Fortune has spilled the beans on a tranche of internal Apple secrets in an affort to sell its new iPad app. One of the most interesting revelations is a section on the Apple University that Steve Jobs founded to teach the firm’s up and coming execs to make the right decisions i.e. the decisions that he would make.
Essentially, Apple University seems to be based on the principle WWSD? (What Would Steve Do?). Read on for a glimpse at the secrets of Apple University…
It’s often suggested that Apple’s success rests on Steve Jobs’ vision and it looks like the man himself agrees. Apple University was created in 2008 but while it’s foundation was widely reported, quite what it does didn’t really break cover.
Managed by Joel Podolny, a former deal of the Yale School of Management, Apple University has hired academics like Andy Grove (of the Stanford Business School) and Richard Tedlow (of Harvard Business School) to write papers on “significant decisions in Apple’s recent history”.
The idea is apparently for future senior Apple executives attending Apple University to learn about the Apple philosophy by reviewing key points in the company history. The report also says Apple University courses are taught by Apple execs including COO Tim Cook and Apple’s retail guru Ron Johnson.
But the Apple University course goes a little futther than most business schools in venerating the thoughts of one man. Fortune reports that: “Jobs is ensuring that his teachings are being collected, curated, and preserved so that future generations of Apple’s leaders can consult and interpret them.” Now the proposed title of that authorised Steve Jobs biography, iJobs, starts to make even more sense!
Hit the comments and tell us: what do you think Apple University should be teaching Apple’s future leaders?
