Leadership Development Challenge - Case Study Example

Leadership Development Challenge: The Case of Apple Company Name: Course: Professor: Date: Leadership Development Challenge: The Case of Apple Company Introduction In an organization such as Apple Company, human resource department is considered as one of the most effective and important segments because it is concerned with the wellbeing of employees within the organization (Clegg et al 2011). An additional element that stresses on the importance of the human resource department is that the wellbeing of employees is considered vital for the success and effectiveness of the organization in terms of profitability and ability to realize its mandate. Despite the essence of human resource department with regard to organizational development, the department has been faced by numerous challenges that affect its ability to deliver its responsibilities to its employees (Goldsmith et al 2012). Part of these challenges arises from the employees and the inability of the organizational structures to support the desires of the human resource department with regard to organizational development and effectiveness. The main objective of this essay is to assess the problems of leadership development with reference to Apple Company. This will be through an analysis of its adverse effects on organizational effectiveness. The essay will also assess how organizational change, corporate culture, and conflict have had an impact on leadership development in organizations. In conclusion, the essay will make justified recommendations for the resolution and improvement of the human resource issue. Leadership and development problem in Apple Company Organizational overview Apple Company Inc is one of the most successful technological companies in the global market today. Part of the success of this company is in its involvement in the design, production, marketing, and sale of high quality and unique mobile communication devices and computer products and related services (O'Grady 2011). The sale of Apple Company products has been through diversified methodologies in different target markets on the global platform. For instance Apple sells its products through direct sales, online stores, values added resellers, and third party wholesalers among other channels. In addition, the company has also been able to promote its products through the sale of varieties of third party services and products using the company’s online and retail stores that are distributed in different target markets (O'Grady 2011). The human resource management of the organization has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the company with regard to improving on its effectiveness and efficiency. One of the ways has been through the creation of opportunities for the development of innovative products and solutions to its clients (Clegg et al 2011). The company has ensured the development of this aspect by channelling it as part of its business strategy through effective control of its design, the development of the hardware and software elements of all it products. By channelling the efforts of its employees towards innovative products and solutions, the company has been able to leverage a unique capacity as a leading organization in the development of high quality and competitive products (Tafoya 2010). Despite the effectiveness of the company with regard to protecting and improving on the wellbeing of the employees, it is still faced with the challenge of leadership development. This arises from different sources within the factions of management and the employees. There are varieties of factors within Apple Company that determine the methodologies through which the organization ensures effective leadership development techniques. However, the challenge with these methodologies arises from their inability to satisfy the desires of a wide range of employees to ensure effectiveness of the organization (O'Grady 2011). Leadership development challenge Leadership development has been indicated as an essential human resource concern and challenge in different organizations. This is because leadership development is a human resource functions that determines the competitiveness of an organization with regard to its ability to develop and sell high quality products in its target market (Tafoya 2010). Through leadership, development organizations are often able to develop techniques through which they can channel their concerns with regard to future management and production in the company. Throughout the process of growth and expansion of a company, it becomes important to develop leaders who are not only highly competitive but also promotable (Cummings & Worley 2014). The function of leadership development also has some form of connection with employee retention in two ways. One of the ways is that part of the major complains among employees who resigning from their employment responsibilities are poor management. This means that employees have the ability of assessing the type of leadership that exists in an organization as a major determinant of their professional development. For employees effective management must be concerned with the welfare of the employees with regard to their ability to guarantee their future in terms of making them highly competitive and promotable at different levels and in the execution of different responsibilities. Part of the techniques that such managers use is the identification and organization of career development opportunities for employees (Goldsmith et al 2012). This means that for the employees their desire is to work under the leadership of a more active leadership with regard to the management of the needs and desires of employee development. Part of the responsibilities of such management would be to organize and identify professional development opportunities for employees (Cummings & Worley 2014). For instance, it is the responsbility of the human resource management to ensure that their employees are exposed to higher learning opportunities by providing them with study