Applewasoneofseveralhighlysuccessfulcompaniesfoundedinthe1970sthatbuckedthetraditionalnotionsofwhatacorporatecultureshouldlooklikeinorganizationalhierarchy.SteveJobsoftenwalkedaroundtheofficebarefootevenafterApplewasaFortune500company.Bythetimeofthe"1984"TVad,thistraithadbecomeakeywaythecompanyattemptedtodifferentiateitselffromitscompetitors.Accordingtoa2011reportinFortune,thishasresultedinacorporateculturemoreakintoastartupratherthanamultinationalcorporation.
Asthecompanyhasgrownandbeenledbyaseriesofchiefexecutives,eachwithhisownideaofwhatAppleshouldbe,someofitsoriginalcharacterhasarguablybeenlost,butApplestillhasareputationforfosteringindividualityandexcellencethatreliablydrawstalentedpeopleintoitsemploy.ThiswasespeciallyafterJobs'return.Torecognizethebestofitsemployees,ApplecreatedtheAppleFellowsprogram,awardingindividualswhomadeextraordinarytechnicalor
leadershipcontributionstopersonalcomputingwhileatthecompany.TheAppleFellowshiphassofarbeenawardedtoafewindividuals.
Appleisalsoknownforstrictlyenforcingaccountability.Eachprojecthasa"directlyresponsibleindividual,"or"DRI"inApplejargon.Asanexample,wheniOSseniorvicepresidentScottForstallrefusedtosignApple'sofficialapologyfornumerouserrorsintheredesignedMapsapp,hewasforcedtoresign.
NumerousemployeesofApplehavecitedthatprojectswithoutJobs'involvementoftentooklongerthanprojectswithhisinvolvement.AtApple,employeesarespecialistswhoarenotexposedtofunctionsoutsidetheirareaofexpertise.Jobssawthisasameansofhavingbest-in-classemployeesineveryrole.Forinstance,RonJohnsonwhowasSeniorVicePresidentofRetailOperationsuntilNovember1,2011,wasresponsibleforsiteselection,in-storeservice,andstorelayout,yethehadnocontroloftheinventoryinhisstores(whichisdonecompanywidebythen-COOandnowCEOTimCookwhohasabackgroundinsupply-chainmanagement).ThisistheoppositeofGeneralElectric'scorporateculturewhichhascreatedwell-roundedmanagers.
UndertheleadershipofTimCookwhojoinedthecompanyin1998andascendedtohispresentpositionasCEO,Applehasdevelopedanextremelyefficientandeffectivesupplychainwhichhasbeenrankedastheworld'sbestforthefouryears2007–2010.[citationneeded]Thecompany'smanufacturing,procurementandlogisticsenablesittoexecutemassiveproductlauncheswithouthavingtomaintainlarge,profit-sappinginventories;Apple'sprofitmarginshavebeen40percentcomparedwith10–20percentformostotherhardwarecompaniesin2011.Cook'scatchphrasetodescribehisfocusonthecompany'soperationaledgeis“Nobodywantstobuysourmilk”.ThecompanypreviouslyadvertiseditsproductsasbeingmadeinAmericauptothelate1990s,howeverasaresultofoutsourcinginitiativesinthe2000salmostallofitsmanufacturingisnowdoneabroad.AccordingtoareportbytheNewYorkTimes,Appleinsiders"believethevastscaleofoverseasfactoriesaswellastheflexibility,diligenceandindustrialskillsofforeignworkershavesooutpacedtheirAmericancounterpartsthat“MadeintheU.S.A.”isnolongeraviableoptionformostAppleproducts".
UnlikeothermajorUScompanies,Applehasarelativelysimple
compensationpolicyforexecutives,whichdoesnotincludeperksthatotherCEOsenjoysuchascountryclubfeesandprivateuseofcompanyaircraft.Thecompanyusuallygrantsstockoptionstoexecutiveseveryotheryear.