Similarly, businesses use different models to evaluate their internal environment. Among these include Porter’s Generic Strategy and the Value, Rarity, Inimitability and Organisational support (VRIO) model. In reference to West, Ford and Ibrahim (2015), the Porter’s Generic Strategy model focuses on establishing a position in the market for the firm where market forces are the weakest (Figure 1). In other words, through the use of this model, firms in the market are able to identify the weakest points in the market that firms can explore to achieve competitive advantage. One of the key strengths of using Porter’s Generic Strategy is embedded in its ability to enable businesses identify priorities as well as helping them establish an action plan. Whereas this is the case, it has limited application to firms in distressed situations. Apart from Porter’s Generic Strategy, firms can also use VRIO framework, which is mainly used to evaluate the internal capabilities and resources of firms to establish whether they can generate a sustainable competitive advantage. Whereas this is the case, Knott (2015) observes that VRIO framework does not provide firms with insights on how much they need to invest in certain resources to sustain their competitiveness in their respective markets and/or industries.
同样，企业使用不同的模型来评估其内部环境。其中包括波特的通用战略和价值、稀有性、独特性和组织支持（VRIO）模型。参考West、Ford和Ibrahim（2015），波特的通用战略模型侧重于为市场力量最弱的公司确立市场地位（图1）。换言之，通过使用该模型，市场中的企业能够识别市场中最薄弱的环节，企业可以探索这些环节以获得竞争优势。使用波特通用战略的一个关键优势在于，它能够帮助企业确定优先事项，并帮助企业制定行动计划。尽管如此，它对处于困境中的公司的应用有限。除了波特的一般战略外，企业还可以使用VRIO框架，该框架主要用于评估企业的内部能力和资源，以确定它们是否能够产生可持续的竞争优势。鉴于这种情况，Knott（2015）观察到，VRIO框架并未为企业提供关于其需要在特定资源上投资多少以维持其各自市场和/或行业竞争力的见解。
Figure 1: Porter’s Generic Strategy (Source: West, Ford & Ibrahim, 2015)
Despite the fact that different models and frameworks provides a platform for firms to gain insights on certain elements concerning either their internal or external environment, the management need to select specific models that suits their businesses at a particular point in time. With this in mind, this report used Porter’s Generic Strategy and Porter’s 5 Forces Model to evaluate Apple’s internal and external environment respectively. To begin, the report relied on Porter’s Generic Strategies to evaluate the current strategies of this company as well as gain insights on strategies that present a significant opportunity for this company despite the fact that they are yet to be explored. Similarly, the company used Porter’s Five Forces to explore the external environment of this company since this model could be used to evaluate the global technology industry as compared to PESTLE framework, which was more appropriate for a specific market. Note that Apple is a global brand and the analysis of its external environment needs to focus on the global market rather than a specific local market and as such, Porter’s Five Forces is an appropriate model to shed light on this environment.
图1：波特的一般战略（来源：West，Ford&Ibrahim，2015）
尽管不同的模型和框架为企业提供了一个平台，让企业能够深入了解其内部或外部环境的某些要素，但管理层需要选择在特定时间点适合其业务的特定模型。考虑到这一点，本报告使用波特的一般战略和波特的五力模型分别评估了苹果的内部和外部环境。首先，该报告依据波特的通用战略来评估该公司的当前战略，并深入了解为该公司带来重大机遇的战略，尽管这些战略尚待探索。同样，该公司使用波特的五种力量来探索该公司的外部环境，因为与PESTLE框架相比，该模型可用于评估全球技术行业，PESTLE框架更适合特定市场。请注意，苹果是一个全球品牌，对其外部环境的分析需要关注全球市场，而不是特定的本地市场，因此，波特的“五力”是揭示这种环境的合适模型。