Below is a description of Steve developed by a Wharton's advanced management programme class which I think is very good.
Steve Jobs's natural talent is to imagine not only what consumers want now but also what they will want in the future -- and pay a premium price for. He searches for discontinuities in the external landscape. He figures out trajectories of new opportunities. Then he conceives and executes not only differentiated products that yield high margin and high brand recognition, but also business models that will exploit them most profitably.
He views a product as an experience, not just an object. He can visualize what it will look and feel like, and can then execute it to near perfection. He makes advanced technology friendly to consumers based on his uncommon talent for connecting it to user experience. He has an innate feel for design, convenience, simplicity, and elegance in the product. He connects the best ideas from widely diverse disciplines to create the consumer experience he's striving for. He figures out precisely what problems need to be solved, however impossible they may seem, and searches for the best people to solve them, regardless of their status.
He is a master of communications. He crafts simple messages that connect with audiences, leveraging his record of innovation to create buzz and build demand for a new product even before it is launched. He relates with consumers, employees, and partners, and turns them into rabid fans. He builds their trust in him, in Apple, and in the Apple brand.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Suicides in Foxconn
‘In 20 years, there will be only 2 companies: Foxconn will make everything and Wal-Mart will sell them.’ That may be a joke. But it does give an indication of how huge Foxconn is.
Foxconn was founded by Terry Gou in 1974. Today it is a colossal contract manufacturer of electronics employing over 800,000 people in more than 20 factories across China. Its revenue is about $55 billion in 2010. It does business with renowned companies like IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, Nokia, Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Apple.
Its factory in Longhua, Shenzhen has a workforce of 300,000 and occupies an area of 2.1 sq. km. It is a self-contained campus with all the basic facilities like hospital, restaurants, banks, Olympic-sized swimming pool, grocery store, internet cafe and a bookstore.
A spate of suicides brought the firm to the limelight. A lot is said about stress being the cause of the suicides – the workers do long hours under inhospitable conditions and poor living conditions in the dormitories. However, there may be a twist to this. It is suspected that some of them may have done it for money. The average worker earns about 2000 Yuan per month. But, the company pays 100,000 Yuan compensation to the family of anyone dying on site. To the unstable 20 year-old, the thought of that much money going to their parents could be attractive.
Foxconn was founded by Terry Gou in 1974. Today it is a colossal contract manufacturer of electronics employing over 800,000 people in more than 20 factories across China. Its revenue is about $55 billion in 2010. It does business with renowned companies like IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, Nokia, Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Apple.
Its factory in Longhua, Shenzhen has a workforce of 300,000 and occupies an area of 2.1 sq. km. It is a self-contained campus with all the basic facilities like hospital, restaurants, banks, Olympic-sized swimming pool, grocery store, internet cafe and a bookstore.
A spate of suicides brought the firm to the limelight. A lot is said about stress being the cause of the suicides – the workers do long hours under inhospitable conditions and poor living conditions in the dormitories. However, there may be a twist to this. It is suspected that some of them may have done it for money. The average worker earns about 2000 Yuan per month. But, the company pays 100,000 Yuan compensation to the family of anyone dying on site. To the unstable 20 year-old, the thought of that much money going to their parents could be attractive.
Monday, January 3, 2011
World car production
In 2009, China became the world’s largest car manufacturing country. It produced a total of 13.79 million units. Out of this, 4.57 million units or 44% were from domestic branded companies. However, total export was only 332400 units – which mean that its domestic consumption is more than 13.4 million units. In comparison, Japan and USA produced 7.93 million and 5.7 million units respectively in the same year.
In contrast, Japan has seen a decline in the number of vehicles produced. From 11.6 million units in both 2007 and 2008, it came down to 7.93 in 2009.
For 2010, China is targeted to produce a total of about 16.4 mil vehicles. Japan will remain as the no.2 with a projected figure of 8.87 mil. The US will have a good year in car production and is expected to cross the line at 7.8 mil. Next is Germany with a total of 5.77 mil.
South Korea came in fifth and produced a total of 3.5 mil vehicles in 2009. It is expected to churn out 4.2 mil units in 2010. Of this, 63% or 2.67 mil units will be exported. Its manufacturers are very aggressively pushing new and improved models. Expect them to up their production and exports as well.
India is a country with a huge potential market for vehicles. Its current production is about 1.0 mil. Expect their factories to increase their output when the consumption power improves.
Asia now produces about 30 mil vehicles a year or about half the world production. With increasing demand coming from Asia, it can be expected that Asia will be the new vehicle manufacturing hub of the world.
In contrast, Japan has seen a decline in the number of vehicles produced. From 11.6 million units in both 2007 and 2008, it came down to 7.93 in 2009.
For 2010, China is targeted to produce a total of about 16.4 mil vehicles. Japan will remain as the no.2 with a projected figure of 8.87 mil. The US will have a good year in car production and is expected to cross the line at 7.8 mil. Next is Germany with a total of 5.77 mil.
South Korea came in fifth and produced a total of 3.5 mil vehicles in 2009. It is expected to churn out 4.2 mil units in 2010. Of this, 63% or 2.67 mil units will be exported. Its manufacturers are very aggressively pushing new and improved models. Expect them to up their production and exports as well.
India is a country with a huge potential market for vehicles. Its current production is about 1.0 mil. Expect their factories to increase their output when the consumption power improves.
Asia now produces about 30 mil vehicles a year or about half the world production. With increasing demand coming from Asia, it can be expected that Asia will be the new vehicle manufacturing hub of the world.
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