Doug Guthrie is an organizational sociologist and China scholar. As a former senior executive with Apple in China (2014-19), he will be on campus to provide his experience and insight on organizational strategy and structure.

Talk Title: Organizational Strategy and Structure in the Era of Xi Jinping: The Case of Apple in China

China is a critical location for multinational corporations for a number of reasons: It is the world’s most populous nation, arguably the world’s largest market, and it is home to the world’s most innovative supply chain. After a decade of the Chinese government’s laissez-faire attitude toward foreign corporations operating in China (under Hu Jintao), in 2013, the political environment changed significantly with the ascension of Xi Jinping. Many foreign corporations were caught off guard, and some paid a heavy price. How companies responded to this new political environment is a question of organizational strategy, structure, and design — issues that are at the core of organizational research. In this talk, drawing on decades of China research, and five years as a senior executive working for Apple in China (2014-19), I will use the Apple case to discuss the complexities of navigating China’s current political environment. We will explore Apple’s unique organizational structure — both internally and externally — and its strategy for approaching this critical challenge.