Architosh Staff (info@architosh.com)

26 Apr 2002

 

"Grading Steve Jobs" - BusinessWEEK Survey

BusinessWEEK is running a reader survey on "Grading Steve Jobs", CEO and cofounder of Apple Computer. OK, you knew that already.

We encourage you Mac readers to actively and objectively grade Mr. Jobs for his duties at Apple since his return in 97'—the very subject of the BusinessWEEK article. You can do that here: http://businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2002/nf20020417_3781.htm

Before you read below go judge Jobs yourself and then continue to read on here.

Our Marks For Mr. Jobs, and Why

How would you rate Steve Jobs as a product innovator?

We said "Excellent". Why? Because since Jobs' return Apple has pioneered a number of truly innovative technologies now popular with all personal computers. First off, Jobs was responsible for the original iMac and killing the floppy drive. The simplicity of the all-in-one was a driver in getting grandpa and millions of others on the Net. FireWire, iMovie, iTools, AirPort wireless (built-in no less), the iPod and the insanely great Titanium PowerBook G4 are all killer innovations under Jobs' reign, and let's not forget the new iMac 2.

How would you rate Steve Jobs as a CEO?

We said "Very Good". Why? Because Jobs has fallen short of the mark on growing marketshare. Key blunders include switching the educational channel to an "all internal sales staff" during the 2000 educational buying season. This allowed Dell to sneak into Apple's turf and take market share away. The iMac 2 should have arrived a year earlier. If it did Apple would have kept is lead in the home market as well.

Other mistakes on Jobs part include the lack of vision in targeting key large vertical markets (LVMs) where the Mac is naturally more popular than in the general computer market. While Apple pays lots of attention to the publishing and graphics markets, Jobs fails to realize that the Mac is insanely popular in the following LVM's: Architecture & Interior Design, Law, Science and Medicine. To some degree Apple has finally addressed the latter two, but has yet to fully address these markets correctly.

Do you think that with Jobs as its leader, Apple can regain its former might, with a market share in the low-to-mid double digits?

We said, "Don't Know" Why? If Jobs would put concentrated attention on key large vertical markets (LVM's) where the Mac is already popular but has much room to grow--like Architecture--then Apple has a chance to grow its marketshare overall by strategically focusing on marketshare domination of vertical markets with large downstream and upstream users. Architecture is the largest vertical market after Law.

We sincerely believe that a plan could be put in place to garner more than 50 percent marketshare in the fields of Architecture, Law and Science by 2005/2006. We believe this will have a net positive ripple effect in the education, home, business and medical markets and allow Apple to reach 15-20 percent market share overall in the United States and possibly higher in Japan.

Were Jobs to leave Apple again, do you think the company could continue to prosper?

We said, "No". Why? Because Jobs' talents include the very thing Apple really needs to survive and prosper with its small marketshare, essentially: vision and focus...and the ability to get the most out of people. If Jobs could repeat his performance in the video market with Science, Architecture, Law and Medicine, while holding on to its traditionally strong markets, Apple could really begin to take off again.

What Do You Think About This? Are We Right?

Write to us with any opinions or comments. We would love to hear from you.