Seminar paper from the year 2011 in the subject Business economics - Operations Research, grade: 2,0, Berlin School of Economics and Law (Lord Ashcroft Institute of Management), course: MBA Seminar, language: English, abstract: The story of Apple Inc. started in 1976 and has been characterized by a long line of successes, especially in recent times. However, the news that Apples Managing Director Steve Jobs has had to resign caused Apple stocks to drop by 5% (down from $400), which shows how great an impact cofounder Steve Jobs had on the company and its destiny. Nonetheless, Apple continues to be the worlds most valuable company. 1Apple Inc. is an American multinational company which provides personal computers, software and especially consumer electronics. Today, the company has 49,400 employees worldwide and managed to increase annual sales to $65.23 billion in 2010.2Apples winning mixture of extraordinary products, great style and design, grand strategy, innovative marketing, and inviting communications is basis of this papers analysis. Apple owes its overwhelming success in the last years to the iPhone, iPod and iTunes product combination.3Apples success is inextricably linked to Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs has been the great mind behind the company and one of the cofounders who turned Apple in one of the most innovative and successful companies.[...]1 http://www.macnews.de/newsticker/steve-jobs-rucktritt-apples-aktienkurs-bricht-ein-2397832 http://phx.corporateir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9Njc1MzN8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=13 www.apple.com