How Apple Is Organized for Innovation: The Functional Organization

When Steve Jobs arrived back at Apple in 1997, he laid off general managers of all business units and combined disparate functional departments into one functional organization. (Part 1 of 3)

This is part 1 of 3

The adoption of a functional structure may have been unsurprising for a company of Apple’s size at the time. What is surprising—in fact, remarkable—is that Apple retains it today, even though the company is nearly 40 times as large in terms of revenue and far more complex than it was in 1998. Senior vice presidents are in charge of functions, not products. As was the case with Jobs before him, CEO Tim Cook occupies the only position on the organizational chart where the design, engineering, operations, marketing, and retail of any of Apple’s main products meet. In effect, besides the CEO, the company operates with no conventional general managers: people who control an entire process from product development through sales and are judged according to a P&L statement.

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[MsColetha]

If this was done in my life I’d be chairman of the board now.

[abhiadsul]

Looks that Jobs valued practical approach & human feelings and not theory alone "

[trainkinder-getinspiredtol]

Great insight. Apple certainly knows how to design, from their products to organization!

[shitalgavade]

Designation was allotted as below
SIC Sectional Incharge
FIC Functional Incharge

[BobF]

I'm captivated by the depth of this material. A book with parallel content reshaped my entire outlook. "The Hidden Empire: Inside the Private Worlds of Elite CEOs" by Adam Skylight

[sirisaksirisak]

He reorganization chart by copy from function of mainboard computer master chip which has multifunctions in it and control every system in computer.Great idea.

[blackmantacult]

Is there a formal term to describe such a company management model?

[chritzansawayan]

What kind of editor you've used in your presentation?

[rzr]

Framed as a profound success, this structure relies on 1 person on top to integrate the very deep functional expertise - just as before him the “1 person on top” was the BU leader. What’s changed?

[amominah]

Is this vid wisdom Science? is it practical for new biz ? i am asking to learn to sucseed .

[ddvantandar-kwkl]

13660 if we investment in land or some company share how much returns. Ensure the returns on our investment

[AyabongaDuma]

Is there a more detailed video, I need it for my project. your article is long 😭😭 but anyways thanks for the overview of what I must read.

[kaze]

and that is how a monitor stand cost a grand

[methuselahjuma]

Hello, sorry can you help me to get support for my innovation?

[emmanuelmatuco]

2023 November 29- Special Comment3 of 3- Baseball, Empires, World Peace- HBR YouTube channel: The Explainer- How Apple is Organized for Innovation- Leadership

Let’s stay inside the track of “whole world empire, single-leader” model. You know, I kinda buy that. One global unified army. Only payroll department. It’s a gigantic bureaucracy nightmare, but at least, a united armed force. Turf fights occur e.g. between a Navy Admiral versus Air Force General or Army Chief. But basically more like Machiavelli (knives or poison) than large mobilizations ala Clausewitz or Sun Tzu. Civilian casualties very minimal. Corruption maybe, but no global conflagration. So yeah, I get it.

Question: Even if this whole world empire materializes, what about the “beast” innate in all men? Here’s my take:

If the “beast” innate in every man growls, LET IT. Let this killing urge, this vengeance-is-mine Count of Monte Cristo urge or whatever shake our moral cage. And if their numbers reach battalion numbers, well…. the merrier the better. It’s a festival of beasts.

Let these “beasts”, fight it out, to their heart’s content. Let them gouge each others eyes. BUT… there is a “but”, they do it in a designated private place, privately. If you just want to kill, why make it a show? And here’s one more rule. We want to minimize casualties even among beasts. So in that arena, no weapons. just bare naked bodies. Angry wolves don’t wear kevlars or wield machetes, why should they? Fight with your bare bodies, bare hands. Eventually, they’ll exhaust themselves, as wolves exhaust themselves.

Now if individuals, clerics, writers, or even nation-state leaders, preach violence to resolve issues instead of dialogue, THEN… let them be the first to enter the arena, mano-a-mano. By all means let them walk their talk. In a perverted way, let them lead violence by example so to speak. Let their evil bravura glow malevolently in their nakedness.

My point, if “beasts” demand an arena, let’s build it. Outside Earth. On the far side of the Moon. Earth is for human beings. We will learn the way of beast, so we can help them be not beasts eventually, but we will not cultivate the way of the beasts in our children. Let us give our children of the world a peaceful future.

Question: Going back, what’s the link between Jeremy (baseball homerun hero), Global Empire and and World Peace?

