The iPod's Commodity Chain

Case Study # 104919

Business > Companies
Business > Information Mgmt. and Systems

A look at the commodity chain of Apple's iPod, with an emphasis on spatial economic geography.

1,853 words () | 10 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the Apple iPod's commodity chain in order to identify the geographic factors that are intrinsically involved in the production and manufacture of this consumer product. The paper points out that since the Apple iPod's global supply chain is so extensive, this research only focuses on that which mainly involves third party interactions.

From the Paper:

"Electronic companies are especially dependent on spatial economic factors relative to geography because of the global supply and manufacturing business model. Apple Computer, Inc. (Apple) is an innovative computing company that has been the main rival to Microsoft for approximately the last 28 years and is now also a consumer product goods (CPG) manufacturer as well because of its iPod and now iPhone products which are utilized by students around the globe (Blaisdell, 2006). In terms of market share, Microsoft dwarfs Apple and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Microsoft, however, has long trailed Apple in terms of innovative new products, product design and in customer fealty."

Sample of Sources Used:

Blaisdell, M. (2006). In Pod We Trust: Beloved by Students Worldwide, the Ubiquitous Little MP3 Player Is Becoming a Presence in the Classroom as Teachers Discover Its Many Educational Uses. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), 33(8), 30+.
Brakman, S,, Garretsen H., and Van Marrewijk C. (2001). An Introduction to Geographical Economics: Trade, Location and Growth. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Dennis, C., Fenech, T., & Merrilees, B. (2004). E-Retailing. New York: Routledge.
Form 10-K. (2005). Apple Computer, Inc. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from: http://www.apple.com/investor/>.
Hilpert, U., ed. (2003). Regionalisation of Globalised Innovation: Locations for Advanced Industrial Development and Disparities in Participation. New York: Routledge.