Engineering Management IV, Semester 2, 2019

Lecturer: Murray Wynter

Assignment No 1
Date: 26 August 2019

Student Number: 215014782

Number of words: 6502

Declaration
By submitting this assignment:

 I declare that all the work herein is my own, and that all external sources have been
appropriately referenced.
o I understand that any unreferenced or plagiarised / copied work will result in
an immediate failure.
 I have read the assignment guidelines and understand that, any deviation or
nonadherence thereof will penalised which could result in a failure.
 I understand that any submission after 18:00 on the due date will be penalised
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1
2 Significance of the assignment ............................................................................................................ 1
3 Company (Apple Inc) ............................................................................................................................ 1
4 How I approached the assignment ...................................................................................................... 1
5 Literature Study ................................................................................................................................... 2
5.1 The composition of the macro environment. ............................................................................... 2
5.2 The technological environment .................................................................................................... 2
5.2.1 Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations........................................... 2
5.2.2 Disruptive technology: Breaking boundaries, transforming work, enhancing lifestyles. ...... 2
5.2.3 Important current and future technology ............................................................................. 3
5.3 Economical Environment .............................................................................................................. 3
5.3.1 The influence of the internet on the economic environment ............................................... 3
5.3.2 Promoting economic prosperity in cyberspace. .................................................................... 4
5.3.3 International opportunity recognition as a critical component for leveraging internet
capabilities and international market performance. ...................................................................... 4
5.4 Social environment ....................................................................................................................... 5
5.4.1 Behaviour of millennials as consumers.................................................................................. 5
5.4.2 Managing public employee speech in the age of social media. ............................................ 5
5.4.3 Versatile leadership as a determinant of employee engagement. ........................................ 5
6 Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) ........................................................................................... 6
7 Case Study ............................................................................................................................................ 7
7.1 Technology Environment .............................................................................................................. 7
7.1.1 Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations........................................... 7
7.1.2 Disruptive technology: Breaking boundaries, transforming work, enhancing lifestyles. ...... 7
7.1.3 Important current and future technology ............................................................................. 7
7.2 Economical environment .............................................................................................................. 8
7.2.1 The influence of the internet on the economic environment ............................................... 8
7.2.2 Promoting economic prosperity in cyberspace. .................................................................... 8
7.2.3 International opportunity recognition as a critical component for leveraging internet
capabilities and international market performance. ...................................................................... 9
7.3 Social Environment ....................................................................................................................... 9
7.3.1 Behaviour of millennials as consumers.................................................................................. 9
7.3.2 Managing public employee speech in the age of social media. ............................................ 9
7.3.3 Versatile leadership as a determinant of employee engagement. ...................................... 10
 8 Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) ......................................................................................... 10
9 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 11
10 Reference ......................................................................................................................................... 12
1 Introduction
Over the last two decades the internet had a great impact on the macro environment of most
businesses. Following this impact of the internet, businesses had increased their participation in
Corporate Social Responsibilities. The literature covers a wide variety of theories on how the macro
environment impacts a business and the corporate social responsibilities of a business, but this study
will focus on the areas in a business impacted by the internet. A Case study has been done to look at
the applications of what is mentioned in the literature study.

2 Significance of the assignment

The internet has changed the way that many businesses deliver their products and services to the
customers. The internet has produced opportunities for many businesses to open their doors to the
world. This phenomenon has greatly influenced our way of life and the way that businesses operates.
In today’s world people find it more convenient and quicker to do their shopping online. A Business
has to be up to date with the latest technology as this area keeps improving and not being up to date
will result falling behind their competitors domestically and internationally.

