商科公司合作案例分析全英文

Non-competitiveStrategicCooperation/Alliance:AppleandNikein

SportsWearableEquipmentFieldAstheworld'smostvaluablehigh-techcompany,Applehasalwaysbeenanexpertinusingdiversifieddevelopmentstrategies.Methodsofdevelopmentcanbeclassifiedintointernaldevelopmentmethodsandexternaldevelopmentmethods.Andtheexternaldevelopmentmethodsincludemergers,acquisitionsandcooperation/alliances.ApplehaskeptgoodcooperationrelationshipwithNikeoverthepastdecadeandthepapertriestoanalyzethenon-competitivestrategiccooperationalliancebetweenthesetwogiantsofdifferentfields.TwoindependentfirmsandthecooperationfieldNIKEistheworld'sleadingsportinggoodsmanufacturer,Nikehasinvestedalotofmanpowerandmaterialresourcesinnewproductinnovationanddevelopment.Appleisknownforitsinnovationamongalltheworldwidehigh-techcompanies.ThecooperationfieldofAppleandNikeisthefieldofsportswearableequipment,whichcanhardlytobecompletedbyeithercompanyalone.Appleisahardwaredevicemanufacturer,Nikeisasportsequipmentmanufacturer.AslongasAppleiswillingtoprovideapplicationsupportforNike,NikewillbeveryhappytosellitsproductsthroughApple.Thereisnosubordinaterelationshipsbetweenthem.Remainingindependent,theycooperatetoundertakeactionsinthefieldofsportswearableequipment,Thetwocompanieshavebeentogetherdevelopingsportswearableequipmentmarketforabouttenyearsundertheecologicalenvironmentofdigitalproductsandservices,tobringaricheruserexperienceforallpeople.Cooperationandnon-competitivestrategiccooperationAppleandNike,thetwoindependentfirms,havereachedanagreementtosharetheirresourcesandcapabilities(Apple’shardwareandNike’ssportsusergroup)toreinforcetheircompetitiveadvantageinthefieldofsportswearableequipment,whichiscalledthecooperationbetweenAppleandNike.Intraditionalcooperation/alliance,thecoordinatedfirmsareinthesameorrelatedindustriesor,inthesameupstreamanddownstreamindustrychain,thusthefirmswillfacedirectcompetitionorwillfacepricecompetitionbetweenthetwosides.ButthereisnodirectcompetitionrelationshipbetweenAppleandNike,thereforethiskindofcooperationisnon-competitivestrategiccooperation.Long-termcontractualagreementsandshareholderagreementsInfact,asearlyas10yearsago,ApplebeganitscooperationwithNike.In2006,AppleandNikelaunchedaNike+iPodsportspackage.Throughthewireless,thebuilt-inchipintheNikeshoeswasconnectedwiththeiPod,andtheuserscouldrecordtheirtime,distance,speed,heartrate,calorieconsumptionandotherdataduringtheirexercisethroughtheiPod.Itwastheworld'sfirstgenerationofwearablesportsequipmentaswell.Overtheyears,AppleandNikehaskeptcooperationrelationshipintheinitialNike+project.In2011,NikeindependentlylaunchedtheNike+FuelbandwristbandandApplestoresandonlinestoresbegantosellFuelBandintheUnitedStates,CanadaandUK.InSeptember2016,AppleandNikelaunchedanewversionofiWatch2--AppleWatchNikePlus.ThedevicedeeplyintegratedthesportspropertiesandsocialpropertiesofNike+,whoseinterfacedisplayinformationandSirifunctionhasbeenoptimizedaccordingtosportscharacteristics.ThesehaveprovedthatAppleandNike’scooperationinsportswearableequipmentfieldisalong-termcooperation.Startedwithaninnovatedideaofthefirstproductofwearablesportsequipment,bothsideshaveobtainedsatisfactoryprofit,especiallythesalesvolumeofiPodinthesportsfieldfrom2006to2008increasedsharply.Althoughtherewerenojointventuresestablishedorsharesacquisitionwaysdefined,thetwofirmsstillcouldearnmuchbenefitgeneratedfromtheproductssellingofcooperationagreement.Inlateryears,NikeindependentlylaunchedtheNike+Fuelband,whosemarketsharewasnotverygreatwhileApplefocusedonothermarketsegments,sothe2016iWatchNikePluswithsportsattributemarkedthatAppleandNikewouldcontinuetoenterthewearablesportsequipmentmarkethandinhand.Therefore,althoughthecooperationbetweenthetwosidesisalong-termandcontinuous,thecooperationisalsoconditionalandphased,changingwiththeaimedbusiness(wearablesportsequipment)marketenvironment.InterorganizationalnetworksAppleandNikehavedeepinterorganizationallinks.Infact,asearlyasin2005,beforethelaunchofNike+iPod,CookjoinedtheNikeboardasApple'sCOOhasandplayedanimportantrole.HeservedasChairmanoftheBoardofRemunerationCommitteeandbecameamemberoftheEnterpriseManagementCommitteeofNike.InearlyJulyof2016,AppleCEOCookwasappointedasNike'schiefindependentdirector.Theseniormanagementmobilizationofbothsideseverytime,areinfactpavingthewayfortheircooperation.AdvantagesAnalysis1.limitingsomerisksThefundamentalreasonforthecooperationisthehugemarketpotentialofsportswearableequipmentmarket.AsportsindustryreportfromIDTechExanalyzedthatthewearablesportsequipmentmarketsizeof2015reached20billionUSdollarsandwouldreach70billionUSdollarsin2025.After10yearsofexplorationanddevelopment,wearablesportsequipmentmarkethasgonethroughthepreparationperiodofproductlifecycleandenteredtherapidgrowthperiod.WithincreasedpublicappealforsportsandhealthandthemoredevelopedmobileendApppenetratingintopeople'slives,sportswearequipmentwillgraduallybecomethemainforceofelectronicproductsconsumption.AppleandNikeofcoursewillnotgiveupthesegmentedmarkettheyhaveexploredlongago.Andbyusingtheotherside’sbrandinfluencepower,thetwofirmsmainlyfocusingonothermarketswillcertainlylimitthecommercialriskswithintheacceptablerange.2.obtainingresourcesrequiredandlearningfrompartnersAsthefirsttogetinvolvedinsportsApp,Nike+hadaggregated18millionusersin2013andattractedalmost60millionusersrelyingonsupportingsportsequipmentproductsandimplantedcommunityinteractionconcept.IntermstoApple,sincethelaunchofiWatchinApril,2015,itsglobalsuppliershipmentsofthefirstquarterreached400millionandthemarketshareclimbedto75.5%.Appledefinitelywasequippedwithenormousinfluenceinthewearabledevicemarket.Butinthesegmentedmarketofsportswearableequipment,thedominanceofiWatchhadvanished.Fitbit,theleadingbrandofallsportswearableequipmentbrands,hadbeenevenmorepopularinthemarketthantheapple.Applehadtorethinktheproductdevelopmentstrategy.Comparedwithfitbit,Nike+onlyhadApp,lackingapowerful,perfectmatchedapplicationhardware.TheAppleiWatchlackedmoreprofessionalanddifferentiatedproductstoresolvethepainpointsoftheuserinsportsverticalmarket.Asaresult,AppleandNikecancombinetheirrespectiveresourcestotakeadvantageoftheconditionsofbothsides.TheygavebirthtoAppleWatchNikePlustoshockthemarket.Thetwofirmscombinedwiththeirownbrandcharacteristicsandadvantages,fittedininnovativeways,learnedfromeachother,bringingtheshareofmarketresourcesandbettermarketeffectwhichcannotbeachievedbyanyfirmalone.3.greaterbalancebetweenefficiencyandflexibilityAppleandNikeachievedtheinnovationinproductdesignanddevelopment.ThecombinationofAppleandNikecannotonlycollectrichsportsdata,completemorepowerful,moreaccurateprofessionaldataanalysis,butalsocanreachtheandhighfunctionalrequirementsofhardwareequipment.Inthismarketofcross-cuttingsports+technologyproducts,AppleandNikeareabletocompletethemoreprecise,cleardivisionoflabor,makingtechfuturewearableequipmentmorelow-key,stylish,practicalandintegratedwithmorefeatures,andthusthetwofirmscanachievegreaterbalancebetweenefficiencyandflexibility.DisadvantagesAnalysis1.Consumingcost:organizationalcomplexityIn2012,withtheincreasinglyfiercemarketcompetition,NikeindependentlylaunchedtheirownNike+FuelBand.However,duetoitsfunction,pricingandpositioningerrors,NikeclosedtheinternalwearableequipmentsectorafterlaunchingthesecondgenerationofNike+FuelBandin2014.Oneoftheteam'scoreR&Dpersonnel,BenShaffer,wasthenquietlyhiredbyApple.Asthetwofirmshaveadegreeofresourcesharinginthissegmentedmarketofsportswearequipment,theyneedtomakedecisionsjointlyatsomepoint.Humanandmaterialresources