|
Training for Book Authors
|
|
|
Other Resources for Book Authors & Publishers
|
|
|
Please Support Our Advertisers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Xerox Follow Apple on the Comeback Trail
Copyright (c) 2010-2023 Jennifer Robinson
(See This Article in its Original Format.)
Since the turn around in Apple's fortunes investors look on to see the next big thing. "Xerox, one of the biggest brand names in the world, have got it right in their market and the rest are playing catch up" say OnlineConnect.co.uk. In many ways the companies share similar fortunes. Apple (founded by Steve Jobs, Stephen Wozniak, Ronald Wayne) produced the first successful personal computer with a graphical operating system. Xerox (founded by Chester Carlson, Joseph C Wilson) were the inventors of Xerography (later called the photocopier).
Both Companies however seemed to lose their way in the eighties. In 1983 Apple recruited John Sculley, the marketing genius behind Pepsi Cola, to work as CEO alongside Steve Jobs. It should have been the dream team. But as Apple announced the arrival of the Mackintosh, with a Ridley Scott commercial entitled 1984, an internal power struggle was happening behind the scenes which eventually saw Jobs forced out of the company he was one of the founders of.
Xerox, seeing their core product under competition in the seventies, started investing heavily in the computer industry. Building a team of innovative programmers and inventors they developed graphical operating systems, the computer mouse and what could have been the first commercial personal computer (except Xerox failed to realize the commercial value and didn't market it). Xerox foresaw the development of the document and its transition from paper to electronic data. However, while they were investing in the future of documents, they had failed to protect their core business and by the mid eighties Xerox were in rapid decline with other manufacturers having caught up with their technology in the photocopier market.
In 1979 Xerox threw opened there doors to the press and public showcasing their unique products, amongst those attending was Steve Jobs and Bill Gates."They just had no idea what they had" Jobs was later quoted as saying. Xerox internally had connected individual sites together using what they referred to as 'Inter Network Routing' later abbreviated to 'Internet'.
John Scully carried huge weight with Apple's board, having been behind the Cola wars marketing battle that had seen Pepsi catch up the worlds biggest brand name Coca Cola. But some of Apple's marketing alienated customers, such as the infamous Mackintosh Lemmings advert. The Apple Mac, developed by Jeff Raskin and Steve Jobs (before he left), became a success and the market leader in desktop publishing and the media industry. Meanwhile the Apple Lisa , which John Scully had removed Steve Jobs from, sank without trace.
By the mid eighties Xerox and Apple had opposite strengths and weaknesses. Whilst John Scully at Apple was a proven marketing guru, Apple by the end of 1985 had lost both co-founders Stephen Wozniak and Steve Jobs. Xerox meanwhile had one of the best development teams in the world at that time in the computer industry. They foresaw the rise of digital documents and communication through the internet and were speculating about a digital market where people advertised on search. But whilst Xerox had the ideas they lacked the marketing expertise and suffered in trying to make the transition from Xerox Machines to IT in the eyes of the business user.
Ultimately both Apple and Xerox hit a brick wall in the eighties when they tried to tackle the business market leader IBM. Whilst many thought the battle for the business user would be about hardware, one small software company were concentrating on the operating system. Bill Gates Microsoft had none of the overheads of manufacturers and was licensing its own version of UNIX and later DOS to computer vendors. In 1981 Microsoft were contracted by IBM to provide the operating system for the IBM Personal Computer. As IBM PC clones came to the market Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer successfully marketed MS-DOS to other manufacturers. In 1985 Microsoft released a graphical version of its MS-DOS operating system called Microsoft Windows for retail. The product was a massive success and became the most widely used operating system in the world. Microsoft went on to become the dominant operating system in business, networking and pc in successive versions of Windows and Microsoft Office. Free from the expensive costs of manufacture Bill Gates's Microsoft saw the potential of licensing the operating system itself.