3 Company (Apple Inc)

Apples headquarter is located in Cupertino, California US. Apple Inc is a company which designs,
manufactures and markets media devices, mobile communication, personal computers and portable
digital music players. They sell a variety of related software services, accessories, network solutions
and third-party digital content and applications. There products include iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple
TV and Apple Watch. They offer a variety of extra support and services. Their user and professional
software applications include iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS operating systems. Apple delivers and
sells digital content and applications through the iTunes Store, App Store, TV App Store, iBooks Store
and Apple Music. [1]

4 How I approached the assignment

I started by thinking which company is a leading company in the world and how do they make use of
the internet and how does the internet affect them in the macro environment. I also thought that a
bigger company will have bigger Corporate Social Responsibilities. Apple came to my mind as this is
amongst the top companies in the world and the internet can have an enormous impact on such a
company. Through CSR programs Apple will be able to benefit the society while they boost their own
product and that is what a company wants, especially a big company. With Apple being a big company,
I also believed a lot of information would be available.

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5 Literature Study
5.1 The composition of the macro environment.
The market environment has a direct impact on the wealth of a business, but apart from that the
macro environment also has an effect on a business. [2] The macro environment is made up of
different factors that can influence a business and its market environment directly or indirectly. The
factors are from external environment and is uncontrollable from a business side. The composition of
six different factors, forms the macro environment. The six factors consist of the following
environments; technological, economical, physical, social, institutional-political and the international
environment. [2]

5.2 The technological environment

5.2.1 Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations.
Public Relation professionals needs to shift their focus to the internet as this has become an important
tool for them in order to reach their promotion and communication goals. Worldwide people and
businesses have accepted the internet and this has changed the way they communicate and share
files with each other. [3] A PR professional needs to understand the new information-seeking standard
and apply business practices in ways that will accommodate this shift on how information is obtained.
The internet is not only a place where information can be collected, but it is also a location where
stakeholders can learn more about a company as well as their products. [3] The internet is also a
communication channel where it will enable even a small organization to establish a connection
anywhere in the world and they will be present. [3] Doing this they will expand their potential
customers to more than double their current size. The company is also more likely to be recognized
globally.[3] The internet has given new roles for PR professionals in a business to keep up to date from
search engine optimization, video and audio news releases, social networks, web blogs and content
management. [3]

5.2.2 Disruptive technology: Breaking boundaries, transforming work, enhancing lifestyles.

Making use of disruptive technology that can replace an established technology by creating a ground
breaking product that creates a new way of doing business and a new industry. With the following
characteristics technology can be acknowledged as disruptive. [4]

 High rate of change

 Broad impact
 High economic value
 Potential to change status quo

People in organization and industries are highly affected by this technology as this leads to new
products, services and machines that are more efficient and effective than humans.[4]This technology
will have a large impact on the potential profit of a firm, GDP and capital investments patterns of a
nation. [4] It will change people’s way of life and have an impact on their work. Due to this innovation
it will create new opportunities and give nations and businesses a more competitive advantage over
their competitors. [4] The technology in a mobile internet device hold many advantages. By carrying
a small device called a phone you can use it to easily make a call, message, search for anything on the
internet, take pictures or videos and it enables you to share these photos/videos on social media. This

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device allows you to have a music library, stream movies on it or read the days newspaper and
everything can be done within 10 seconds.[4]

5.2.3 Important current and future technology

Electronic marketing has made a big improvement since 1999. Retailers sell any products globally, but
by teaming up with other companies they can manage the deliveries and payments of these
products.[5] Digitalization has come to the market and is continuing to expand. The retailing services
use e-commerce and electronic marketing strategies to make a product available over the world in
new and more accessible ways. [5] With digitalization the internationalization of any type of products
and even services can be achieved. [5] An example will be that normally games will be played around
a table, but due to digitalization consumers around the world can all play together in one game using
some software. Thanks to the development of the internet, mobile technologies and digitalization it
has created firms that operates around the world and reaching markets globally.[5] Thanks to
digitalization the opportunities for exciting research to understand the current and future
internationalization possibilities for services has opened.[5] The study of how global customers at the
moment and in the future relate to digitalization-based services and to future services and service-
accessibility systems and other related topics to internationalization of services will be important for
a business. [5]

5.3 Economical Environment

5.3.1 The influence of the internet on the economic environment
The internet has transformed the economic environment from simple exchanging information over a
distance to an integrated economic environment. [6] The outcome of a technology trend is the
internet that is being treated as a global computer network of exchanging information around the
world. [6] This set up of a globally-integrated network which is linked into a network of a business
operation is accepted by companies, because this enables further performance of its several
dimension strategic goals which is linked to efficiency and innovativeness.[6] What has come to a
major shock for the observers and the analytics is the speed by which the internet users has grown,
especially the growth of the internet in the economic area.