leaves and subsidizing the cost of their education. This not only acts as a motivator for the employees but also improves on the possibility that more employees with be involved in the exploitation of education opportunities available for their professional and leadership development. Through such opportunities the organizations, also benefits considering that it will have developed a pool of highly qualified leads to ensure that the future of such an organization is guaranteed (O'Grady 2011). Internal organizational training is also an essential component of leadership development. This is because through such training opportunities it becomes possible for an organization to impart essential skills and experiences concerning organizational culture on its employees (Goldsmith et al 2012). Such trainings also guarantee the future of the organization because the potential leaders are trained on different issues related to the organization hence ensuring the distribution of essential organizational information to a large group of potential leaders (Harrison et al 2008). Internal organizational training has also been considered crucial in leadership development because organizations are required to groom future leaders from within the firm to ensure effective continuity of different growth and development issues related to the organization. Failure to train and groom employees can be a sign of let-down by the management with regard to ensuring a guaranteed future for the organization (O'Grady 2011). Delegation of responsibilities is also an essential aspect in leadership and development. This is because through delegation of responsibilities, potential leaders in an organization are able to acquire first-hand knowledge on matters related to the activities of the organization. It is the responsbility of the human resource department to ensure that there is a specific channel on delegation of responsibilities (O'Grady 2011). This limits the possibility of bias with regard to the selection of potential employees to be delegated responsibilities. A beneficial approach to delegation of responsibilities involves ensuring that there are set out guidelines on the responsibilities that can be delegated. Through this channel, it becomes possible for the organization to develop a systematic approach of responsbility delegation hence ensuring that potential leaders of the organization are fashioned in a gradual manner (Harrison et al 2008). Furthermore, through a systematic approach towards responsbility delegation it also becomes possible for the employees identified for delegation of responsibilities to act in ways that ensure that an improvement of leadership styles and skills. Part of the responsbility of the human resource department is also to ensure that the process of delegating responsibilities is also diversified in terms of gender, academic qualification, and experience. This will ensure that the future leadership of the organization are also diversified and this essential in ensuring the development of highly competent and diversified pool of leaders who will channel the strategies of the organization towards developing innovative and high quality products and services (Harrison et al 2008). Leadership development is considered among of the major challenges for the human resource department at Apple Company. This is because the success of his human resource function requires the development of a critical strategic initiative by the management. The human resource department is faced with the challenge of the expectation that it will provide the most essential structures, tools , processes and points of view that will hasten and ensure that the organization makes the best selection during the process of grooming the potential leaders for the presents and future success of the organization. According to existing studies on the challenges facing the human resource departments in different organizations, leadership development has been considered as one of the functions that require the development of a critical strategic initiative in ensuring training and retention of the right employees through existing leadership development structures. Part of the problems facing Apple Company with regard to leadership development is the existence of bias in the selection of the best employees to retain and train asopart9o the future leadership for the organization. The major challenge arising from this complication is that the employees within the organization are differentiated by varied discriminatory factors such as country of origin, age, level of expertise and academic qualification (O'Grady 2011). Apple is an American multinational company, which outsources most of its products from China. Inasmuch as the workforce of the organization is diversified in terms of age, gender, racial orientation, and level of expertise, the organization is largely biased in grooming its future leadership. This is because majority of its top leadership are derived from the United States this has been perceived as an objective by the organization to ensure that it maintains its American organ despite its multinational nature (O'Grady 2011). Age has also been considered as a determining factor in the delegation and allocation of leadership training opportunities for employees within the organization. For instance at Apple Company there is a higher preference for young and highly talented employees compared to the aged. This is based on the assumption that they are flexible and can work in any of Apple outlets unlike their aged counterparts who have numerous responsibilities that limit their ability to travel across different regions to work for the company (O'Grady 2011). An additional challenge that faces Apple Company with regard to leadership development is the high level competition that the company faces from rival companies such as Samsung and Huawei which have not only specialized in the provision of leadership development opportunities but have also aligned their organizational culture to ensure systematic grooming of future leaders for the organization (O'Grady 2011). This is considered a threat to the human resource department considering that Apple finds it difficult to retain its best pool of employees due to the existence of attractive packages offered by rival organizations. For Apple company to ensure it captures and retains a large portion of the market in the future it is the responsbility of the human resource department to align organizational culture and strategies with its leadership development initiatives. How organizational change, corporate culture, and conflict have affected leadership development Organizational change For the any organization to realize change with regard to addressing its leadership development challenges, it will be important to engage in a change analysis process, which entails highlighting the performance gaps and the development of strategies essential in the determination of the actual performance (Van Tiem, Moseley & Dessinger, 2012). Organizational change has often been considered as a crucial adaptive measure that defines progress that an organization makes in its target market with regard to prevailing environmental and organizational conditions. This means that the success of any organization is highly dependent on its ability to embrace change by tailoring its structure to be in line with the demands of the existing market. For Apple Company the prevailing condition in the mobile and computer technology market have been instrumental in the definition of the type of organizational change that Apple through the department of human resource must embrace to ensure that it maintains and improves on its position in the market (Jenner et al 2011). As part of organizational change, Apple employees have the responsbility of accessing and serving customers in accordance with the requirements of the law. The company has the legal responsbility of ensuring proper distribution and handling of all its products. This is because existing ethical codes and laws prohibit the distribution of any products and services to unauthorized individual or entity (Jenner et al 2011). It is expected that employees in the process of developing leadership traits will be vigilant and diligent in executing their obligations with regard to prescription of the desires of the company. Any form of violation of the law on handling and distribution of company products and services may result in different forms of disciplinary actions including termination of employment. This is considered crucial because for Apple potential leaders must have the ability of making firm and independent decisions organizational growth. One of the techniques though which Apple has embraced organizational change as a crucial element in leadership development is by ensuring that its outlets and outsourcing companies in countries such as China are operated in accordance with the existing laws. This is while ensuring that their operations do not affect the procedures that define operations at Apple Company (Shalley 2015). Through such an approach, it has become the responsbility of human resource management at Apple to ensure that matters related to employee welfare such as leadership development activities are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the existing laws. This approach aimed at improving on the conditions of the employees with regard to offering training, learning, delegation and promotion opportunities through polices tailor made to fit different markets has been beneficial to the company (O'Grady 2011). This is because it has not only guarantee its existence for future purposes but also provides the employees with a platform of career growth and advancement, which is crucial in the development of a highly qualified and experienced team of leaders. Furthermore, through this approach to management of employee welfare it has become possible for Apple Company to eliminate unnecessary institutional biases, which may be perceived as limiting the ability of the organization to enhance an all-inclusive and transparent policy regarding the opportunities available to different employees (Shalley 2015). Corporate culture Part of the responsbility of any organization is to collaborate with the department of human resource in the development of strategies that are aimed at influencing employees towards embracing and working in accordance with the requirement of the organization in terms of its vision, mission, goals, and objectives. This is considered possible through the development of a culture that is determined by the management and the board of the organization in collaboration with the human resource department (Jenner et al 2011). At Apple Company, the need to improve on the company’s reputation as a leader with regard to leadership development and profitability has necessitate the development of a corporate culture that guarantees its future with regard to the development of a leadership that would ensure future expansion and existence of the company (Phillips et al 2011). The process of selecting those eligible for leadership development opportunities has also been enhanced through the development of a corporate culture that focuses on individual capabilities rather than groups. This is because at Apple company the realization that leadership does not only require professional but also individuals with the ability of combining knowledge acquired form different academic institutions and working experience with their creative abilities in the development of competitive polices and strategies that guarantee the future and success of the company (Kerr 2012). As part of its corporate culture, Apple Company has instituted measures of grooming its leadership by ensuring that all employees and agents of the company are banned from offering or accepting any improper payments or gifts and other forms of remuneration. Either this is directly or indirectly that are intended to induce the role of the leadership business or any form of decision regarding the use of product and or services. In terms of employee background checks, Apple Company considers the safety and