Apple and Xerox continued down different paths in the 80's and early 90's. Seeing there core product sales falling Xerox began to reinvest in photocopiers and printers and digital multifunction copiers that combined scanners and printers. In response to Canon's CLC technology Xerox invested heavily in developing Color Copiers. Apple development was lead by marketing and too many products, too high manufacturing costs and the lack of technical leadership saw Apple release a series of unsuccessful products. Steve Jobs went on to create Pixar and NeXT. It was the purchase of NeXT primarily for its operating system that brought Steve Jobs back to Apple in late 1996. By July 1997 Jobs was running Apple again ousting Gil Amelio. Gil Amelio went on to form several companies with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. In 1997 Apple started retailing direct on the internet and introduced a new build to order system following in Dells success. Michael Dell commented at the time when asked what would he do with Apple "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders". Nine Years later when Apple value rose above 72 billion outstripping Dells share price Steve Jobs had the last laugh circulating an email that read, "it turned out that Michael Dell wasn't perfect at predicting the future".
In 1997 Steve Jobs announced collaboration with Microsoft to release Microsoft Office for Apple Mac and Microsoft purchased 150 million in non voting stock of Apple. Microsoft dominance of the operating system market now being so strong, that perhaps it was in their interest to keep a competitor afloat, especially with antitrust charges surrounding Microsoft at the time. 1998 saw Apple focus on a return to profitability and the launch of the hugely successful iMac. Apple's comeback continued under Jobs with retail outlets opening and has seen the brand branch out with huge success into iPhones and iPods. In an incredible comeback Apple brought in some of the best people in Silicon Valley to their board of directors including Eric Schmidt of Google.
Xerox had to wait until 2001 for there "Jobs" in the form of Anne Mulcahy who had been with the company for many years. Dubbed the accidental ceo it was Mulcahy who stuck by Xerox R and D whilst at the same time returning the company to profitability. Recognizing the huge value in their brand Mulcahy stemmed the flow of customer leakage by improvements in customer service and later improvements in technology. Reinventing the Xerox logo in the process to appeal to a modern internet audience, Anne Mulcahy focused the company on innovation and customer interaction. Xerox with its strength in R and D now fully supported started to combine their computer expertise with their hardware digital technology. The vision they showed so many years ago in the computer industry is finally combining with their core products following "the document" in all formats, be that Electronic, Internet, Email or Print. Today Xerox, now headed by Ursula Burns, are one of the leading Document Management providers in the world and with excellent hardware and leading technology such as solid ink printing Xerox seem uniquely positioned to become market leader again.
VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >>
0 -
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5
<< Excellent Article
Tell our authors what you think about their article.
|
Top-Level Category: Finance Articles || Related Categories: World Events Articles and Business Offline Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Jennifer Robinson
How MrBean Led the Computer Industry
Written by: Jennifer Robinson |
Distributed: 2010-11-02 |
Word Count: 917 |
Page Views: 5089
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 1.00
1955 seemed like any other year to most people, but
unbeknown to the world '55 was to prove the arrival of the
geeks. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee and Eric
Schmidt were all born in 1955.
The Photocopier,The Firewall and Google
Written by: Jennifer Robinson |
Distributed: 2010-08-03 |
Word Count: 420 |
Page Views: 4704
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.60
China, following on from its censorship of the Internet, has
identified photocopiers in Tibet as a potential threat to
the state... Continue reading to get the details of this odd
story...
The Future of the Office Photocopier Industry
Written by: Jennifer Robinson |
Distributed: 2010-07-29 |
Word Count: 635 |
Page Views: 15767
| Votes: 39 |
Rating: 2.00
Since Xerox first invented and sold the first commercial
photocopy machine companies and organisations have paid for
use of the machine on a cost per copy basis. This has
traditionally included full maintainance and toner supplied
under a service agreement. In-fact the office photocopier is
unique in the fact its one of the only pieces of equipment
that comes without a warranty from new. But photocopier
expert Online Connect UK claim all that is about to change.
All of Author's Articles on this site: Jennifer Robinson Articles
Most Recent "Finance" Articles
Credit Card Companies Reward Consumers Who Shop Around
Written by: Braxton Heitz |
Distributed: 2012-11-20 |
Word Count: 1159 |
Page Views: 7351
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 1.80
With Ronald Reagan came mass deregulation in many industries. One
of the industries that benefited from deregulation was the
financial industry. As a result, hundreds of new financial
companies were introduced to the American consumer during the
1980's. With the sudden explosion of new competitors in this
industry, credit card companies began to struggle with how to
retain existing customers and to recruit new customers.