Fig1: Growth of internet users. [6]

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Businesses use the internet to gain a larger amount of sales or to create a positive image of a company
or the brand of their product. [6] With no travelling or physical movement the internet has enabled
people to communicate with each other in a direct way. It has made life easier and cheaper as many
activities can be performed including to exchange information, have business negotiations, sales and
procurement.[6] Due to this using the internet for advertising has a strong influence on your target
market. The true skill of a worldwide company is estimated through its successful business operations
in the global environment, in the middle of which there is a user.[6] The speed and the quality of
information being exchange usually goes with bigger profit or sometimes the survival in the market
for every business organization that is dedicated to be successful. [6]

5.3.2 Promoting economic prosperity in cyberspace.

The internet’s flexibility, its technical groundwork as an open platform and its public policy has given
rise to an astonishing economic growth around the world. In order to keep the economic booming of
the internet and the world around it is to keep the internet as a work in progress as the internet is
technology that will keep evolving. The internet has reached every corner in the world and almost
every human being. In the United States, an estimate indicated that the internet sector made up
roughly 6 percent of the GDP. [7] There is a large amount of businesses that is built on the services
that the internet has provided such as cloud computing. Amazon EC and Microsoft Azure makes use
of cloud services. Here are six foundational elements of the beginning stages of internet policy making
that were important to its economic success. [7]

 Freedom of expression and the user is in control

 Liability restrictions and responsibilities
 Open technical and operating standards
 Privacy protection
 Net neutrality.

Freedom of speech had paved the way for rapid marketplace of information-based goods and
services.[7] The internet economy is dependent on platforms, these platforms are companies such as
Google, Amazon, YouTube and Facebook just to name a few.[7] These platforms then offer their
services like searching, social networking, file hosting and video distribution. The impact of the web
economy depends on the universal and affordable access to cloud services provided by these
companies. These platforms generate a huge revenue, with GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook,
Amazon and Microsoft). Their combined market capitalisation is more than $4 trillion [7]

5.3.3 International opportunity recognition as a critical component for leveraging internet

capabilities and international market performance.
With time we have seen how the information and communication technologies, such as the internet
has improved. This has had an impact on international businesses in the way in which they are
directed, for example, enabling entrepreneurial firms to make the most and benefit on the economic
opportunities which is provided by the internet environment. [8] Research in the international
opportunity has become an important aspect in the field of international entrepreneurship as well as
in the international business domain.[8] This international opportunities is part of the view of
conducting an exchange with new and / or existing partners such as foreign customers and markets
across the globe. [8] Even more is the development capabilities and low cost of the internet that has
enabled entrepreneurial firms to connect to these markets internationally by strengthening the global

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business network relationships. [8] By the end of 2015 the digital economy was growing twice as fast
as the rest of the economy in Australia and was estimated to contributed $70 billion.[8] The particular
expertise and capabilities for information and communication technology are required to manage
processors which will enable businesses to respond to environmental changes.[8] New international
opportunities need to be identified and a firms performance in a global network is dependent on a
selection of resources and capabilities as well as how a firm will make use of their capabilities to enter
the international environment.[8]

5.4 Social environment

5.4.1 Behaviour of millennials as consumers.
In the last two decades digital technology and the internet has grown rapidly and this growth has
brought trends in the market, locally and internationally which is under constant development which
means companies needs to adjust at all levels and modes of internal and external communication.
Whether it is a profit or non-profit company, the companies that can understand and adapt to the
behaviour of markets daily changes will be more successful. [9] Todays young adults, the people born
between 1980 and the early twentieth century are called the millennials and they know their way
around technology and the internet. Social media has developed a new way as well has behaviour on
both the consumers and the companies or the marketing departments of a company. [9] Companies
can no longer withhold any bad quality products or bad services.[9] All the news that a company
broadcast will be widely expanded through the network. A typical 30-second ad is now replaced by
reading a status, post, or tweet for 30-seconds. Users no longer want to hear about how good a
product is from the company, but rather from the experiences of other users.[9] It is no longer a rule
that all he ideas for marketing comes from the marketing side of a company, but companies need to
be aware that the consumers are controlling their brands and that the consumers plays a big role in
making and communicating them. [9]

