India, Aug. 31 -- Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition since Steve Jobs stepped down 15 years ago.

On August 24, 2011, Jobs told Apple's board that he could no longer meet the duties and expectations of the CEO role. His resignation letter contained an unusually explicit succession recommendation: Apple should execute its existing plan and name Tim Cook CEO.

The board did so immediately. Cook, until then Apple's chief operating officer, became chief executive and joined the board. Jobs became chairman.

Forty-two days later, on October 5, Steve Jobs died.

Cook therefore inherited more than one of technology's most admired companies. He inherited a question that had hovered over Apple for years: could an organisa...