation also has fewer levels in the decision making process. In this regard, the firm can implement ideas faster leading to a quicker developmental phase. The smartphone and PCs have unique hardware and software that combine to provide the luxurious experience that the consumer gets to enjoy (Contractor, Kumar, & Dhanaraj, 2015). The availability of financial resources and the high expertise of the employees help conduct research of the market and development of ideas of improving the products in future. 

3.3. Resources and Capabilities to Improve Future Global Competitiveness 

One of the major factors that have been a major driver to the success that the company has earned is its capability to maintain high levels of innovation in the company. The firm should continue in this practice as an effective measure of improving its global competitiveness (Contractor, Kumar, & Dhanaraj, 2015). The augmented reality technology is one of the major practices that the firm could adopt in future models of the iPhone. A better camera and processor will help in performance and handling of the AR-enabled applications. The firm can increase the number of wearable accessories, artificial intelligence as in the smart home products, and cars that could help reinvent the future of the company. Apple is believed to have been created in the image of Steve Cook as it was iconoclastic and primarily focused on the products created. However, under the leadership of Tim Cook, there are concerns that such vision may be fading away. The firm should utilize its extensive financial resources along with R&D as a primary factor of ensuring that they can prove all doubters wrong. 

3.4. Acquire, Outsource, or Build these Resources 

The vast majority of the various resources that the company will need to maintain its competitiveness in the industry will require the use of in-house development. In this regard, the organization has been able to develop an extensive workforce with the capability and skill set to realize the significant plans of the future (Teece, & Linden, 2017). The corporation could effectively design the components of the technologies that it wishes to develop in its new products. The company can continue to outsource the manufacturing of its products and its assembly in the foreign supply regions (Heywood, & Meyer-Sahling, 2013). It is evident that majority of the American corporations have adopted similar practices where they outsource the manufacturing practice to foreign countries which are integral to achieving quality products. However, foreign suppliers have proven to be a difficult burden to bear with in the production of the electronic devices (Heywood, & Meyer-Sahling, 2013). In this case, the cheap labor does not effectively eliminate the negative image developed by suppliers who do not adhere to demands of maintaining upholding the rights of the employee. 

4. Strategy Tripod Part Three: Institutional and Cultural Conditions 

4.1. Formal and Informal Institutions Setting the “Rules of the Game” for Direct and Indirect International Operations 

The social and cultural conditions of are significant factors that formal and informal institutions set the rules of the game in the international operations of the multinational corporation. The labor unions are depicted as a formal institution that set the demand of the industry. As is the case with most manufacturing companies in the US, labor is usually outsourced to various countries where the major operation is in the production of the primary materials and its assembly into the finished product (Teece, & Linden, 2017). However, these results in negative practices such as inhumane treatment of employees and its significant outcomes in the quality of the product has become a major issue. It is also evident that the outsourcing of the manufacturing practice has been an issue of concern where major corporations which purport to help improve the local economy are depicted to be at the heart of reducing local jobs. 

4.2 Hofstede’s Five Dimensions of National Culture 

In the institutional and cultural conditions it is evident that the domestic norms affect the practice of the foreign subsidiaries. For instance, the local norms does not seem to fair well with foreign markets in terms of power distance where less powerful members do not expect a unequal distribution of power (Della Peruta, Holden, & Del Giudice, 2016). The same is evident in the individualism factor where locals expect to look after themselves without regard for other members while foreign markets particularly in Asia and Africa do the contrary. The issue of masculinity seems to fair well with other cultural groups around the world. The fundamental factor that motivates individuals in the field is the desire to be the best which is recognized as a masculine attribute (Della Peruta, Holden, & Del Giudice, 2016). A similarity is noted in the local culture of uncertainty avoidance but significant difference noted in long-term orientation and indulgence. It is evident that the local society, similar to the foreigners, does not feel threatened by ambiguous situations of the future and score below 50%. The distinction is evident in long-term orientation where the domestic market scores low for its desire to maintain traditions and be skeptical about societal change while foreign countries are open to change. The latter believe truth is based on context, time, and situation. The issue of indulgence is of primary concern in the society where the domestic market is indulgence as there is weak control of desires and impulses while the foreign markets are restraint to prevent gratification of ideas. 

