Essay on Donna Dubinsky at Apple - 1171 Words

Donna Dubinsky and Apple Computer Inc. Recommendations and Findings - The Ultimatum†¨ â€Å"†¦Star performers who have been rewarded for their individual contributions and have come to expect wide latitude in how they work, becoming a manager can be a mixed blessing.† These words aptly describe the career of Donna Dubinsky at Apple Computer. As you will find in this paper, Donna’s case highlights key issues in organizational strategic direction and hierarchical structure; it illustrates power and influence, and the emotional effects of change. Donna Dubinsky was a motivated and hardworking employee but also an elite, who had been accustomed to sole responsibility of the decision-making process in the distribution system. Though she†¦show more content†¦Background Information and Situational Analysis When Donna joined Apple Computer in 1981 the PC industry was experiencing a boom. Apple Computer’s net income had steadily climbed from $39.4 million to $76.7 million in 1983. So also has the company’s market share and operating revenue increased in that time space. Based on these growing numbers, Donna felt there was no problem with distribution. In fact, she believed that her department was an effective contributor to the growth of Apple. However, as Apple’s net income and market share began to drop in late 1984 and into 1985, it was clear the company needed to reevaluate it business strategy. In comes Jobs who wielded a greater positional power compared to Donna’s. Having had the privilege of learning about the distribution process of a competitor, he demanded that Apple follows suit. The Just-In-Time (JIT) process has been known to cut cost by eliminating and/or reducing legacy distribution systems, and Jobs wanted to explore the possibility of the process working at Apple. However, Jobs violated the company values when he failed to create a productive environment around the exploration of the JIT system. Rather than consulting with Donna, he channeled his ideas directly to the CEO, John Scully, and then directed the manufacturing director at Macintosh, Debi Coleman, to prepare a distributionShow MoreRelatedDonna Dubinsky and Apple Computer, Inc.1781 Words   |  8 PagesDonna Dubinsky and Apple Computer, Inc. As companies today strive for success in the market place, it is the efficiency of the top management in the company, which usually determines whether or not they are able to achieve their goals. Many of these goals and values incorporate concepts surrounding quality products and services, innovation, team spirit, and efficient management, just to name a few. However, many times a disconnect in one or more of these areas can cause communication barriersRead MoreDonna Dubinsky and Apple Computer Case Study Essay1656 Words   |  7 PagesDonna Dubinsky and Apple Computer, Inc. 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The firm employs over 550Read MoreHarvard Case Analysis11020 Words   |  45 PagesCongressman Gurcharan Dasï ¼Å' venture capitalist Belmiro de Azevedoï ¼Å' Chairmanï ¼Å' CEOï ¼Å' and co-founder of Sonae; member of the European Round Table of Industrialists John Doerrï ¼Å' leading technology venture capitalist Donna Dubinskyï ¼Å' MBA 1981ï ¼Å' Direct Report of Bill Campbell at Apple Computerï ¼Å' CEO of Palmï ¼Å' Inc.ï ¼Å' and co-founder of Handspring Albert Hamilton Gordon Fred Haiseï ¼Å' former NASA astronaut Christopher Heinz H. John Heinz IIIï ¼Å' U.S. senator æ  °Ã¥ ¤ «Ã‚ ·Ã¤ ¼Å Ã¦ ¢â€¦Ã¥ °â€Ã§â€° ¹Ã¯ ¼Ë†Jeffrey R Immeltï ¼â€°Ã¯ ¼Å'通ç” ¨Ã§â€ µÃ¦ °â€Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¨â€˜ £Ã¤ ºâ€¹Ã¥ ±â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ »Ã¥ ¸ ­Ã¦Å¡ ¨Ã© ¦â€"Ã¥ ¸ ­Ã¦â€° §Ã¨ ¡Å'Ã¥ ®Ëœ