care of its integrity and organizational values as the highest morale and ethical obligation of every employee. In order to maintain its integrity in the technological and innovation field, Apple conducts background checks on applicants considered or reserved for employment positions, which is an essential element in determining those, qualified for different leadership positions in the organization. In addition, through the services of varieties of leadership development opportunities, the company ensures that all its employees are subjected to high quality eductaion and training activities to improve on their ability to deliver quality services and leadership to the to the organization. The major challenge for Apple Company has been on the best ways of identifying talented individuals within its workforce who may require additional training and grooming of matters of leadership to improve on their levels of effectiveness and efficiency (Jiang et al 2012). Despite the difficulty, Apple Company whose corporate culture is defined by high-level transparency, equality among its employees and innovation has been able to develop and implement the most effective human resource policies. This is aimed at improving on its efficiency with regard to identifying the most qualified employees with the ability of steering the organization towards the realization of a definite future (Jung 2014). Other than offering equal opportunities to those perceived as qualified for leadership development opportunities, the corporate culture of the organization is developed such hat it ensures that employees are subjected to a competitive process before, during, and after the trainings and leadership development opportunities. This is often geared towards the elimination of those perceived as relatively weak with regard to engaging in detailed processes essential in the future of the organization (Jiang et al 2012). Organizational theory, which is the basis of Apple’s corporate culture on leadership development, asserts that it is important for the leaders who are decision makers in any organization to consider the prevailing market and environmental conditions prior to the development of any strategy that targets the future of the organization (Price 2011). While applying this theory in leadership development of policies, Apple through its management has developed the realization that age, experience and competitiveness are crucial in planning for the future of the company. The company not only needs young and creative minds to drive its vision and goals to realization but also requires years of experience of the aged in guiding the organization towards its future (Jung 2014). This explains why Apple through its corporate culture has developed a strategy of mingling both the aged and young in leadership development opportunities. Furthermore, the realization that the mobile technology and computer market is experiencing an exponential growth with regard to developing high quality product has made it a necessity for Apple to enhance its capacity to improve employees considering that workers are increasingly becoming mobile and attracted to better opportunities in other organizations (Sims 2002). Other attracting and retaining highly qualified, experienced, and creative employees, Apple Company through its corporate structure has also been instrumental in outsourcing more resources to ensure improved investment on opportunities available for enhancing employee capability to limit the possibility of workforce shortage (Shalley 2015). Conflict Organizational conflict is considered as one of the major contributors to leadership development challenges that faces established companies such as Apple. The main challenge arises from inconsistencies related to the techniques that the company employs with regard to the process of selecting employees best qualified for different responsibilities with regard to the future leadership of the organization (Doeden 2012). Differences in perception and the choice of personalities that can lead the organization in the future have been considered as the major factor necessitating the rise and popularity of different form of conflict within Apple Company. This has not only affected the structuring process of leadership development policies by the human resource management but also increased the likelihood that more Apple staff will tend to seek better opportunities in other companies. These include Samsung, which has been considered as highly competitive with regard to maintaining and improving on the welfare of employees in areas such as leadership development (Jung 2014). As a way of minimizing the rise of conflict among employees with regard to the availability and selection of training, further studies, and delegation of responsibilities, Apple has been able to develop varieties of conflict resolution strategies (Doeden 2012). For instance, Apple embraces compromise as one of its main conflict resolution strategies with regard to handling problems arising from leadership development. Through this conflict resolution approach, the company aims at ensuring that whenever it is faced with such challenges it uses expedient and mutually acceptable solutions (Sims 2002). These solutions have been considered beneficial because they ensure partial satisfaction of the concerns of the parties involved in the conflict. This approach to conflict resolution has also been perceived as profitable for Apple Company especially when there is need to reach a temporary settlement in relatively complex organizational issues. The essence of compromise as a conflict resolution strategy is that it enables the organization to develop an understanding that the technological and innovation field in which the company operates is defined by varieties of matters (Sims 2002). These strategies ensure that employee concern which must be addressed to ensure that the organization retains and attracts highly qualified, experienced and creative employees for its prosperity in the future (Kerr 2012). Through the development of such conflict resolution