A corporate system for continuous innovation: the case of Google Inc. 

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The information gathered from "A Corporate System for Continuous Innovation: The Case of Google Inc." included 28 interviews at Google which were then compared to previous research on organizational information and implemented innovation. Google has an open system which encourages continuous innovation. Top management is innovation-oriented and pro-change. The article analyzes the role of culture and self-organizing individuals in the innovation process. It also studied how to organize for innovation and continuous improvement.

 

The reliability of this sources stems from the fact that this case study was published in the European Journal of Innovation Management by Annika Steiber and Sverker Alänge both from the Chalmers University of Technology. They both have done extensive research and have had multiple articles published in scholarly articles.

 

The value of this information will bring to the group is important to get an understanding of Google’s organizational characteristics and the continuous innovation that is implemented. It showcases important characteristics that were left out of previous research. It was based on unique access to data that might not have been accessible to a student or future employee.

 

The value this information will bring to the group is important to get an understanding of Google’s organizational characteristics and the continuous innovation that is implemented. It showcases important characteristics that were left out of previous research. It was based on unique access to data that might not have been accessible to a student or future employee.

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Internet profiling: The economy of data interoperability on Facebook and Google.

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The information that was acquired from “Internet Profiling...” was about how Google used internet profiling and how they have expanded their data strategies to increase their territory for data collection. Internet Profiling is the ability of an organization or company to create the understanding of a person on the basis of personal information gathered by data companies (Bechmann). This article explains that Google started to use advertisements on their websites that were connected to search keywords and the data points that advertise such as gender, age, interests, etc. Google created their AdSense product, which is an advertising placement service. This allows website publishers to display targeted text, video or image advertisements on website pages and earn money when users view or click on their adds. The article also stated that it is hard for a user to not come across their services because of their expansion strategy with advertising through YouTube and Google search.   

 

The reliability of this source is that this case study was published by Society of Media researchers in Denmark by Anja Bechmann. The source tells us how Google Inc. has adapted to internet profiling. This source also gives us products and services Google has created to target commercial information through profiling to a targeted group or individual.

 

The value this information will bring to the group is significant. Having various products and services, Google has to target relevant groups or individuals with advertising that sparks their interests. This information is valuable to all because a cardinal rule of being a successful business person/company is to know your customers needs and wants. Therefore, internet profiling can help advertise, help create websites, and match services to a specific customer.  

 

Case Study: Google

 

The information collected from "Case Study: Google" started with how the company cares about their employees. The article elaborates how showing high amounts of interest in employees lives can produce more cognitive engagement. Google is constantly trying to be accommodating to their employees. They have given them opportunities to have a flu clinic and classes to expand their knowledge in many areas. It has proven that their employees stick around a lot longer because they feel more productive and willing to join in placing a big part of their focus on the work environment. Google has gathered data to prove that their employees have continued to produce innovation. It is also due to this sense of happiness that it helps boost their profitability. For instance in 2012, the company profited $10.74 billion and they expressed how it was all due to employee satisfaction instead of placing the success on those who are higher up in ranking.

 

The reliability of this source covers the satisfaction employees gain from working under Google Inc. It stresses that the company’s success is due to those they employee and that as long as both sides communicate well enough, all will be happy. The source also address just how successful they have become through their numerical figures. It is proven that the happier their employees are, the more work they produce. By announcing their success is a reflection of their employees it gives those who are considering applying to Google a sense that they will be appreciated and valued.

 

The value this information will bring to the group when compiling their information is crucial in explaining the work environment. Having numerical figures for how the company has grown because of it employees will hopefully resonate with individuals. This information will be valuable for individuals because it may help contribute to their decision on whether or not they want to work for this company.

 

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Google, Inc.

 

When it comes to innovation, Google has been striving to gain a competitive advantage over successors, such as companies like Apple, Inc. By doing so, Google has made innovation an everyday process. They release products in developing phases to gain feedback from users to enhance the products' functionality. Google developed the ‘70/20/10’ innovation model to help utilize employees time wisely and more efficiently in order to develop new products and technologies. Google is constantly exploring for new ideas and information so they can excel in the future and expose endless opportunities. In August 2011, Google acquired Motorola Mobility LLC for U.S. $12.5 billion in order to make its own hardware for smartphones, tablets, and other devices (CEIG, 2014). It seems that Google is willing to pay the price for whatever innovation that seems logical and fits the future. Acquiring Motorola Mobility LLC seemed like to perfect fit in today's society.

 

The case study uses statements from the co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Bernin, as well as Eric Schmidt. The information pertaining to Google is expressed by the usage of exhibits that the research company has acquired within. They also incorporate various infrastructures that Google uses on a day to day basis.