5.4.2 Managing public employee speech in the age of social media.

It is of serious importance for employers to keep track of their employees’ off-duty behaviour. What
employees do outside their work environment can have a huge impact on the employers business,
even if the business is providing a public service. [10] Public businesses are just as likely to be
influenced to negative media as any private sector corporation. [10] The advancement of technology
and social media in the public domain provides employees a close to unregulated ability to put their
opinions, be it normal or stirring on any topic out to the public. Typically attorneys will advise
employers who want to regulate their employees’ social media activity to implement policies
regarding the use of social media.[10] Not all employees are on the same level in a business as some
employees will be in a higher position and thus have more influence within the public. This leads to a
greater risk that an employees’ free opinion may have a bigger impact on the public as well as the
employers business. [10]

5.4.3 Versatile leadership as a determinant of employee engagement.

The world has transformed and there is a possibility of support around the world using the cloud
environment, this brings new challenges for managers in a business. The explosive development of
information technology and telecommunications means that the companies of today needs to
familiarize them self to the new demands of the global market. This is why it is essential to change the
existing management system and modify the old standards in a business.[11] This is achieved by
changes in the work system, the introduction of elements of management responsibilities which

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includes standard of ethical and environmental responsibilities.[11] The business performance can be
directly linked to employee engagement.[11] A study was performed with the outcome that 49
percent of polish manager make use of only one style of leadership. [11] For a business this is a
potential threat, because the economic and social environments is unpredictable which forces
managers to think with a different perspective and be more effective at their every day job, this
includes how they manage their teams as well has to have a more innovative approach when it comes
to problem solving.[11] To survive in the new world research has showed that “leadership agility” is
required, which comes down to versatility leadership. [11] Organizations needs to support versatile
leadership in their business.

6 Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR)

The lead designer and founder of Passion Lili, Katie Schmidt said that “what the public thinks of your
company is critical to its success” and CSR can positively affect your business by building your brand
and motivating you as a business owner.[12] A few responsibility types that businesses can embrace;

 Environmental
 Employee
 General public

Focussing on environmental issues, businesses irrespective of their size generates a carbon footprint.
Businesses should strive to reduce their footprints which will be good for the company and society.[12]
With a lot of businesses that are international the workplace of businesses should treat their
employees ethically and fairly all around the world.[12] Social responsibilities in the general public can
be seen as company’s participating in charity events by collaborating with charities to fulfil their needs
or by doing good things without expecting anything in return if there was any problems in the
community.[12]

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7 Case Study
7.1 Technology Environment
7.1.1 Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations.
Lance Ulanoff from PC Magazine wrote that he wonders if the public relations at Apple are just temps
or actors that is hired when they need to talk to the media.[13] In a journal of website promotion, P.
Christ wrote that public relations with advertising and sales promotion is a key factor in a company
promotional and corporate communications strategies.[3] A PR should create a favourable image for
a business or customers by placing stories relevant stories in different medias. [3] Apple will keep you
guessing, never letting out any teasers about new products. [13] Public Relation in Apple do net let
the users know what the will be releasing instead they let the bloggers and podcasters speculate about
the rumours. [13] This however attracts a lot of people to their product announcements dates, that
only occur at key Mac-based shows. P. Christ wrote in his journal that using the internet can lead to a
lot more customers. [3]

