Resign

While I was admiring the superb marketing skill of various substitutes and bioequivalent products, a rumor that has been around for some time became the news heading.

Steve Jobs resigned.

Well, I am no fan of the Apple - neither the computer giant in California nor the media company close to where I live. (I always fancy anyone who tries to sell their product by using that poisonous fruit in Eden as their logo is a serpent under innocent flower.) Nonetheless, I use iPhone, and I am impressed with this thin piece of metal.

Although the resigning CEO of Apple is often regarded as a genius of marketing, his most remarkable achievement (in terms of business administration) is serving as the classic successful example of vertical monopoly (or, more humbly, vertical integration) - so much so that it will certainly invite many clumsy imitators now and in the future.

For those who are not familiar with this field, vertical integration means owning a company that controls that all steps of a supply chain. Take iPhone as an example, Apple Inc controls the processor, the hardware and the software.

PS. You may argue the hardware itself is not manufactured by Apple but some third-party manufacturers at Shenzhen or Taiwan, Steve Jobs literally specify all minor details of the production.