Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO

My classmate Danni Liu posted about Russia’s response to Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple who publically announced that he is gay. Because of the nature of the issue, it becomes clear the effect this may have on international business. Danni spoke about Russia’s rationale behind such a decision being about the security of information stored on smartphones because of apples iCloud. However, I think this is all propaganda by the Russian government.

Globalization of an issue such as gay rights has been enormously widespread. In places in the United States and Europe, positive changes have come about. Yet, in places such as Russia, China, and the Middle East, things are contrary for the many gay citizens.

With the news of Tim Cook, the brand power of Apple will withstand new challenges in certain demographics. Social justice, government policies, and a company’s products become intertwined in a battle for selling rights of Apple products. Can Apple’s brand power compete with the homophobic mindsets and restrictive government policies that are implemented in certain countries? With this negative backlash, Apple may be pushed to find new, more innovated methods to market their products and further expand their target markets. Or, quite possibly, a more robust black market may form in such countries in which Apple products dominate.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/danniliu/2014/11/05/russia-will-ban-apple-products-in-january/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eliot-borenstein/steve-jobs-iphones-and-ga_b_6105962.html

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101080293#.

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http://www.fastcompany.com/3020550/hear-from-the-it-blogger-whose-review-apple-ceo-tim-cook-blasted