Apples public relation has slip up with internet-enabled technologies in 2003 when they had
customers which were unhappy. Firstly Apple had a built in battery for their iPod which cost about
$300 and when your battery needs to be replaced over 18 months a $255 mail-in replacement service
will help you. [14] Secondly owners of a USB iBook came together to protest. All had the same
problem, claiming that the logic board was faulty. [14] Apple has not yet acknowledge that their
iBooks has a faulty logic board.[14] Part of a public relation professionals tasks is to formulate
strategies and tactics to manage an companies image according to P. Christ.[3] The Internet has helped
customers to create and sign petition. Although Apple has not yet respond to the iBook petition they
are known to respond to public opinion in the past, like when they reduced the battery replacement
service to $99 for the iPod.[14]

7.1.2 Disruptive technology: Breaking boundaries, transforming work, enhancing lifestyles.

P. Angle and B. Biswas wrote in their journal that making use of disruptive technology can establish or
replace technology.[4] This is what Apple did with their first breakthrough product, the iPod which
completely changed the way how we listen or get hold of music.[15] Apple followed up with a second
breakthrough product, the iPhone which completely changed the way we think, no one imagined a
computer like device in your pocket, especially one that can connect to the internet.[15] A smartphone
that can do all the things a computer can do. Apple then invented the iPad. The iPad changed the way
we think of tablet computing.[15] In the International Journal of Management P. Angle and B Biswas
said that these technologies will change people’s life’s.[4] Before the iPad came to the scene, they
experimented with tablet computers which were rejected. Apple found the innovation of designing
these products that changed the way how we think about technology and changed our day to day
life’s radically. This consists of disruptive technology characteristics.[4] Not much about innovation
can be said about Samsung and Microsoft.[15]

7.1.3 Important current and future technology

Since the launch of the iPad in 2010 Apple has not released another ‘big thing’ until the 24th of April
2015 when they launched their new technology to the world, the Apple watch. Peoples management
ability to recruit, hire and develop employees has been restructured by technology , apps and the
Internet of things. [16] In the journal of service marketing written by G. Christian it says that with
digitalization any product can be made international.[5] Frank Kalman the senior editor of Talent

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Magazine wrote “at what point does the push to embed Internet access into our lives muddy our sense
of living and managing our lives?” [16] An interview done by M. Sullivan and published by Fast
Company with Apple Music’s head of global consumer marketing, Bozama Saint John said that she
want to listen to Apple Music on her iPhone, iPad, play it on her Apple TV, she want it to be connected
everywhere she goes.[17] With digitalization services that are available worldwide and are more
accessible as written by G. Christian [5] Apple also started an iCloud service, expanding there digital
services and keeping up with internet technology. [18] G. Cristian wrote that digital-based services is
important for a company. [5]

7.2 Economical environment

7.2.1 The influence of the internet on the economic environment
As Stanišić, Snježana B, Prodanović and Marijana M wrote in their journal the internet enables us to
send information around the world, which has developed new strategic goals for efficiency and
innovativeness. [6] Apple has used the internet and built a near $3 billon music business around its
downloads and internet radio is something completely different to that. [19] The users of the internet
in the economic area has grown massively.[6] Glenn Peoples reported that TuneIns CEO John Donham
believes it is a wise choice from Apple to enter the Web radio market in 2013.[19] The royalty rates is
high enough to bring disagreement between stakeholder, but also high enough to keep some of the
bigger competitors like Google and Amazon out of the market. [19] In the modern business operations
under the condition of great information ability journal it is written that businesses can achieve a
larger amount of sales due to the internet as well as spreading there content globally.[6]

Apple created iTunes Radio and it made its appearance on September 18th 2013 with iPhones new
operating system, iOS7. [20] It had a lot of positive feedback from the critics and also thought that it
will blow the competitors away. However, the customers listening to the competitor Pandora internet
radio did not decline on the day that iTunes Radio were launched, but increased as students went back
to school. This shows the magnificent rate by which the internet users has grown by more than 2
million from 2000 to 2012.[6] Apple’s iTunes Radio did not make a big splash, but music veteran Jim
Griffin says it has a lot of potential. [20] iTunes Radio launched with advertisers such as McDonald’s,
Nissan, Procter & Gamble and Pepsi and they all spent a minimum of $1 million each for a 12 month
commitment.[20] Advertising can be used to your advantage as it has a strong influence on the market
that a business is targeting wrote Stanišić, Snježana B, Prodanović and Marijana M. [6]

