Well, it
has finally happened: Decades of
overpriced, under-powered hardware finally convinced once gullible consumers to
spend their stimulus money on PC's and related accessories. In 2014, Apple showed a 30 billion profit loss.
Furthermore, Apple owes more than 100 billion to creditors who manufacture
various parts for their computers, phones, and tablets. These third-world creditors refuse to issue
more money until Apple can prove it can make a profit. Unfortunately, with this record loss, Apple
shares dropped from $452.90 to $3.25.
Rather than continue to fight a losing battle, Apple has filed for Chapter
11 bankruptcy, liquidating its assets to pay back creditors.
Hearing
this good news, Re-Commodore, a burgeoning electronics company has decided to
put a bid and buy the dying company.
Their hope is to buy the technology and relicense it using their brand
name.
After
months of negotiating, Re-Commodore acquires Apple's assets and debts. Before they start their marketing campaign,
the new owners must decide who of Apple's originals should remain or go. Currently, you are a labor executive for
Re-Commodore and you get to decide who should remain or be fired. Below is the chopping-block list:
Dr. Tim Crook, a brilliant chip designer, with a background
in marketing. Rather scruffy-looking and
ill-tempered. He also has a bad case of
halitosis. Nevertheless, he has a number
of successful products under his belt—along with some costly failures.
Judy Leighton, the former cute, voluptuous secretary for
Apple's former VP. She is not the
smartest card in the circuit board, but she is pretty to look at and highly
organized. Her organizational skills
prolonged Apple's life.
Bubba Jones, former head of Apple security. Mean and tattooed all over; responsible for
wetting the pants of many reporters with just a glance. He took a bullet for
the former CEO of Apple during a Microsoft assassination attempt. Not much for conversation, but has been known
to be somewhat pleasant if he knows you are on his side.
Rachel Scandalous, Marketing Director of Apple. She is fairly intelligent and has a
reputation of getting secrets from other companies with her bedroom eyes. Hated by just about all of the female
employees at Apple; yet, despite her reputation, her actions helped Apple
develop the Ipad.
John Scuzz, A rather obese programmer who practically lives
in his office. He smells like a bag of
opened potato chips left in a cooler full of swamp water. Known throughout the
building as leisure-suit Scuzz. Ugly as
hell, but an intelligent programmer who helped make Leopard what it is today. Claims to have helped Gates write DOS;
however, this rumor is still unconfirmed.
Buddy Troll, a key engineer who helped design the slim,
attractive products that Apple fan boys gobbled up faster than a starved dog with
a tapeworm. Received the nickname Party
Pizza because his face looks like a cooked Party Pizza. A poor
conversationalist, but a genius engineer.
Many have offered him jobs, but he has turned them down, stating his
dedication to Apple as the reason.
Your job for this first blog posting is to pick three of
these six employees for Re-Commodore new electronic company. These three will stay on and work to make
Re-Commodore the next Apple. Once you
pick your favorites, you must support your choice and explain how they will be
useful to Re-Commodore in a short memo.
You know their strengths and weaknesses.
Now, you have to sell your choices to Re-Commodore's CEO. I wish you the best of luck!
