Stan Beer
Sunday, 19 October 2008 12:08
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
Apple without Jobs would not be the same company. It is
true that Apple has a team of technologists second to none. However, it
is hard to think of any other company in the world - perhaps Berkshire
Hathaway - whose fortunes are so intricately linked to its leader's
vision.
The cult of personality around Jobs that has been
established by Apple over the past 11 years has been one of the
company's great strengths. It is also the company's greatest weakness.
Jobs is a visionary and a uniquely charismatic leader. Aside from
taking Apple to a level way beyond what could have been imagined 10
years ago, he has made himself virtually irreplaceable. At least that's
the way the market sees it.
Rumours of Jobs' impending doom may well be greatly exaggerated.
However, each time he sneezes the market shudders and the stock price
drops (leaving aside the current economic downturn).
Apple stakeholders, whether they be shareholders, employees, consumers,
market watchers and commentators have come to regard Apple and Jobs as
one and the same. There is no heir apparent. Apple without Steve Jobs
is now unthinkable.
The annual Macworld event has now become Steve's stage where he
receives the adulation of a rock star from swooning throngs of
supporters hanging on his every word. The idea of another Apple
executive getting up to present a new product would be akin to selling
tickets to a Rolling Stones concert and giving the concert goers a
local cover band instead.
So what Apple the corporation has become is essentially a cult built around the personality of one man.
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