4.3. Which is currently a greater concern—cultural or institutional distance? 

The primary concern in the organization is the cultural distance that significantly affects the nature of practices of all individual members. It is evident that individualism is an issue that will affect all aspect of the organization. In the domestic market, the members are more likely to demonstrate self image in the terms of ‘I: or “we” (Lockamy, 2017). In this case, individuals are less likely to identify the family members when making decisions on their ultimate well being. The members seek actualization from their personal hard work as the only area where they should reap rewards (Della Peruta, Holden, & Del Giudice, 2016). The US has a score of 91 while foreign markets like china have a score market of 20. The latter shows a workforce that is intended to achieve the best possible outcome for its family members and community at large. 

4.4. Recommendations for the Apple’s future IBS 

The organization should make significant changes in various areas of the institution based setting as it attempts to develop various “rules of the game”. For instance, the company should be able to identify areas in which little or no differences are presence in the cultural and national practices of the people in the particular society (Lockamy, 2017). For instance, masculinity is a common belief among the Chinese and American societies, Apple should therefore, seek to demonstrate the positive attributes of femininity in the society despite being associated with failure. It will be difficult to apply the different perspectives in the foreign markets where the practice in Japan and Sweden are on different ends of the spectrum (Ali, & Shukran, 2016). Failure to put an end to the practice will produce negative perception about women in the society. 

5. Entrepreneurship and Internationalizing the Firm 

5.1. Apple Management of the Five “Entrepreneurial Strategies” in Growth 

Apple Inc., has been able to identify the value its products provide to its consumers. In this regard, the consumers note that Apple is the place to purchase high quality, performance, and luxury goods in the smartphone and PC market (Ali, & Shukran, 2016). The firm has been able to identify its distinct market including students, creative professionals, and educators among other individuals seeking the luxury product. In this regard, the company rarely has to develop advertisements to attract the target group (Sarma, & Sun, 2017). The corporation also measures the key indicators of changes by monitoring its financial performance. The annual statements showed that the company would develop high levels of growth through net sales and revenue earned. The company would then focus on revenue streams as it attempts to monitor the performance of its competitors. 

5.2. Institutional or Industry-Based Conditions Affecting Entrepreneurship Opportunities 

Apple Inc., as one of the largest institutions in the technology industry seeks to develop high quality products that have significant impact on grasping the entrepreneurship opportunities. According to technological evolution an industry-based factor affects the ability of the corporation to develop devices and products that serve the needs of the consumers (Sarma, & Sun, 2017). The introduction of the smartphone allowed numerous corporations in the industry to identify the entrepreneurship opportunities that creates large entry barriers. The organizational environment affects the number of customers that the organization can realize. Apple Inc. is depicted as the one of the first major companies to provide smartphones (Sarma, & Sun, 2017). However, by the time the time the product was offered it was of a high demand in the market. The practice ensures the profitability of the company. 

6. Internationalization: Where, When, Why, and How 

6.1. IBV and RBV does the Firm Possess “Resources and Capabilities to Offset Liability of Foreignness 

The firm has overwhelming resources and capabilities to offset the liability of foreignness. It is evident that the company can develop large institutions of research and development as an effective means of identifying the changes the company should change to become an effective performer in the local industry (Teece, 2014). In this case, the company is only foreign for only a short while before a significant transformation takes place and the firm can begin to offer its products in a manner that suits the consumers in the particular region (Yang, Colvin, & Wong, 2016). 

6.2. Apple’s Strategic Goals Alignment with the Location-Specific Advantages 

The firm seeks to achieve the highest standard in terms of quality and performance of the product as it attempts to maintain a high level of global capability in the industry. The is strategically placed in foreign markets like Greater China as an effective means of realizing dominance in the market (Teece, 2014). China is the fastest growing market in terms of demand for goods and the amount that consumers are willing to pay for the products. The research and development of the company helps in understanding the nature of the market and the most appropriate means that the company can use to provide its significant desires. 

6.3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Management’s Entry Mode Choices and Entry Timing 

Apple Inc., would like to increase its market share in the PC world. In this regard, the organization is not a new entrant in the market hence the strategic measure will not have significant negative effects. However, in the current stage, the global sales of PCs are on a steady decline (Teece, 2014). It is important to note that Apple Inc. is currently experiencing an assent. The firm has been able to increase its sales by nearly 18.6 million units when the organizations are experiencing a decline of 270 million units overall (Yang, Colvin, & Wong, 2016). The organization’s ability to maintain high quality and provide to the needs of the consumer is a critical factor to achieving success in this sector. 

