Page 145 - NITI - Navigating Indian Traditions in Industry

Apple’s Application of Prakriti:

1. Identifying Core Competencies (Natural Strengths):
Prakriti stresses recognizing one’s inherent strengths. Apple’s natural strengths have
always been in product design, innovation, and creating seamless user experiences.
These strengths allowed the company to consistently create products that are both
aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly, making them stand out in a competitive
market.
Apple recognized its unique ability to innovate around consumer needs—creating
a seamless integration of hardware, software, and services. The company’s strength
lay in being able to adapt the latest technology to practical, consumer-friendly
applications.

2. Adapting to Market Changes (Environmental Adaptation):
In 2007, Apple launched the iPhone, disrupting the mobile phone industry by
creating a device that combined music, internet, and phone functionalities. Apple
didn’t just enter the market by improving upon existing technologies—it adapted to the
changing market conditions and consumer behavior, leveraging its core competence
in innovation.

Apple continued to evolve with market demands, creating new product lines (iPad,
Apple Watch, etc.) and continuously updating existing products (iPhone, MacBook).
This adaptability is central to Prakriti, where companies must not just rely on their
current strengths but also evolve them in line with changing market conditions.

3. Maximizing Inherent Resources (Leveraging Inborn Strengths):
Apple’s vertical integration (controlling both hardware and software development) is
an example of leveraging its internal strengths. Unlike many competitors who relied
on third-party software or hardware, Apple maintained control over both, allowing for
a superior integration of technology.

Just as Prakriti advocates for using the natural environment or terrain to your
advantage, Apple used its inherent technological capabilities to maximize the potential
of its ecosystem, creating products that worked in perfect harmony with one another
(e.g., iPhone, MacBook, iCloud, Apple Music).

4. Innovating Within Natural Constraints (Adaptive Strategies):
As markets evolve, businesses face natural constraints—such as competition,
regulatory restrictions, or changing consumer preferences. Apple’s ability to
continuously adapt and innovate in the face of these constraints is a prime example

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