Apple Computer Incorporated (Inc.) operates primarily in the United States. It is headquartered in Cupertino, California and has 46,600 employees. Apple faces a major challenge to continue growing at the level it achieved when Steve Jobs was CEO. The first phase of the strategic management process requires Apple Computer Inc. to evaluate its mission. The purpose of this mission statement is to define in simple terms the reason and purpose for its existence. Strategic planning is a leadership role and the new CEO should have his vision and share it with his executive team. The Balanced Scorecard as a tool for measuring organizational performance and strategic management tools. Apple's mission is “Apple designs Macs, the world's best personal computers, along with OS Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad (Blodget, 2013).” As a leader in innovation, Apple's mission isn't very innovative or inspiring, it's more like a list of past products and achievements. The two drivers for long-term strategic growth that Apple should develop are innovation and profitability. One disadvantage that Apple Inc. has in the industry is that it tends to fund expensive research and development programs while competitors take Microsoft and Intel with them. They have a dominant reputation and technology leadership in the iPad and iPhone. iPad 4 technology was released within 7 months on the iPad 3, the reason why the A6X processor in the iPad 4 is significant...... middle of paper...... rce & Robinson, 2013). Apple should continue to ensure the professional development of its managers and engineers. Talented employees have brought Apple to where it is today, and keeping up with product development should be another focus. Procuring attitudinal loyalty in this type of environment is important for sustained profitability and profitability (Johnson, 2013). Works Cited Pearce, J. A., & Robinson, R. B. (2013). Strategic management, planning for national and global competition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.Blodget, Henry (2013, August) Apple News Mission Statement. Business Insider1st quarter 2014 event brief apple inc. earnings conference call - final. (January 27, 2014). Correct disclosure thread. Johnson, D. P. (2013). Attitudinal loyalty: A mixed-method study of apple fandom. (Order No. 3557606, Capella University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 274.