What My Mother Taught Me About Credit Cards And Family Finances
Written by: Braxton Heitz |
Distributed: 2012-11-12 |
Word Count: 1285 |
Page Views: 7309
| Votes: 31 |
Rating: 2.39
My mother is an amazing woman. She made some of the hardest jobs
imaginable look easy. No matter how hard her day was, she always
had a smile and perfect hair.
Understanding Your 401(k), IRA and Other Pre-Tax Investments
Written by: Irene A. Majchrzak |
Distributed: 2010-08-03 |
Word Count: 1005 |
Page Views: 5102
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 2.00
What does all of the bad economic news mean to you, the
average investor. Well, if you are still working and
contributing to your pre-tax 401(k)'s, 403(b)'s, or IRA
savings your strategies for salvaging your retirement will
include reviewing all of the investment options found in
your 401(k), etc.
Payday Advance Loans Are Now Only One Toll Free Call Away
Written by: Tom Tierney |
Distributed: 2010-07-27 |
Word Count: 599 |
Page Views: 4129
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.50
A friend of mine recently went through financial troubles
and asked me, knowing that I'm a finance writer, if I could
push him in the right direction for a short term loan to
help out with his expenses. Here's his story:
Stock Market Falls Sharply
Written by: Irene A. Majchrzak |
Distributed: 2010-07-27 |
Word Count: 879 |
Page Views: 4668
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 0.83
The stock market has been having a bad week. Wednesday the
market ended the day down over 300 points. I heard reports
that this was the result of investors taking their profits.
Happens all the time. Then within a few days, the prices on
many great stocks is so low that the investors are buying
the stocks right back up.
Finding the Best Credit Card Applications
Written by: Jeffrey Weber |
Distributed: 2010-07-27 |
Word Count: 403 |
Page Views: 3724
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.00
Online credit card applications can be confusing. That's
the way the banks want them. This article will help
eliminate some of the confusion.
Do You Know the Difference Between an Investment Advisor and a Broker?
Written by: Tome Tomaj |
Distributed: 2010-03-11 |
Word Count: 408 |
Page Views: 4499
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.00
As an fee-only investment advisor I come across clients from
all walks of life. Lately I have noticed something in common
with many of these investors. Many do not know the
difference between an investment advisor and a broker who
manages and/or makes securities recommendations for their
clients' investment portfolios. With the almost
unprecedented volatility in the securities markets, you
cannot afford to dig your head in the sand when it comes to
whom is managing your assets.
Understanding Term Life Insurance and Getting Quotes
Written by: Brian Greenberg |
Distributed: 2010-01-13 |
Word Count: 520 |
Page Views: 4461
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 1.00
Buying term life insurance can be a scary process but
understanding the different types of life insurance can
remove the fear. What you should know about term life and
how requesting life insurance quotes online can be easy and
very convenient.
The Decline in the Personal Savings Rate - What Happened to the Discipline?
Written by: Tome Tomaj |
Distributed: 2009-12-15 |
Word Count: 873 |
Page Views: 5118
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 1.33
As more and more American baby boomers are nearing and
entering their retirement years, many of them are concerned
about whether their retirement savings will last them long
enough to ensure their current quality of life, and rightly
so.
Student Credit Cards Can Help Lay The Foundation For Prosperous Adult Living
Written by: Braxton Heitz |
Distributed: 2009-11-24 |
Word Count: 948 |
Page Views: 5272
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 2.46
Credit is one of the most fundamental aspects of the financial
structure we have built our society. In fact, a great credit
score can be one of the most valuable assets an individual will
ever have in his or her life.
Most Viewed "Finance" Articles
A Better Way To Sell A Structured Settlement - Via Auction
Written by: Clayton Frantz |
Distributed: 2007-11-30 |
Word Count: 1342 |
Page Views: 11875
| Votes: 12 |
Rating: 1.92
Structured settlements were introduced in Canada and the United
States in the 1970's. They were introduced as an alternative to
lump sum payments, common in insurance settlements and lottery
winnings. In the decades since, they have also been accepted as
legal financial instruments in England and Australia. In a
nutshell, a structured settlement by legal definition is a
statutory agreement to pay a specified sum of money over a period
of time, on a payment system.