6.4. Diversification Strategies 

Apple Inc. usually appeals to the consumer as an effective means of ensuring diversity and performance in the particular electronic device that the company would wish to introduce to the market (Teece, 2014). Diversification usually involves the presentation of the product as a unique and luxurious product that will serve the needs of the consumer. For instance, the organization can ensure that through the use of the Apple OS, the PCs introduced into the market are different from others in the industry and can clearly differentiate it with the rest of the available products (Yang, Colvin, & Wong, 2016). The particular PCs have a high performance and quality aesthetic value to attract the consumer. 

6.5. International Acquisitions or Collaborative Strategies 

The performance of Apple has greatly benefitted from collaboration with various major participants in the industry. For instance, when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, the company proposed collaboration with Microsoft that would enable the firm to develop a word document program that is compatible with its recent products (Chan, 2014). The firm continues to maintain quality supply networks, which are integral to the entry of the new markets. The organization would want to enter the robot manufacturing market. It is only through the provision of quality raw materials will the organization provide significant competition to the existing firms (Yang, Colvin, & Wong, 2016). 

6.6. Recommendations to Pursue Future Complementary Strategic Options 

The corporation intends to pursue various generic strategies to achieve the possibility of success in the organization. However, to sustain growth, Apple should explore complementary strategic options. They include joint ventures where the firm can collaborate with other existing companies in developing innovative products of the future (Chan, 2014). In the modern society, there are numerous start-ups that continue to come up with the intent of providing services and applications that will compete with Apple. Acquisition is an effective means of eliminating competition and identifying a potentially profitable aspect of the industry that aligns with the strategic measures of the future (Teece, 2014). 

7. Internationalization: Strategy, Structure, and Learning 

7.1. Four Strategy/Structure Configurations 

Apple Inc. has been able to realize internationalization in the industry as a significant means of ensuring the attainments of the needs of consumers in the countries where it is purchased. Localization is one of the primary factors of ensuring internationalization of the organization (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). It is evident that the dates, and currencies are converted in the different countries of operation to fit the desires of the corporation in the particular market. The organization has been able to ensure separation of localized elements in its products to achieve extensive localization (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). The users of the products are able to load localized elements as a preference needed by the user. 

7.2. “Strategic Fit” of Apple’s Strategy/Structure Configuration to its IBS Goals 

The firm has the ability to develop high level of strategic performance in its ability to ensure the achievement of the IBS goals. The organization identifies the importance of developing high quality products in the sector. European countries are depicted as the largest foreign markets for Apple where UK serves as a major source for iPhone sales with the product accounting for 42.5% of the smartphone sales in the nation in 2014 (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). The European segment includes numerous major markets that could emerge as drivers of growth in future like India, Middle East, and Africa. China is another major foreign market included in the Greater China segment. As of yearend 2016, China generated $48.492 billion in net sales which was 22% of the total net sales that the company earned despite a drastic 17% decline from the previous year. Japan is another major contender in the foreign markets where the firm recovered nearly $16.928 billion in net sales which is 8% of the total (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). The top five is completed by countries in the Americas and Rest of Asia Pacific excluding the US and China, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong respectively. The declining importance of the Americas segment is evident as it experiences a drop from 44% to 40% of the total net sales from 2014 to 2016 respectively. 

7.3. Does this approach offer any innovation or learning advantages over the approaches of the MNE’s top rivals? 

The smartphone and PC market continues to be a largely competitive industry that requires rival groups to improve their techniques of developing and presenting products and learning approaches to improve. The firm’s in the industry have been able to shorten the life cycle of the products in such a way to always keep attracting new consumers (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). For instance, the smartphone industry will always present new models that will keep the consumers coming. The top rivals are able to identify this practice and incorporate it to improve their performance. 

7.4. Has the firm internalized any knowledge management or learning capabilities that maybe leveraged between developed and emerging economies? 

Apple Inc. recently invested in research and development as an effective means of understanding the foreign markets particularly in the Greater China region. The practice has been an appropriate measure of internalizing the knowledge of the most appropriate ways of increasing the popularity of its products (Holtzblatt, Geekie, & Tschakert, 2015). There are numerous corporations that are cheaper and offer substantial benefits similar to the Apple’s iPhone and its PCs. The multinational enterprise does not desire reducing prices as a means of attracting more consumers from the particular market. However, it maintains its brand as a luxury product for the consumers. 

