1. AppleInc.
Rank: 17 (Previous rank: 35)
CEO: Timothy D. Cook
The company emerged from the tragic passing of co-founder Steve Jobs
saddened but in no perceptible way weakened. Under CEO Tim Cook, the
company continued pumping out new products -- like a significantly
upgraded version of the iPad tablet. Apple nearly doubled its earnings per
share in 2011, compared to 2010. That helped nudge management to
announce plans for the firm's first dividend since 1995, returning some of
the $97.6 billion in cash it had accumulated
%
Change
Key financials $ Millions from 2010
Revenues 108,249.0 66.0
Profits 25,922.0 85.0
Assets 116,371.0 —
Stockholders' equity 76,615.0 —
Market value 568,615.1 —
Profits as % of
Revenues 23.9
Assets 22.3
Stockholders' equity 33.8
Earnings per share
2011 $ 27.68
% Change from 2010 82.7

2. AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY
The automotive industry designs, develops,
manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is
one of the Earth's most important economic
sectors by revenue.
Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and
light trucks on the road in 2007, consuming over
980,000,000 m3 of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The
automobile is a primary mode of transportation for many
developed economies. By 2014, one-third of world
demand will be in the four BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia,
India and China. Emerging auto markets already buy more
cars than established markets. Emerging markets
accounted for 51 percent of the global light-vehicle sales
in 2010.
"PESTEL" framework that classifies all environmental
factors in the following six groups.
Political
Import, export and manufacture of automobiles and
automobile components. Allowing setting up of
manufacturing plants by foreign companies.
Stability of governments. This may affect the future
conditions in a country.
Taxation policies.

3. Economical
The population figures and automobile buying capacity
of people.
Level of economic activity that affects need for
commercial use of automobiles
Sociocultural
Lifestyle and preferences of people.
Social norms that impact the decision to own and use
automobiles versus other means of transport.
Technological
Technology relating to automobile designs
Technology of automobile manufacture
Technological developments that may increase or
decrease use of automobiles.
(Physical/Geographic) Environmental
Physical conditions effecting ability to use automobiles
of different types. This will also include state
infrastructure such as roads for driving vehicles.
Legal
Legal provision relating to environmental population by
automobiles.
Legal provisions relating to safety measures.
WHY AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY ?

4. Man and machine have always gone hand in
hand and no man can think of his life
without automobiles and especially cars.
Nation’s Economic stability and growth is
often measured through development of
automobile market.
Apple works on innovation and changes
whichever market it enters, may it be MP3
players, mobiles or tablets.
Steve Jobs had a dream to design a car that
would change the way we travel.
Concept car as rumored on Internet.
PORTER’S 5 FORCE ANALYSIS

5. Porter's Five Forces - Automobile Industry
Five Forces Analysis was developed by Michael Porter to better identify
competitive opportunities and attractiveness within an industry or market.
Other than a SWOT analysis, this is another analysis tool to identify
opportunities and risks before entering an industry. Porter’s model supports
analysis of driving forces in an industry. The management can make better
decision by using the information that evaluated from detailed Five Forces
Analysis.
The five forces that Michael Porter has identified are widely used to assess
the structure of any industry. They are:
Threat of New Entrants
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Bargaining Power of Customers
Threat of Substitutes
Competitive Rivalry between Existing Players
Automobile is one of the most convenient transportation tools in our modern
society today. Globalization enables foreign auto dealers to enter American
market easily and also creates competition. In America, there are three major
automobile manufacturers. They are General Motors, Ford, and Daimler
Chrysler. However, the biggest competitions are the foreign auto
manufacturers, Toyota and Honda.
Threat of New Entrants: MEDIUM
It is not that easy for an entrant to enter into a car industry because of the
brand loyalty of customers. However, some of the well known foreign
companies entered into US car industry easily, for instance, when Honda
Motor, Co. opened its first office in Ohio, the major competitions began. The
expansion of the foreign entrants decreases the market of American
companies. Similarly since Apple has a very strong customer loyalty base, it
would be much easier for Apple to enter into the market.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers: LOW
Suppliers have a little power in an automobile industry. That’s because
numerous suppliers rely on some particular auto manufacturers to buy their
products. Each manufacturer has many suppliers. The main qualifications of
the suppliers are the quality, cost, and delivery of the products. If suppliers
can’t meet those basic considerations, it is hard for them to survive.
Bargaining Power of Customers: HIGH

6. There are various brands and models of the cars to choose from nowadays.
The factors that affect consumer to make a buying decision are: the
appearance, quality, price, and environmental effect. People always want a
new and nice looking car. For those rich people who love cars, they always
purchase the new released and attractive model. Besides that, the quality of
the car is an important issue. The car has to efficient, which means saving
gas, protecting our safety, and running fast. In addition, since there are many
competitors, consumer have more choices to select a cheaper, but good
quality car. Moreover, because of the global warming and other environmental
effects, a lot of the manufacturers make their cars unique in order to protect
the environment. Based on a variety of the lifestyles, people choose to
purchase a car in a different way.
Threats of Substitutes: LOW
If buyers can look to the competition or other comparable products, and
switch easily (they have low switching costs) there may be a high threat of this
force. With new cars, the switching cost is high because you can't sell a brand
new car for the same price you paid for it. A P5F analysis of the car industry
covers the new market, not used or second-hand.
But what about the threat of substitute products before the buyer makes the
purchase? You need to know whether the market you are analyzing has many
good alternatives to new cars. A vibrant used car market perhaps? Used cars
threaten the new market. How about a very good mass-transportation
system?
Product differentiation is important too. In the car industry, typically there are
many cars that are similar - just look at any mid-range Toyota and you can
easily find a very similar Nissan, Honda, or Mazda. However, if you are
looking at amphibious cars, there may be little threat of substitute products
(this is an extreme example!)..
Competitive Rivalry between Existing Players: LOW
Competition between existing automobile companies is high because there
are too many choices for the customers. That may cause the industry earning
lower profits when the cost of the competition is high.
MARKETING MIX

7. PRODUCTA product is seen as an item that
satisfies what a consumer needs or wants.
MANUFACTURE CARS, BUSES AND MOTORCYCLES FOR MEETING ALL
KINDS PEOPLE AND SOCITIES AROUND THE WORLD
PRICEThe price is the amount a customer pays
for the product.
MAKE THE PRODUCTS AVAIBLE AT REASONABLE PRICE AND AT ALL
PLACES AROUND THE WORLD. BRING REVOLUTION IN AUTOMOBILE
INDUSTRY BY DISCOUNTING PRICES.
PROMOTIONrepresents all of the methods
of communication that a marketer may use to provide information to
different parties about the product.
USE OF ALL METHODS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AND IN A
NEVER SEEN BEFORE MANNER THAT MAKES THE CONSUMER CURIOUS
ABOUT THE PRODUCT.
PLACE refers to providing the product at a
place which is convenient for consumers to access
DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCT THROUGH OFFICIAL STORES SPREAD
ACROSS WORLD. AND ALSO THROUGH ONLINE MEDIA.