Peace because “all are under heaven”. I get it. Jeremy metaphorically represented humanity. Dreams, strengths and shortcomings. But what all the Jeremy’s (representing nation-state leaders) didn’t get, is that we got our home run. We got our global empire. It’s called The United Nations.

Now here’s the catch. To avoid the mistakes of a single-leader global empire model (remember Alexander the Great), our United Nations empire was structured to be governed by Councils. Not by a single-nation leader. But it seems, each of the powerful members of this council still thinks he’s “Jeremy, the lumbering 240 pound batter, who didn’t realize he hit a homerun (the achievement of a United Nations benevolent empire). That’s why the “Jeremy’s” stumble… fall… and frantically crawls back to first base (the failed single leader global empire model).


Anyway we got the first part right. United Nations. Let’s work to make it function right. “Many in body, one in mind”. Now, it’s still doing the opposite. “Many in body, many in mind”. We’re almost there.


What about the “beast” in all of us? Does it really want to kill or it just wants to compete? It is about “competition”. President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi rightly tracked its evolutionary path. From military competition, to ideological or philosophical competition, to economic competition, humankind competes. Single amoebas, emerging millions of years ago, the precursor of human life, never dreamt of nuking the planet. It just wants to live and enjoy Earth. (see Netflix Life series).

Since our “beasts” is still evolving, then we should make it veer towards humanitarian competition. Why? Guided, united, the competitive energy innate in us could help us go interstellar. Other civilizations got there. They can’t reach interstellar without unity. Logic dictates existential technology in a divided planet, in the wrong hands eventually obliterates that planet. Proof is our dire climate situation now.

Why did the single-great-leader model fail? Is a human being wired to fail? No, we’re not. Sakyamuni broke through and achieved Buddhahood. Nichiren Daishonin broke through. Many did. In fact, 80 million nayutas of Buddhas attended the Ceremony in the Air, and swore to re-emerge in our time called Mappo, as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. They are either here now or before us, as a compassionate Muslims, as compassionate Christians, as compassionate Jews, as compassionate Atheists, all genders and denominations too many to mention. But we have to unite. Many in body, one in mind.

Nichiren Daishonin, in his treatise The Opening of the Eyes gave an answer as to how great civilizations led by their leaders rise and fall. The three virtues approach. The virtue of Sovereign (to protect), the virtue of Parent (to nurture), the virtue of Teacher (to educate and guide). Previous empires, emperors crumble, because each (leader or their organizations) could only manifest one or two virtues. And not even sustain the practice. Alone, without the help of like-minded companions they fail. United, together, we could achieve breakthroughs. Each could become the most compassionate person one could ever be.

Why will the practice of the three virtues bring out the best in us? Because the practice of the three virtues, regardless of one’s faith, color, race or creed, for oneself and for others, are what enables one to become a Buddha, just as we are, in this lifetime.

So now… we’ve got the first part of the model right. One global empire. The United Nations Empire. The next part is tricky. One purchasing department for us all to “compete” for. What say you, Professor Hayes, Professor Gates, HBR, Google?

[ddvantandar-kwkl]

Look we prefer Samsung despite the issues

[emmanuelmatuco]

2023 November 17- Comment Part5E1- Anger- HBR youtube channel: The Explainer- How Apple is Organized for Innovation- The Functional Organization.

(Tracer: Previous comments re the Ten (10) Worlds- Hell, Hunger, Animality- is in HBR-The Explainer: How to Build Your Emotional Agility. This comment is about the life-state of Anger. Please note, the succeeding comments are my personal commentaries of what I’ve learned. Not the official position approved by the organization that I am part of) Personal commentary starts. The sharing of the Life Condition of “Anger” can probably be at least in 3 Parts (E1-E2-E3). This is the first part. E1. Context. Bird’s Eyeview: In this Part5E1, we will witness “Anger”. If Einstein is fond of “thought experiments”, let’s do a variation of it. To explain my understanding of the nature of “Anger” please allow me to use a “story experiment”. We are observers of this life-condition as it awakened and occurred between two fictitious characters, namely GG and Senior Sentinel TyMeo, in one of their early dawn conversations. In Part5E2- please allow me to dissect the nature of Anger using this “story experiment”).

(Part5E1- The Story Experiment Begins)

Senior Sentinel TyMeo (pronounced Ty as in “tie” and Meo as in “Romeo”) talking to GG. They were standing on the balcony. With a clear view of the dark horizon. They were talking about the war that newly erupted.

GG: Do all the players involved in this “disaster”, occuring in one of the key birthplaces of the axial philosophies, claim, their actions represent the true spirit of their belief systems? We were just about to talk about the relationship of the 4th lower life condition (Anger) to wars. Then it occurred. How should one proceed?

