$1$

$.$

$$WHY WAS APPLE so successful?

$2$

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$$Why did Microsoft

$$

s once superior market valuation evaporate?

$3$

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$$Why did Apple

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s competitors such as Sony, Dell, Hewlett

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Packard

$($

HP

$)$

$,$

$$Nokia$,$ and BlackBerry struggle?

$4$

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$$ Explain Apple

$$

s success over the last decade. Think about which industries it has disrupted and how. Also look at Apple

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s main competitors.

$5$

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$$Is Apple

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s success attributable to industry effects or firm effects, or a combination of both? Explain.

$6$

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$$ Apply the three

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step process for developing a good strategy outlined above

$($

diagnose the competitive challenge, derive a guiding policy, and implement a set of coherent actions

$)$

$$to Apple

$$

s situation today. Which recommendations would you have for Apple to outperform its competitors in the future?

$7$

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$$ Why do you think it is so hard not only to gain but also to sustain a competitive advantage?