Using a 401K Loan to Stop Foreclosure
Written by: Daniel Lamaute |
Distributed: 2008-02-11 |
Word Count: 465 |
Page Views: 10753
| Votes: 19 |
Rating: 1.79
A bankruptcy or foreclosure can cripple one's ability to obtain
decent credit for many years. In addition, some employers and
landlords won't hire or rent to a candidate with terrible credit
history. Thus, it is a good idea to discuss all options with a
financial planner before ending in bankruptcy or foreclosure.
What Does Short, Long, Flat And Square Mean In Forex Trading?
Written by: Sam Beatson |
Distributed: 2006-10-11 |
Word Count: 525 |
Page Views: 8601
| Votes: 22 |
Rating: 2.68
Short, long, square and flat explained in terms of forex trading
(Spot FX).
Why Over 3,000 US Companies Have Chosen the Frankfurt Stock Exchange to Go Public
Written by: Ron Crowe |
Distributed: 2008-07-31 |
Word Count: 786 |
Page Views: 8527
| Votes: 18 |
Rating: 1.83
The Frankfurt Stock Exchange, one of the world's largest trading
centers for securities, has over 3,000 United States companies
listed. North American and other foreign companies are choosing
Europe, over the United States, to go public because of the
punishing Sarbanes Oxley Act introduced in the United States in
2002.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Individual and Group Health Insurance
Written by: Kevin Kielty |
Distributed: 2009-04-01 |
Word Count: 639 |
Page Views: 7649
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.00
The cost of individual and group health insurance coverage varies
greatly as does the type of coverage they both offer. Making the
switch can bring some surprises.
How to Hide Assets
Written by: Rocco Beatrice |
Distributed: 2007-01-19 |
Word Count: 507 |
Page Views: 7493
| Votes: 12 |
Rating: 1.08
How to hide your assets by repositioning your assets through an
irrevocable trust with an independent trustee.
Credit Card Companies Reward Consumers Who Shop Around
Written by: Braxton Heitz |
Distributed: 2012-11-20 |
Word Count: 1159 |
Page Views: 7351
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 1.80
With Ronald Reagan came mass deregulation in many industries. One
of the industries that benefited from deregulation was the
financial industry. As a result, hundreds of new financial
companies were introduced to the American consumer during the
1980's. With the sudden explosion of new competitors in this
industry, credit card companies began to struggle with how to
retain existing customers and to recruit new customers.
What My Mother Taught Me About Credit Cards And Family Finances
Written by: Braxton Heitz |
Distributed: 2012-11-12 |
Word Count: 1285 |
Page Views: 7309
| Votes: 31 |
Rating: 2.39
My mother is an amazing woman. She made some of the hardest jobs
imaginable look easy. No matter how hard her day was, she always
had a smile and perfect hair.
The Effect of Inflation and Deflation on Retirees
Written by: Irene A. Majchrzak |
Distributed: 2009-10-27 |
Word Count: 1324 |
Page Views: 6616
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 0.86
When we worry about how long our retirement income will
last, we consider so many factors. The current economy is
causing a drain on 401(k)'s and IRA's. So we have become
much more cautious about withdrawing money to use it as part
of our pensions.
How to Avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
Written by: Jim Cramer |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 523 |
Page Views: 6543
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.00
There is more than one way to get your desired home without
having the 20 percent down payment and avoid PMI at the same
time.
Highest Ranked "Finance" Articles
Identity Theft: The New Threat to Your Credit
Written by: Josh Pike |
Distributed: 2006-08-24 |
Word Count: 363 |
Page Views: 4894
| Votes: 16 |
Rating: 3.00
When we think of thieves, images of burglars creeping into homes
and apartments come to mind. However, there are new thieves that
can take much more than your money or possessions. If your
personal information falls into the hands of an identity thief,
your credit and finances can be ruined.
In Fear of Retirement
Written by: Daniel Lamaute |
Distributed: 2008-05-08 |
Word Count: 646 |
Page Views: 4312
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.00
Many baby boomers are staring at retirement like a deer caught on
oncoming headlights. They are not sure what to do or what else to
do. They fear that whatever they have in savings just might not
be enough. Less than 1 out of 5 workers felt very confident about
having enough money for a comfortable retirement, according to
the April 2008, EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey. And with good
reasons, inflation is zooming at the same time that asset values
are flagging.
