Development of iPod
It is worth noting that Steve Jobs played a great role when it comes to the development of iPod. In this case, his interaction with the engineers working on the very first iPod illustrates his role in making Apple great. The major Apple project witnessed in the year 2001 was the iPod. The emergence of this device portrayed everything great about Steve Jobs. It is mainly because it picked up on a new, but unexploited, technology trend; the arrival of what can best be identified as the new MP3 player. However, it was not an easy approach, and as such, Steve Jobs was highly forced to have a firm stand (Henry,2020). For instance, when the engineers tried to convince him that it was impossible to make the device smaller, Steve Jobs demonstrated to them that the iPod had space meaning it was possible to make it smaller. It was an approach that would later result in a tiny size of the first versions of the iPod, which excited consumers. As such, Steve Jobs firmly believed that if you do not like how things are in your world, change them. He was a leader who would always be in control in ensuring that the goals of the organization were realized.
Question 2
Various variables can be considered in measuring the innovative performance in the development of iPod. It is proper to note that iPod’s quality was enhanced when compared to various MP3 players at the time. The previous MP3 players held a handful of songs and utilized flash memory. With the emergence of the new iPod, it became possible for users to enjoy better quality, and as Steve Jobs stated, Apple took this step with the sole intention of inventing an entirely new category of digital music player that enables the user to put their whole music collection in their pocket hence listening to it wherever they go, or in other words, visit (Bove, 2003). In addition, it is essential to realize that the real benefit of the iPod was its integration with iTunes. Because of this, users were able to sync their music automatically to an iPod, something that was different when compared to other Mp3 Players, which highly needed users to drag files into folders. Based on its tiny size, including various other benefits, the iPod was identified as a new product at the time, that changed the world of music. It becomes of great significance to remember that speed happens to be the pivotal competitive weapon (Jason, & Laurence, 2002). As iPod was more focused on ensuring that the needs of its customers are met, part of its accomplishment was based on its response time. When compared to the previous MP3 players, customers were able to have easy access to their music. Additionally, the introduction of iPods led to increased productivity, and the organization grew in its revenue, something that met the expectations of Steve Jobs. Therefore, all of these variables show the innovative performance when it comes to the development of iPod.
Question 3
If I were Steve Jobs in leading the technological teams along with managing R&D, including innovation during the development of iPod, there are several steps I would highly consider. First, I would focus on guiding the technical team to operate in unity toward what can best be identified as a compelling vision. Such a step would be important primarily because working toward a common vision tends to be the beginning point of development for any team, as well as an indisputable sign that they are on the path to victory. As such, being part of a common goal or objective would imply that the technical team understands the size of the iPod the company expects to introduce into the market (Eriksson, & Penker, 2000). With such a perspective, the team will be triggered to work on producing the perfect as well as an expected product without being forced to do so. The next step will be based on generating an environment of fun as well as enjoyment. In this case, it is proper to discover that everybody performs better when they are able to relax and are having what can be described as a good time. Various studies indicate that fun enhances creativity. This implies that generating an environment of fun and enjoyment will trigger all team members to emerge more innovative. In addition, it would be imperative to model accountability as well as teaching the essence of responsibility. Doing so will help to manage research and development as well as innovation. It is something that will help the firm to get to the next level.