Survey finds consumers believe Apple is bigger than its CEO, Steve Jobs

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
If Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs were to leave Apple, it would not have a material impact on customers' buying intentions, a new survey has found.



RBC Capital Markets and ChangeWave recently conducted a survey of 3,091 respondents between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, asking them about a hypothetical scenario in which Jobs might depart Apple, the company he co-founded. Of those surveyed, 93 percent said they would likely continue buying Apple's products or would not actively change their purchasing decisions if Jobs were not at the helm.



The latest results are a change from June 2008, when a previous survey found that 18 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to buy Apple products if Steve Jobs were not with the company.



Analyst Mike Abramsky said the results show that Apple may be bigger than its CEO. Consumers may now have a higher comfort about the company without Jobs at the helm than they did in the past, thanks in part to its success in 2009 with Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook at the helm.



The last time Jobs was on medical leave, the company's stock rose 144 percent, revenue increased by 20 percent, and the company shipped 25 million iPhones.







After Jobs announced in January that he would take a medical leave of absence but remain CEO, investors have been concerned about the possibility of Apple without Jobs at the helm. But many analysts on Wall Street believe that Apple has a deep bench of executive talent that is qualified to lead the company into the future.



Abramsky said the new survey could show that Apple has transitioned in the minds of consumers over the past few years into a company that isn't just about Jobs, its charismatic leader and chief salesman.



"Consumers have had 3 years to evolve their perception of the Apple brand around its creative new products, cutting edge innovation, iTunes/App Store ecosystem and premium quality positioning -- beyond the buying pull of Apple's iconic CEO," he said.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    freerangefreerange Posts: 1,597member
    Steve has built an incredible team and an incredible culture that will endure for a long long time. Not to mention the amazing pipeline that we can expect to keep flowing with surprises for both us, and the competition.
  • Reply 2 of 41
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FreeRange View Post


    Steve has built an incredible team and an incredible culture that will endure for a long long time. Not to mention the amazing pipeline that we can expect to keep flowing with surprises for both us, and the competition.



    I think that pretty much sums it up. I'll definitely keep buying Apple's products as long as the quality, service and ownership experience remain the same or better (with or without SJ).
  • Reply 3 of 41
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    What a moronic survey.



    No one buys Apple stuff because they are Steve Jobs fans. They buy Apple stuff because it's generally awesome, and Steve is a big part of that. Would you ask a Starbuck's addict if they would stop going to Starbucks if [whoever the CEO/founder is] left the company? Of course not. Would they stop going if, after he left, the coffee wasn't as good? Of course.



    Public opinion polling in this case is pointless.
  • Reply 4 of 41
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,239member
    Kind of an odd survey. Why would anyone stop buying products from a company simply because the CEO changes, holding all else constant? That would be weird.



    The bigger issue is whether the exit of Jobs affects the desirability of future (not current) Apple products, due to the lack of his input. That's something that nobody knows for sure, but we can all guess about.



    My guess, as I've said before, is that the exit of Jobs might have a short term (next 2-5 years) positive effect as Apple starts to introduce products that people want, but that Jobs wouldn't ship. In the longer term, though, the negative effects of his absence might be felt as Apple *might* start to lose strategic vision/focus. But who knows.... it just really depends on the individuals who run the company after he leaves, and it's very hard to predict how that will go.
  • Reply 5 of 41
    Jobs? absence has already impacted the company. This is evidenced by the fact that there have been no major moves from the company since Jobs took leave. Seems like an extended period compared to Apple?s norm. The last major announcement (Verizon gets iPhone 4) came just before his temporary departure. Certainly, Apple will continue to operate when Jobs leave, but it will probably transition to a more traditional operation versus a pioneer of the industry.
  • Reply 6 of 41
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by app_agent01 View Post


    Jobs? absence has already impacted the company. This is evidenced by the fact that there have been no major moves from the company since Jobs took leave. Seems like an extended period compared to Apple?s norm. The last major announcement (Verizon gets iPhone 4) came just before his temporary departure. Certainly, Apple will continue to operate when Jobs leave, but it will probably transition to a more traditional operation versus a pioneer of the industry.



