Dashboard mock up-apple Inc

Posted by Winnie Melda on March 13th, 2019

 Introduction

            The main goal of having a dashboard is to magnify the specific points of data to make them easy for the users to understand. The achievement of the goal effectively, one must make particular decisions before the process of developing the dashboard. A dashboard is helpful in measuring the efficiencies and inefficiencies within a company as well as exposing the business trends and patterns. Also, it helps to identify the data correlations and outliers. The dashboard can also help in aligning the strategies that point to the same goal and helps to make informed decisions. Dashboards communicate better to the concerned parties by giving a better analysis than the web analytics (Datapig, 2013). The dashboard is a visual display that gives the most important information required to achieve certain objectives to enable monitoring at a glance. The development of a dashboard follows a set of processes. It starts with the definition of the business objectives, KPIs, and the metrics and then proceeds to collect data and process it. The next step is reporting it in the form of charts, tables, and other visuals. A good dashboard should have only the essential data, and a design that is relevant to the information about a particular company (Jethwa, 2011). The viewer should also understand it at a glance without further research. The dashboard presented in the paper is of Apple Company having the goals and the key performance indicators for the company. The tool is effective in guiding the company executives make decisions that will have and a positive impact on the company. It also helps to monitor the direction of the company’s trend in the business environment through the use of graphics, charts, and other visual indicators.

 Goals and Objectives of Apple Inc

            To expand the sales to the customers who do not own any of the Apple’s products. The strategy in place to help in the realization of the goal is to expand the distribution network for it to reach more customers on the ground. The common distribution networks targeted are Internet providers, third party retail outlets, and the flagship stores (Christopher, 2011).

            To produce hassle free products that provide services and enjoyment for customers. The strategy in place to see the realization of the goal is to continue in investing in Research and Development about the products available and those required in the market. The tactics of use are improving on the new designs and generation of products and having new features on the products released in the market.

            Become the leading business in the mobile market. The company has a strategy of becoming the online research machine and platform where different advisers can benefit. The tactics enacted are focusing on research and development in the online research and also monitoring the work done in Google and Yahoo.

            To be the leading company in the innovation of new products that meet customer demands. The company has strategies of developing new products that are unique in the market through focusing on research and originality.

            The Company also intends to increase the number of employees in all the departments and also expand the number of Apple Inc. Stores worldwide (Christopher, 2011). The efforts of increasing the number of employees and the distribution stores translate to increased revenues from the sales of Apple Inc. products.

            The goals and objectives discussed are essential to Apple. It ventures in the business of designing and manufacturing several of the electronic devices and thus, has competition from other companies in the industry. However, Apple Inc. continues to carry out more research and development to produce products that meet the demands of the market.

Key Performance Indicators for Apple Inc

            The key performance indicators are the measures of success of a Company. They are quantifiable metrics that reflect the performance of an organization in achieving the goals and the objectives. For Apple Inc., the major performance indicators are the market share, overhead costs, inventory turnover, profit margins, liquidity, and employee retention (Apple Inc. Company Profile from Hoover's, 2011). The key performance indicators help in aligning all the levels of an organization with the goal of ensuring that everyone works towards achieving a similar strategic plan.

            The market share is very critical to the operations of Apple Inc. It is essential to determine the level of penetration in the market alongside other major players in the Industry. Apple Inc. Operates in an Industry that has other competitors like Nokia, Samsung, and other major companies that also have their share of the market (Apple Inc. Company Profile from Hoover's, 2011). The level of penetration in the market is a key determinant of the performance of the Company.

            The costs related to the business are also a major performance indicator. Since Apple Inc. is in the business of making electronics, it is imperative for it to keep the overhead costs down for it to maintain a healthy profit. A major challenge in maintaining a low level of the overhead costs is expanding to the over-sees due to the costs involved (Apple Inc. Company Profile from Hoover's, 2011). It requires hiring of new personnel and thus incurs huge costs in transporting them and their families. The key to lowering the costs is eliminating all the unknown variables in the cost equation for efficient accounting of the hidden expenses. The company has to maximize and increase shareholder value by reducing expenses.

            The inventory turnover is the other important performance indicator. Inventory is a key issue in the business environment. An inventory stock on the shelves is a huge cost to the business. In the technology world, there are many changes and evolutions since customers constantly seek for new products and gadgets. Thus, Apple Inc. Must be careful not end up overstocking products in the retail shops since the demand for newer products is on an annual basis.

            A good control of the inventory levels leads to high-profit margins. Apple Inc. has to keep the operational costs low so that in turn it can produce a high-profit margin for the shareholders.

            Liquidity is another essential performance indicator at Apple Inc. The key to success for any International business is having the necessary amount of money to carry out investments and also pay for any incurred costs in the investments. It is necessary to check the liquidity ratios to ensure that the company has what it requires for daily operations. However, keeping huge cash ratios is not a good option since the same can generate a higher return other than lying idle.

            Lastly, employee retention is also an indicator of performance for Apple Inc. Many companies find it challenging to train new employees and adopt them into the culture of the company. Thus, it is important to retain the hired employees and perform checks for the new ones to ascertain of their integrity and honesty in the past workstations. The strategy helps Apple Inc. to avoid a high turnover rate and the associated costs of training other new employees.

References

Apple Inc. Company Profile from Hoover's (2011) Hoovers Business Solutions from Hoovers.     

Christopher (2011) Apple Objectives: A Canadian International School of Hong Kong Site 2011.

Datapig (2013) Mocking up Dashboards: Bits of Excel and Access Training from Datapig Technologies.

Nilesh Jethwa (2011) What do you use to mock up Dashboards? Toolbox for IT, Business            Intelligence.

Carolyn Morgan is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in paper college 24/7. If you need a similar paper you can place your order from custom nursing papers.

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Winnie Melda

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Winnie Melda
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