strategies on employee concern with regard to allocation of leadership development opportunities, the company has been able to improve on its ability to satisfy party concerns which is an essential leadership attribute that signifies the an ability to engage in effective and efficient decision making process (Doeden 2012). Part of the concern of Apple Company is that it uses its existing leadership structures in grooming future leaders. This means that for the company to experience any form of success in such grooming there is need to streamline all the polices and strategies with the prevailing market and environmental conditions. Despite the envisioned success arising from Apple’s approach to conflict resolution, the company still faces challenges resulting from trust issues. This is because there are situations where compromise has filed in meeting the desire of parties involved in the conflict (Kerr 2012). As a methodology of mitigating conflict within the organization with regard to leadership development, Apple through its informative and training programs has been able to improve on the introduction of more joint collaborative agreements with different established consultants in the development of more inclusive programs. This has provided the company with an opportunity of expanding in terms of the pool of expertise willing to provide their leadership services within the organization. Conclusion and recommendations In terms of organizational structure and solving the challenge of leadership development there is need for Apple to ensure that the policies and the strategies it develops are in accordance with the prevailing demands of the technological market in different locations. This is because in the contemporary highly competitive market organizations such as Samsung, which have devised methodologies of establishing their position in the market, have developed structures that make it a requirement to groom leaders from within the existing pool of highly qualified professionals. Such structures are considered crucial for a guaranteed successful future for an organization because the resulting leadership will be that which understand the organization in terms of its past, current activities and plans. In terms of corporate culture, there is need for Apple Company through its human resource management to ensure that it is involved in the development and management of highly talented team of future leaders through the defining principles of its corporate culture. Such a culture is essential for organizational growth and development because it is the highly competitive and innovative technological market is increasingly facing shortage of highly talented and skilled professionals. For a company such as Apple to ensure continuity of its highly innovative product it must incorporate in its corporate culture a team of professional who will protect the integrity of company products hence defending the values of the company. This is however only achievable through effective and continuous leadership development opportunities for the employees. Furthermore, the human resource department has a supervisory role through which it ensures the provision of sufficient direction. This is considered realizable through policies and procedures, which focus on the level of employee skills and knowledge. The supervisory role of the human resource management will also aim at ensuring that the organization operates on effective means of communication, effective coordination of activities within the organization while at the same time enhancing employee perception on the levels of dedication of the management towards the realization of its goals and objectives. The conflict resolution approach developed by Apple can only be effective if the human resource department ensures that all levels of management are involved in close monitoring and control of the conflicting parties to ensure that the parties involved in the conflict act in accordance with the temporary agreements. It is notable that the temporary nature of the solutions developed under the compromise approach also increases the possibility that they will be less binding to the concerned parties (Doeden 2012). This explains why it is important to involve numerous segments of the management to enhance the possibility that the organization will develop an effective compromise especially in challenges arising from leadership development issues. The timing of any service helps in its success. The role of the organization is to identify the human resource problems and to discover the kind of help that is necessary in solving and providing the organization with the help it needs in terms of developing future leadership. This help planning labour welfare programmes in a more systematized considering that timely action in the proper direction is essential in any kind of organization. In the field of mobile technology and computer innovations, Apple has an opportunity of adding value to its employees in different regions. This will make it a reference organization for with regard to organizational culture. Other than the introduction of an all-inclusive corporate culture that enhances corporate change with regard to leadership development of employees, the company has the opportunity of advancing its market position through the provision of specialized technological services supported by ongoing research in the world of technology. This is only possible when it grooms a team of effective leaders from the existing pool of employees. There is need for the Apple to continue investing in its commitment towards becoming an academic and leadership development center through the creation of more training opportunities for employees. Through this commitment, it will be possible for the organization to sustain itself as a research and training institute with the objective of realizing sustainable development in the field of technology and establish itself as an organization powered by effective leadership. References Cheese, Peter, Robert J. 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