TyMeo: Global tragic events, specifically the war that newly erupted in the birthplace of the axial philosophies, have gotten ahead of your sharing of the life-condition of Anger (roots of war). When the example preceded the discussion of the principle, and the bitter taste of the suffering and misery of the ordinary people are at its height, it is understandable if one is at a loss as to how to proceed.

GG: Thank you for your kind thoughts. If there is the slightest risk that one’s words will be used to aggravate the suffering or expand it, then one must step back. Let the smoke of emotions settle first. At emotions height, the gates of reason is closed. It is with that in mind, that pursuing the discussion of the life condition of Anger within this war-torn context, would seem to be pouring more gasoline on an already raging fire. But on the other hand, skipping it, or postponing it indefinitely or stalling till the conditions are ripe, I feel, is also utterly cowardly. It is a socially ethical pickle.

What would happen to the mission that says “spread it widely, and never allow its flow to cease”? Stopping, stalling, discontinuing, might just be what “our own lower worlds” wanted. Probably the war was meant to stop the discussion of the foundational 10 worlds. To used it to prevent exposing the true nature of the four (4) lower worlds. Discontinuing the sharing might even also be playing to our fears. Is it the right time? Are we the right person? Yet continuing the sharing, without acknowledging the sufferings of war, or not giving it a respectful space, might also be the kind of “indifference” our ego will indulge in and lead us into. It is a personal psychological pickle.

TyMeo: But what about their birth rights? The mission comes first. It is fruitless to be imprisoned in fears no matter how valid. Fears, harnessed properly, energizes. It is not the fear that is the enemy then. It is the absence of wisdom, of where or how we should direct the awakened energy to productive and constructive paths. Yes, these “wars” sure did derail the journey. But for whatever its worth as well, the effects caused by these “wars”, both within and without, only strengthened our resolve to continue the path to peace.

GG: Still, why do these “few” people claim that in their belief systems, “war” is the best way to resolve matters? And also isn’t there a world-security body created to stop “wars” immediately so people’s suffering will end?

For once, if this world security body can’t strategically re-guide misguided belief systems immediately, why don’t they tactically hold their “security meetings” in the middle of this war? Why don’t they make it a policy to hold all their security meetings in the very ground-zero of any war, present or future, and never stop holding it there, until that very war they were meant to stop, stops? If they are afraid to be tormented by the very fear the victims of war fears, if they are afraid to suffer the very same suffering the victims of war suffers, then what good is that world-security body for?

Surely if they are very powerful as they claimed to be, surely all protagonists and antagonist will pause in their actions. Or risks being branded as terrorists or at worse being destroyed by their collective wraths if something happened to anyone of this so-called powerful security body members in those meetings held in the war-zone.

You know, the problem is, the “powerful security bodies” have been so far away and physically insulated from the real “battlefield” of suffering of people (war victims), for sooo long, distance “numbed” them to that suffering. They seemingly lost their connection to their mission and the very people they were supposed to protect, nurture and teach. Their practice of their political belief systems strayed so far away from the true practice of the 3 virtues (Sovereign- protect; Parent-nurture; Teacher-educate). And that’s why the world is in decline. I sincerely apologized for my impolite outburst, but I will not apologize for the rationale behind my bitterness.

Why can’t this world-security body do the job that they so politically insist they, and only they, five(5) of them to be exact, can do? Aren’t they the only ones with the resources to end the suffering and misery that wars exact on ordinary people? Why?

Tymeo: Get hold of yourself!! Yes you are hurting. We are all hurting. All of us are suffering. You’ve been through a war yourself. You know it’s not that easy to stop one. So as impolite as your question may come across, I understand these tragic events beg for that question to be asked by you. But that question should lead you to more constructive, compassionate and collaborative solutions. It should propel you towards actionable suggestions. Not fan the flames.

(To be continued in Part5E2- see the comment above this comment)

[emmanuelmatuco]

2023 November 25- Comment Part5E3a- Anger3a- HBR YouTube channel: The Explainer- How Apple is Organized for Innovation- The Functional Organization.

(Disclaimer: Tracer: Previous comments re the Ten (10) Worlds- Hell, Hunger, Animality- is in HBR-The Explainer: How to Build Your Emotional Agility. This comment is about the life-state of Anger. The comments are my personal commentaries. They’re not the official position approved by the organizations that I am part of).

Objective: In this series of comments we will do our best to provide answers to the questions: What is the life-condition of Anger? Why does Anger straddle between the four evil paths (Hell, Hunger, Animality) and the three good paths- (Anger, Humanity, Joy)? In the Age of AI why does the Doctrine of the 10 Worlds and Ichinen Sanzen matter?

