Learning from Apple

In a cover story about Apple, the June 9-15 issue of The Economist points out the lessons other organisations can learn from it.

1. Innovation need not come only from inside. Though seen as an innovator, Apple's success lies in putting together technologies from both outside inside, but adding its own polish. The iPod contained off the shelf components as well Apple's own ingredients. Even iTunes was bought and the spruced up.
   
2. Products need to be designed around the needs of the user, not the demands of technology. Many tech firms think smart technology is enough to sell products, but Apple has always combined technology with simplicity and ease of use. Though the iPod may not have been the first digital-music player, it was probably the first to make the transfer and organisation of music easy enough for anybody and everybody.
   
3. Sometimes companies may need to ignore what the market says it wants. The iPod was ridiculed when it was launched, but Steve Jobs stuck to it.
   
4. Fail wisely. Apple has had its share of failures, but has always learned from it. The attitude should be not to stigmatise failures, but rather tolerate it and learn from it.