7.2.2 Promoting economic prosperity in cyberspace.

All devices today contain its own broad services and applications where many services are through
the internet. These applications and services are used to keep you hooked to a particular company’s
ecosystem and set of products. D. Weitzner wrote in his journal, Ethics & International affairs that
platforms are needed to keep the internet going.[7] This is where Apple created their own platform.
The battle between the companies are not about selling new devices, but rather using their devices
that locks you into their ecosystem. When Apple’s Chief Executive Steve Jobs release the new iPad it
was not long until it was noted that the iPad would not support Adobe systems Flash software [21]
The Adobe system Flash is widely used to play videos on the web, but Apple would like their users to
pay for videos at the iTunes store which is available on Apple’s platform.[21]

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7.2.3 International opportunity recognition as a critical component for leveraging internet
capabilities and international market performance.
It took exactly two and a half years for the company to establish their survival and that they are able
to prosper in what they do wrote Peter Burrows in the business week Magazine.[22] In a journal
written by C. Glavas, S. Mathews and C. Bianchi they say that global businesses should use the internet
to their advantage when it comes to the economy. [8] Apple made use of the internet and their
innovative thinking by producing new products that included the iBook portable. In 1999 on December
7th it hit 117, a record and a 192% gain for the year. [22] There are potential that it could get to a high
of 140 which would give Apple a market cap of $22 billion and their ratio of price earnings will be in
line with the top PC makers wrote Peter Burrows.[22] Conducting research in international
opportunities is an important topic for a business according to the journal of C. Glavas and his co-
writers.[8] With Apple’s technology they are in a privileged position with their expertise and
capabilities to create new noncomputer products which is called internet appliances. C. Glavas also
wrote that part of the international opportunities is the dealing with new customers and reaching new
markets.[8] In 1999 Apple owned the second largest operating system in the world, E-Opportunities
[22] Net play will be another reason for Apple’s stock rise. Apple has a search engine called Sherlock
that does comparative pricing at e-commerce sites while their competitors have little in-house
technology.[22] Analysts also believe that Apple will soon capitalise on its QuickTime multimedia
software to make it the best platform to watch videos over the Net. [22] A firms performance in the
global network is determined by how they enter the international environment.[8]

7.3 Social Environment

7.3.1 Behaviour of millennials as consumers.
During the initial development of Apples products, they did not use any consumer research. However,
today it plays a big role in their marketing and finally the company’s success writes Stephan Zoeller on
his blog.[23] B. Kristina wrote in her journal of Behaviour of millennials as consumers that if a business
can adapt to the daily change of the markets they will be successful.[9] This is exactly wat Apple does,
they gain the data from a consumer that download from iTunes or purchases a product. Apple then
uses this information they gathered to understand the consumers behaviour.[23] Apple capture
detailed information about the behaviour of its target market by using joined channels such as online,
retailer point of sale and iTunes.[23] Apple then uses this information to better their products and
meets the consumer’s needs. In the journal of B. Kristina she wrote that a consumer can decide if they
want or do not want to have a product 7 seconds. [9] Apple dominates the physical environment with
branded stores and thus they can gather a lot of information in the retail environment.[23] Apple
provide in store complementary services, one on one tutorials thus the consumers can spend more
time with Apples products and ask as many questions as the like.

7.3.2 Managing public employee speech in the age of social media.

Without restriction to the online world Apple can lose a sense of professionalism that many aspire to
achieve writes Charlie Osborne of ZDNet in 2011. [24] In Apples media policy reported by Charlie
Osborne we can observe how Apple controls their employees media outlets.[24] R. Underwood wrote
in his public employee relation report that negative media has influences on business.[10]

 Employees may use any website they want, but are prohibited in discussing Apple on the
website.