Do You Know the Difference Between an Investment Advisor and a Broker?
Written by: Tome Tomaj |
Distributed: 2010-03-11 |
Word Count: 408 |
Page Views: 4499
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.00
As an fee-only investment advisor I come across clients from
all walks of life. Lately I have noticed something in common
with many of these investors. Many do not know the
difference between an investment advisor and a broker who
manages and/or makes securities recommendations for their
clients' investment portfolios. With the almost
unprecedented volatility in the securities markets, you
cannot afford to dig your head in the sand when it comes to
whom is managing your assets.
Medicaid Asset Protection
Written by: Rocco Beatrice |
Distributed: 2007-01-23 |
Word Count: 646 |
Page Views: 4662
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.78
Learn how to include senior Medicaid asset protection as part of
your senior tax planning strategies. What are the tax
implications of Medicaid and why it needs to be planned
carefully? About seniors Medicaid asset protection as part of the
senior tax planning strategies. Explains the new 5-year look back
provisions for seniors to qualify for Medicare assistance into
nursing home program.
How Do You Make Money In Currency Trading?
Written by: Tom Howze |
Distributed: 2007-12-05 |
Word Count: 727 |
Page Views: 3793
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.78
The question, "How do you make money in currency trading?" is
being asked by investors and potential investors worldwide as
they witness the multi-year downturn trend of the US dollar and
upswings in other currencies such as the Euro or Canadian Dollar.
Equipment Financing and The Five Cs of Credit Evaluation
Written by: Sean Marten |
Distributed: 2007-10-17 |
Word Count: 698 |
Page Views: 4453
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.75
Equipment financing lenders, as well as banks, use the Five Cs to
evaluate loan applications: Character, Credit, Cash Flow,
Capacity and Collateral. However, while banks look at
small-to-medium size companies from a Fortune 500 perspective,
equipment financing companies see applicants from a small
business perspective, which highlights a sixth C: Common Sense.
Reverse Mortgage Costs Are Not Too High
Written by: N. Sioris |
Distributed: 2008-07-29 |
Word Count: 1120 |
Page Views: 4430
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.75
Reverse mortgage costs are repeatedly cited as one of the main
reasons for seniors not to get a reverse mortgage loan. However,
the same folks that harp on costs as being a reason not to use
this financial resource rarely offer a less expensive option or
an alternate proposal. Don't fall into the trap of listening to
the negative hype without doing your own research. Find out what
the true costs are and whether they are justified or not. Compare
the cost of a reverse mortgage to the cost of selling your home,
downsizing or moving into assisted living. Pull back the curtain
and take a good look, then make your own determination. Don't
base your decision on an uninformed friend, relative or media
reporter.
A Recipe for Good Credit
Written by: Josh Pike |
Distributed: 2006-08-17 |
Word Count: 369 |
Page Views: 3891
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 2.73
If your credit is not as good as you want it to be, take action
now! It's easier than you think to improve your credit.
Why You Should Buy a Home Now
Written by: Clint Wooley |
Distributed: 2007-01-09 |
Word Count: 588 |
Page Views: 3899
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 2.73
These days there is literally too much information for first time
homebuyers to make a decision sometimes. Fear can prevent first
time home buyers from ever acting on their dream of home
ownership. When you look at facts, though, buying a home makes as
much sense now as it ever has.
How to Find Financial Freedom
Written by: Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success |
Distributed: 2006-09-26 |
Word Count: 457 |
Page Views: 5035
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.71
Many people make finding financial freedom harder than what it
actually is. In order to find financial freedom all you have to
do is follow a few simple steps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Article Reprint Rights
|
This work is
licensed under a
Creative Commons
License
You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
|
|
Article Statistics
|
Word Count: 1238
Total Views: 5760
Article Rating: 0.20 of 5
Votes Cast: 5
More Articles By Author:
Articles On This Website
Last Distribution Date:
2010-07-27 15:30:00
Internal ID: #7546
|
|
|
Home