Secrecy in Apple

Toying with your newly bought iPhone, a friend approached you and questioned, "what phone is this?" What would your response be? If you ask me, my response would be, "Are you from the moon that you can't tell this is an iPhone?". Jokingly anyway. But come to think of it, why do you think I would respond that way?
Apple, as a top technological firm is known firstly, for its distinct identity from other tech companies. Ranging from its "apple" logo, iPhone's metallic body, and its smart look, it signifies uniqueness. I would say, what I find the most thrilling about Apple is its logo, not even in my widest thoughts will I ever consider using an "apple" if I was the owner of Apple.
Secrecy or trade secret in the 21st century business world, has been said to be an important factor in fostering business growth. Now coming to face it individually, do you really think it is? Or is keeping trade secret really necessary? In this article, these are some of the questions that answers will be provided for. Read on and discover for yourself.
"Blabbing", within the walls of Apple is well-recognized by employees as a crime. Being fired for blabbing is a well-founded concern in Apple. While counterparts from other tech firms might be more liberal about their work life, Apple employees are well known for keeping to themselves. Talks in the public about their work life in general is avoided. "I've had friends who have been reprimanded for talking too much," stated a former engineer in Apple. While apple might seems a pleasing place to work, Its strict rules speaks otherwise. Imagine being in a meeting with your friends, and while everyone is busy gisting and discussing about their work life, you stay mute, and when someone directs this at you, "hey guy, you haven't been talking. Tell us about your work life? What will be your response? Blab and risk being fired, stay mute or give a wield response like, I don't know. That is how enforced, secrecy is on apple employees. A former senior executive in Apple once said, "there were just these things that were kept very, very secret. There was a project we were working on, when we were put in special locks on one of the floors and a couple of special doors was put up to hide away a team that was working on a stuff. You had to sign extra-special agreements acknowledging that you were working on a super-secret project and you wouldn't talk about it to anyone - not your wife, not your kids."
This practice, I would say, was adopted by Apple to keep it's products, ideas, and practices hidden from competitors and the outside world. Tim Cook, the current CEO of Apple, once commented on apple's planning process when asked by a Wall Street analyst, he had simply said, "That's a part of the magic of apple, and I don't want to let anybody know our magic because I don't want anybody copying it." From his simple reply, it can be deduced how much importance and cognizance he placed on Secrecy. With apples production techniques hidden from its competitors, it has been able to acquire it's distinct element and product uniqueness that keeps it in the spotlight of the tech world.
While Apple maintains a strong discipline on employees in terms of external secrecy, it wields an equally strong discipline in maintaining internal secrecy. The "mind-your-own" business is a popular norm among apple employees. Apple ideas used in making its products are not only kept away from third parties, employees access to information and ideas in the making of apple products are relational to their work or task within the company. A former employee of Apple once said, "There are no open doors at Apple." Security badges allows an employee access to certain areas within the company. This implies there are places not accessible to each employee and also access to areas within the company by employees depend on their task.
Looking at apple's maintenance of internal secrecy from a vantage point of benefit, I would regard as a smart move on the path of apple. It blocks out any avenue for politics to play. It no news that some companies have been brought to crumbles as a result of an employee's betrayal (selling out the trade secret of the company to a competitor). With Apple maintenance of internal secrecy, an employee cannot just get enough information to sell out tfhe company.
From the above discussion,it can deduced the important placed by apple on secrecy and how it has come to play a major role in building the brand's uniqueness and image. Secrecy, I would say, should be emulated by every "would-be" entrepreneurs. Its importance, I think, can be seen from the storyline of Apple.
[ Quotations from: Inside Apple by Adam Lashinksy]

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