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  No speculating on rumours is allowed. Employees may not even confirm or deny any given
information about new products, Apple regulations or services. [24] In R. Underwood’s journal
he wrote that free opinion of an employee of higher ranking in a business can also effect a
business.[10]
 Social networks, blogs and other tools should not be used to communicate with other
employees. When employees have differences, they should not discuss it online, do not
discuss co-workers, may not post images of other staff without their approval.
 Staff is prohibited to make any comments on any Mac or Apple related websites.
 As an Apple employee you need to be in line with the Apple policies.
 Apple’s full business conduct policy applies to employees and Apple’s business partners. Apple
has the right to discipline, or cut ties to any who is not in line with these policies.
 Customers privacy is a priority for Apple as a brand. No information may be discussed online
about customers and employees may not contact customers for social reasons.[24] The way
an employee behave outside of work representing an business has a huge impact on a
business wrote R. Underwood.[10]

7.3.3 Versatile leadership as a determinant of employee engagement.

Tim Cook took over as CEO from Steve Jobs After Jobs passed away in 2011. Cook’s background as a
professional is managing chains, not changing the character of an expansive, complex, ego-filled
organization wrote Brad Stone and Adam Satariano in their article for Business week.[25] A. Stasko
and M. Rossakowska wrote in 2015 in versatile employee engagement that changing management
and old habit in a company will be an advantage for a business. [11] Eddy Cue, senior vice president
for internet software and services says “ I feel damn proud to be working as a part of Tim’s team” [25]
Cook inherited a team of different expertise in the field and all of them worked separately and shared
little information with one another. Sharing information was not needed as Jobs was the main brain
linking them all. After Jobs died no one know who should make big decisions and the teams were
uncertain of their rolls. [25] In the versatile employee engagement journal it is written that leaders
should be able to adapt to change and give responsibilities to people to keep the business running.
[11] Cook explained his new vision and structure for the company as he held meetings with senior
managers.[25]

8 Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR)

Apple is a company that openly ignores CSR; however, it continues to grow. Professor Greg Unruh
wrote a roasting critique of Apple’s approach to CSR for Harvard Business School and he also predicted
Apples downfall if they do not change their way about CSR. [26] Katie Schmidt said that CSR can
positively impact your business[12] Steve jobs said “It's not about pop culture, and it's not about
fooling people,” [26] “And it's not about convincing people they want something they don't.”[26]

In a report done by Skye Schooling said that nearly 90% of consumers will buy a product because that
company supports an issue that the consumer cares about.[12]Tim Cook the CEO of Apple has pledged
that the Apple company has a goal to end its dependence on mining and that they will produce product
made of only renewable or recycled sources. [27] Apple has come a long way and for years now they
have been tracking and reducing their carbon footprint. Skye Schooling reported that a primary focus
in the CSR is the environment. [12] In 2016 Apple’s track record reported that 96% of the companies
electrical use globally comes from renewable sources.[27] Apple has challenged themselves to stop
their reliance on mining completely. In the process to achieve this goal, Apple has already eliminated

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metals such as lead, mercury and beryllium completely and found aluminium as a different source
than the metals, they are also moving towards recycled tin solder. [27] Apple has convinced their
suppliers to move to renewable energy sources and seven of their major suppliers has promised to go
green. [27]

9 Conclusion
A study was done focusing on how the internet has an impact on the macro environment on a
business. Focusing on the technology, economic and social environments of the macro environment.
In the study we can see that the internet goes hand in hand with technology, making life easier for
businesses and consumers in all aspects of the macro environment focused in this study. Due to
technology and internet, companies can be globalized and have markets around the world, there is
also more opportunities for businesses to develop and create new products. With the internet growth
over the last two decades the internet economy has sky rocketed, making the internet a main focus
in some businesses to use the internet to release their services and products to new markets all over
the world which will increase the GDP of a country. The internet has given businesses advantages and
disadvantages in the social environment. Digital companies can use the consumer social behaviour to
an advantage to boost product sales and know what the consumers want, while leading companies
today are under scrutiny and bad news spread light lightening. The internet has affected the macro
environment in a more positive way than a negative manner, and while the internet is part of
technology that is continuously changing for the better we will see in the near future that the internet
will continue to play a big role in all of the six factors of the macro environments that affects a business.

11
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