    The guy has been out for 5 1/2 weeks and you're surprised that there have been no major moves?!? I highly doubt this is any real indicator. What are they supposed to do, announce something every other week? Sure, the iPad2 announcement seems a bit overdue if you compare it to last year, but then here were are, potentially as little as a day away from some major announcements with more to follow (allegedly) next week.
  • Reply 7 of 41
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 8 of 41
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,653member
    The issue is this: In an Apple without Jobs, who runs the company and what impact will that have? If the Board doesn't give it to Tim Cook, I suspect he'd leave the company and become CEO at a competitor. But if they give it to Tim Cook, who by all accounts is a great operations guy, would Apple still maintain the vision that it has had under Jobs?



    But if a new CEO is brought in, chances are whoever it is will want to reshape Apple in their own image, since these people usually have enormous egos. The last time that happened, Apple wound up unable to produce a new OS and with about six confusing, redundant lines of Mac computers (Centris, Performa, etc.)



    Furthermore, if a new CEO is brought in, would that CEO get along with Jonathan Ive, who in some respects, might be more important to Apple than Cook (and maybe even Jobs)? If Ive were to leave, I think that could prove disasterous for the company.



    But a new CEO might also bring certain advantages to Apple. With the right person, perhaps Apple would become a bit more responsive and a bit less arrogant.



    As for the consumer survey, of course it makes no sense, because people's reactions are based upon the products Apple is producing now. But with Jobs gone, within five years, Apple might be producing completely different products that aren't as exciting. And in that case, they could lose interest in Apple's products. But if Apple did lose vision and started creating less exciting products, who would all the competitors copy from?
  • Reply 9 of 41
    junk without the influence of Steve's RDF?
  • Reply 10 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FreeRange View Post


    Steve has built an incredible team and an incredible culture that will endure for a long long time. Not to mention the amazing pipeline that we can expect to keep flowing with surprises for both us, and the competition.



    That is what the last CEO of Apple thought!!! Steve is either a genius, or he is not. If he is, then the loss of him with definitely negatively effect the company over the long run.
  • Reply 11 of 41
    I would still buy apple products even if the CEO of the company were to change.
  • Reply 12 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    What a moronic survey.



    No one buys Apple stuff because they are Steve Jobs fans. They buy Apple stuff because it's generally awesome, and Steve is a big part of that. Would you ask a Starbuck's addict if they would stop going to Starbucks if [whoever the CEO/founder is] left the company? Of course not. Would they stop going if, after he left, the coffee wasn't as good? Of course.



    Public opinion polling in this case is pointless.



    Dude, its not a "moronic" survey because all the rumors out there keep traders believing AAPL is a fad based, impulsive, subjective and risky stock.



    The more evidence we have that Apple sales depend mostly/purely on the quality of the product and service, the better.



    I welcome this survey and hope that many more put Wall Street back on track. Apple is not a toy company and its time that the stock stops suffering from the rock star syndrome. We all love Steve, but corporations are are much more than the weight of their CEOs.
  • Reply 13 of 41
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Any company can do fine without their CEO when things are booming. Apple did fine after Jobs launched the Mac and was then fired. 12 years later Apple was near bankruptcy. Jobs then came back and rescued the company with his leadership. If Apple loses Steve Jobs, how well will they be doing 12 years from now?
  • Reply 14 of 41
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    What a moronic survey.



    No one buys Apple stuff because they are Steve Jobs fans. They buy Apple stuff because it's generally awesome, and Steve is a big part of that. Would you ask a Starbuck's addict if they would stop going to Starbucks if [whoever the CEO/founder is] left the company? Of course not. Would they stop going if, after he left, the coffee wasn't as good? Of course.



    Public opinion polling in this case is pointless.



