Question

Your answers for each question should be between 400 to 500 words.

3.  How did Tim Cook manage Apple’s human talent? Discuss the bases of power applied in Apple.         [20 marks]

 

Answer 1

Tim Cook assumes control of the management team from Jobs by combining some talented employees. Moreover, Cook supports his team members' decision-making instead of Jobs restricts his employees’ decisions. Specifically, Cook only involves at the end of the product development or necessary while Jobs matters everything and participates in the whole process. Besides, Cook is using his extraordinary perspective in leading the Apple company by encouraging high-profile of his executive team and himself. Eventually, Apple company and the employees become more approachable to the public and press under Cook's leadership.

According to the findings above, there are three bases of power applied in Apple, which are legitimate, expert, and referent power. Firstly, an individual's power is related to their position, especially in a structural organization that can be referred to as legitimate power. This can be shown by the leader's behavior and conformity to the leader, which means the leader can control the members only when the leader has a certain influential power at a position. However, the leader failed to direct the team once the power is lost or applied in an unrelated field. Next, expert power describes people will tend to follow a leader's instruction when they believe in their leader is a person who is knowledgeable and rational to manage the team. For instance, the leader is talented in solving the problem, decision making, giving fair evaluation and suggestions to improve the situation. Therefore, proficiency and expertise are essential elements of being a leader, as both can convince people to believe in their capability. Finally, there are two conditions of using referent power, which is the identity of a person and individual tendency. Those people who influence others to do something voluntarily usually admire and respect such as celebrities and parents. Meanwhile, individuals who are holding referent power with a good personality can demonstrate domination over others, particularly at the workplace. Also, leadership can be highly volatilized when expert power and referent power are merged.