8. Strategizing Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility 

8.1. Has the MNE developed firm-specific capabilities to differentiate on corporate governance dimensions? 

From the numerous technology companies present in the electronic devices industry, Apple Inc. has the highest level of competence in the development of quality products. The enterprise has developed an effective organizational structure that can help in improving the uniqueness and innovative behavior of the institution (He, Mahoney, & Wang, 2009). The firm can achieve expected positive relationship between governance effectiveness and firm-level financial performance ignores key linkages between these two constructs. The workforce helps come up with ideas and techniques of improving the products and services offered to the consumers before outsourcing them to alternative corporations for implementation (He, Mahoney, & Wang, 2009). The firm will help develop integral policies on the treatment of employees that should be employed by the suppliers in its supply chain network. 

8.2. From the stakeholder-based view, what is a CSR initiative that will directly impact the competitiveness of the MNE? 

The most appropriate corporate social responsibility initiative that the company could incorporate is in the treatment of the workers. In the recent years, s takeholder groups will impose demands that will determine the corporate social responsibilities that the firm will implement (Chan, 2014). The multinational corporation prioritizes customers as its most important stakeholders in enforcing its CSR strategies. This stakeholder group encompasses the organizational and individual buyers of Apple products. These consumers have a main interest of purchasing effective and efficient products at reasonable prices. Although the Apple products have higher price points, the premium pricing strategy is acceptable as it matches the high quality and aesthetics of these products.  

References 

Ali, I., & Shukran, K. (2016). Managing supply chain risks and vulnerabilities through collaboration: Present and future scope. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50 (5), 335-342. 

Cardoso, E. A. R. P. (2017). Examining the differences of the internationalization strategies of two of the major brands in the smartphone industry-Apple inc. versus Samsung electronics (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://repositorio.iscte.pt/bitstream/10071/13973/1/MIM%20Dissertaion%20Eve%20Pinto-Cardoso%20Final.pdf 

Chan, L. Y. (2014). Corporate social responsibility of multinational corporations. Global Honors Theses. Paper 18. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1018&context=gh_theses 

Contractor, F. J., Kumar, V., & Dhanaraj, C. (2015). Leveraging India: Global interconnectedness and locational competitive advantage. Management International Review, 55 (2), 159-179. 

Della Peruta, M. R., Holden, N. J., & Del Giudice, M. (2016). Cross-Cultural Challenges for Innovation Management. In Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Across Cultures (pp. 95-107). Springer, New York, NY. 

He, J., Mahoney, J. T., & Wang, H. C. (2009). Firm capability, corporate governance and competitive behaviour: a multi-theoretic framework. International Journal of Strategic Change Management, 1 (4), 293-318. 

Heywood, P., & Meyer-Sahling, J. H. (2013). Danger zones of corruption: how management of the ministerial bureaucracy affects corruption risks in Poland. Public Administration and Development, 33 (3), 191-204. 

Holtzblatt, M. A., Geekie, J., & Tschakert, N. (2015). Should US and Global Regulators Take a Bigger Tax Bite Out of Technology Companies? A Case on Apple's International Tax Minimization and Reporting Strategies. Issues in Accounting Education, 31 (1), 133-148. 

Lockamy, A. (2017). An examination of external risk factors in Apple Inc.’s supply chain. In Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 18 (3), 177-188. 

Moon, S., & Phillips, G. (2017). Outsourcing through Purchase Contracts and Firm Capital Structure . Retrieved from http://faculty.tuck.dartmouth.edu/images/uploads/faculty/gordon-phillips/supply_financing.pdf 

Sarma, S., & Sun, S. L. (2017). The genesis of fabless business model: Institutional entrepreneurs in an adaptive ecosystem. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 34 (3), 587-617. 

Teece, D. J. (2014). A dynamic capabilities-based entrepreneurial theory of the multinational enterprise. Journal of International Business Studies, 45 (1), 8-37. 

Teece, D. J., & Linden, G. (2017). Business models, value capture, and the digital enterprise. Journal of Organization Design, 6 (1), 8. 

Yang, N., Colvin, C., & Wong, Y. Y. (2016). A Resource-Based View Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Dmnes Rising From China’s High-Tech Industry. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 15 (2), 106. 

Zhang, Q. (2017). Research on Apple Inc’s Current Developing Conditions. Open Journal of Business and Management, 6 (01), 39.