Question: What is the World of Anger or the Life-condition of Anger?

Anger (Japanese= shura), derives from the Sanskrit term, “asura”. As researched, the term Ashura, in Ancient Indian mythology, initially refers to deities that were originally considered as benevolent. Over time, the term evolved, referring eventually to contentious demons who ceaselessly fight with the gods. An Ashura’s sense of self assumes gigantic proportions: “An Ashura stands 84, 000 yojana in height, and the waters of the four oceans come no higher than his knees (source: Nichikan Shonin, Sanju hidden Sho, The Threefold Secret Teaching).

That image, especially about 84, 000 yojanas, and where the “four oceans come no higher than his knees” projects towering sense of superiority. 84, 000 yojana, (1 yojana = 4-9 miles) or 756, 000 miles is greater than the equatorial circumference of the earth (approximately 24, 900 miles). No wonder, ancient Indian Mythology describes ashuras as contentious deities battling the gods. Deities so ambitious they think they are gods.

My understanding, is that rather than relying on mere text to convey the teachings, Buddhist texts tend to liberally and creatively use very vivid visual imagery to capture and explain principles and complex concepts concisely and economically. Perhaps, the lack of paper at that time, the preference for memorization, where imagery is a vital component, explains this approach.


At the core of this state of life of Anger is arrogance. An attachment to an illusion of superiority (waters of the four oceans combined cannot even reach its knees). That oneself is not just noble but nobler. Not just humble but humbler. And they direct all their energies to sustain this false image of superiority, while meticulously hiding their arrogance and their contempt for others whom they deemed inferior. If necessary, resorting to fawning and/or flattery. But at their core, they are arrogant, contemptuous, envious, and resentful. A perverse heart.

The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai of Ancient Tang Dynasty China, in his book titled Maka Shikan (Great Concentration and Insight) describes the world of Anger: “Since those in the world of Anger desire in every instance to be superior to every one else, and cannot bear to be inferior to anyone, they belittle and despise others and exalt themselves, like a hawk flying high looking down on the world. At the same time, outwardly, they seek to display the virtues of benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom and fidelity. While manifesting a mind of minor good, they follow the path of Anger. (Gosho Zenshu, p430)

They suffer from the fear of being exposed for what they really are. Therefore, persons in the World of Anger will enormous will and power to hide their true selves from others. This fear of “exposure” was aptly captured by a passage, written by Nichiren Daishonin, in the Gosho, Letter From Sado: “An arrogant man will be overcome with fear, when he meets a strong enemy, just like the haughty Ashura who shrank and hid himself in a Lotus flower blossoming in Munetchi Lake when reproached by Taishaku (Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol1, p35).

This fear of exposure also spawns an intense desire to appear to be good. But there is really no real desire to be truly good. Their “goodness” is just a pretense.

This feeling of superiority also explains why they (a) resist learning from others. Such notion is beneath them (b) or doing an honest self-reflection for the purpose of self-improvement. One’s refusal to have an honest self-reflection stems from a towering feeling of self-importance. And one’s refusal to learn from others, stems from arrogance. These two, self-importance and arrogance, elevates the person in the World of Anger to a “plane of happiness”. But they know this “happiness” is fragile. An illusion. Once exposed, the illusion of happiness disintegrates. And that is when the flames of Anger flares out to destroy. Thus wars occur.

I have a theory. When one’s actions runs contrary to one’s fundamental self - Buddhahood; or are not in harmony with one’s fundamental self, real suffering ensues. Perhaps it is not immediately felt, but it eats you, consumes you, and destroys you eventually. That is what reportedly happened to Devadatta.

Devadatta was envious of Sakyamuni. If envy is a perverse form of praise, Devadatta felt it excruciatingly. Envy stems from a lack of self-confidence. A disbelief that one can still grow further. Or the disbelief that another can continuously grow, while one’s growth seem to flatline. This lack of sef-confidence led to resentment. He resented his cousin for the continuously growing respect, love and support the people, and the community of fellow monks accord Sakyamuni. Devadatta, in his desire to make others see him as better than his cousin Sakyamuni, reportedly practiced more severe austerities. But people cannot be deceived forever. That is why he lost. He started his campaign to win others from a platform of Anger. From a platform of envy, of resentment, of refusing to self-reflect for self-improvement. From a platform of arrogance. People saw through his façade. Devadatta’s true feelings were exposed. It became his downfall.

(To be continued in the next comment posted above this)

[Xeno_Channel]

Apple used to be innovative, now its a joke