    You may be correct in one sense (common sense) but the fact remains the Apple haters and competition (and probably stock manipulators) try their best to make the link all the time thus ensuring every report of Steve's health is a negative for AAPL. Of course if SJ were not sick this entire discussion would not be taking place.
  • Reply 15 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    What a moronic survey.



    No one buys Apple stuff because they are Steve Jobs fans. They buy Apple stuff because it's generally awesome, and Steve is a big part of that. Would you ask a Starbuck's addict if they would stop going to Starbucks if [whoever the CEO/founder is] left the company? Of course not. Would they stop going if, after he left, the coffee wasn't as good? Of course.



    Public opinion polling in this case is pointless.



    You are simply wrong (and your sarcasm is unnecessary) and obviously don't read the Apple forums. There are plenty of people out there who practically worship Steve Jobs. I am not saying the number is a high percentage of all sales of Apple products, but it isn't zero percent.



    Your analogy comparing Starbucks to Apple is in error as well. Most folks don't know who the Starbucks CEO is....I don't and I frequent Starbucks at least three times a week. People know who Steve Jobs is and some equate the viability of the company to him and him alone.
  • Reply 16 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by app_agent01 View Post


    Jobs? absence has already impacted the company. This is evidenced by the fact that there have been no major moves from the company since Jobs took leave. Seems like an extended period compared to Apple?s norm. The last major announcement (Verizon gets iPhone 4) came just before his temporary departure. Certainly, Apple will continue to operate when Jobs leave, but it will probably transition to a more traditional operation versus a pioneer of the industry.



    I agree with you in that Apple will not innovate like it does now. I have been an Apple customers since 1984 and have watched Apple nearly die several times. If Steve Jobs hadn't saved the company (bile rising in my throat) Apple would be nothing compared to today. Not all is Steve's doing, though. The iPod really only succeeded thanks to Sony's hubris and ineptitude in the digital music scene. Sony could have kept control, but they just GAVE it away to anyone who was willing to take a change....enter Apple and its iPod. The smartest move Apple had was supporting the iPod on Windows PCs. Sony was doomed in the U.S. after that.



    Once Jobs leaves (either through passing away or just permanently due to his health) I am afraid Apple will stop innovating and just coast along until someone at Apple, thanks to ineptitude or hubris, makes a mistake that starts a chain of events that leads Apple down the path Sony took. People don't learn from history.



    I hope I am wrong...but people are generally forgetful of history and/or they think it won't apply to them. Finally, customers are fickle...Apple will loose favor in a generation, just as with Sony.



    Enjoy it while it lasts (which could be another 10 to 20 years).
  • Reply 17 of 41
    rtm135rtm135 Posts: 310member
    I'd bet Apple put this survey out there either to see what would happen IF Steve stepped down or because they KNOW he's stepping down.
  • Reply 18 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jd_in_sb View Post


    Any company can do fine without their CEO when things are booming. Apple did fine after Jobs launched the Mac and was then fired. 12 years later Apple was near bankruptcy. Jobs then came back and rescued the company with his leadership. If Apple loses Steve Jobs, how well will they be doing 12 years from now?



    I think Apple had lots of problems by the time they ousted Jobs in 1985. Sculley was able to grow the company in terms of revenue, but it came with high costs. He was a disaster for Apple and started their tailspin within a few years. 1
  • Reply 19 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    But a new CEO might also bring certain advantages to Apple.With the right person, perhaps Apple would become a bit more responsive and a bit less arrogant.



    Really? Aside from the fact that your premise about responsiveness and arrogance is complete nonsense, even if these behavioral traits were true of Apple, how exactly has the company been hurt? Are they unable to attract good human capital? Or developers? Is their stock performing poorly? Are they unable to sell their products? Is their customer base defecting (and market share falling)? Are their suppliers bolting? Are they bottom of the pile in customer surveys? Is their ability to innovate somehow compromised?
  • Reply 20 of 41
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,189member
    Without Jobs at the helm, it will be harder for Apple to get away with dick moves. As a consequence, fewer dick moves will be attempted and fewer will be successful.
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