Values and attitude: Why Apple is worth almost three trillion dollars

Apple has a market capitalisation of 2.75 trillion US dollars. Samsung, on the other hand, is worth 400 billion. Why do so many people buy an iPhone, why not a Samsung Android? Why do so many investors invest in Apple? Why do so many capable people want to work for Apple?

The company has a great product, but that's not the explanation. Is the iPhone that much better than the competition? And even if it is, one can ask why that is.

The answer lies not in technological issues, but in Apple's corporate culture. The company knows how to present and sell its attitude and values to the public.

Attitude and values

When you buy an iPhone, you are not just buying a phone, you are buying an Apple product. Apple is synonymous with innovation and challenging the status quo. Apple’s brand marketing is focused on selling the dream of technological leadership. Having an Apple product makes you feel advanced, trendy and on the cutting edge.

So, Apple is not only a technology leader, but above all a marketing leader. This is also reflected in the job market: applicants know exactly what Apple stands for, and that's why they want to work there. It's not primarily about salary, but about reputation. People want to be part of the team, part of a movement.

Apple is therefore a good example of how a company can position itself both in the competition for consumers and in the battle for talent by cleverly and transparently communicating its values and attitude. And this is exactly what will become increasingly important in the future, not only for technology corporations like Apple, but also for medium-sized companies. The shortage of skilled workers is already one of the biggest problems facing SME today. This trend will intensify in the future in view of demographic developments.

Defending values

Besides all the marketing genius Apple demonstrates every day, the company does not have a clean slate. One point of criticism is the cooperation with suppliers like Foxconn. There, employees are said to have committed suicide in China due to poor working conditions. In addition, there are accusations that Apple is indirectly involved in the exploitation of local workers in Chinese provinces where alleged human rights violations take place.

All this casts a shadow on Apple and the company is also publicly criticised for it. If Apple had not already built a solid reputation, the damage to the company would be much greater.

But what this shows is that reputation works both ways. On the one hand, you must communicate your values and attitudes in a transparent way. On the other hand, you must put a stop to violations of these values. Because only those who defend their code of values can communicate them credibly to the public.

whizzla

To this end, we have developed whizzla, an internal whistle-blower system, with which managers can be alerted at an early stage to grievances within the company. Employees can report anonymously if they see the company's code of values in danger.

On the one hand, whizzla prevents grievances, on the other hand, it sends a strong signal to the market that companies take their values seriously. It is easier to keep one's composure than to regain it.