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The information from this source provides the group with the strategies that Google uses to develop the company. This study shows future employees that there will never be a dull moment when it comes to expanding the company, Google. The prospective employee will always be a part of something and will never be secluded from others.

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Economic Impact

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The information gathered from the "Economic Impact" section of the Google company page included many different facts and statistics about Google’s influence on our country. This showed every state and its individual economic revenue from Google. It also explained how the use of Google and the Internet itself positively effects businesses and organizations.

            

The reliability of this source is the fact that this is directly from the Google company website. The information is directly from Google, making it extremely reliable and accurate.

               

This information was very useful in understanding how Google really does affect our economy and positively impacts businesses and organizations. It also showed us actual numerical figures of how great Google’s impact is nationwide.

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A Case Study: Using Google Documents as a Collaborative Writing Tool in Undergraduate Courses

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Jennifer T. Edwards of Tarleton State University performed “A Case Study: Using Google Documents as a Collaborative Writing Tool in Undergraduate Courses.” Edwards studied and evaluated information gathered from a group of undergraduate students utilizing the Google tool, Google Documents, for their group research paper in their upper-level Organizational Communications class. The purpose of this study was to see if undergraduate students perceived this Google tool as a positive communication tool in and outside of the classroom. After the project was over, the students were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to gather their perceptions of their usage of Google Documents. The majority of the students surveyed agreed that the use of Google Documents in a group project allows them to collaborate easier and more effectively since it allows them to work on the project together without having to change their schedules to always meet in person.

 

The reliability of this case stems from the fact that this was a hands on case study done at a Texas university and then published in the Texas Speech Communication Journal.

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The value of this information is important and will be useful to the group since it gives us insight into the accessibility and the easy-to-use ways of all of Google’s different tools.

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Google phone rising: The Android and the politics of open source

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In late 2011 and early 2012, Google finally took the plunge into the cell phone industry using Google’s Android operating system and adapted open source software concepts to implement into their cellular devices. They made many attempts to benefit from the open source, but their attempts seemed to fail. There have been little supporting studies that say what role open source plays in the success of Android. Although Android has the legal license to classify as open source, it fails to focus on other important issues of transparency and community. Steven Levy was the technology writer for the origins of Android. He came up with the idea of having “an operating system that would power whole families of smartphones" (Groggin, 2012). The business model was intended to profit from back end services such as storage, support, and security. Unlike their rivals, Google focuses on the Android platform rather than a particular handset. Google was so confident about the Android platform that they were willing to bet anything that it would succeed. One reason it is so popular is because Android is available across a wide range of models, devices, companies, and outlets. Google has strict restrictions to not only the open source operating system, but also on content that is allowed in the app store. They do not allow content that includes sexually explicit content, hate speech, or violence and gambling. Since jumping into the cell phone industry the Android platform has been adapted and loved by many users and has delivered on its promise to be a platform for innovation.

 

The reliability of this case stems from the fact that the case study was published in the Journal of Media and Cultural Studies by Gerard Goggin from the department of media and communication from the University of Sydney, Australia.

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The value of this information is important to the group since it gives us an insight of how the company went about creating their phone. It also is important because it uses graphs and charts to visualize the importance of the case study.

 

Google: Searching for Value

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The information gathered from "Google: Searching for Value" stated how Google is known worldwide for the benefits and the unique work environment that it provides to its' employees. Google started as a college project and evolved into the billion-dollar company that it is today. Their employees, called “Googlers,” are known for their hard work. The company instills in its employees that it isn’t necessarily about the money, but the lifestyle of innovation.

 

They work towards changing the world through teamwork and creative involvement. Google provides many opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. Many employees are proud to say they work for the best company in the world and they truly believe it. In order to benefit their employees as much as possible Google goes above and beyond to provide their employees with a wide range of perks to ensure that they are satisfied. These perks include free food, onsite childcare facilities, laundry and dry cleaning, sports facilities, car washes, and an abundant list of more. Google has a designated Chief Culture Officer who works to make sure that the company stays true to its’ core values and that the employees are well taken care of. Although contrary to popular belief, Google is not perfect and they have their own drawbacks. Some complaints from employees include long work hours, lower pay than the industry average, unstructured work environment, and a feeling of being lost in the crowd. These are just some of the things a future employee might have to endure in order to get the benefits that the company provides.

 

Google has worked to make sure that satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers and profitability. Google attributes its success to employee satisfaction and know that employees are their main assets. One way to measure the value that employees give the company is through their productivity rates and profit per employee. In 2008, Google had $209,624 in profit per employee, which is higher than its competitors.

 

The reliability of this case stems from the fact that the case study was published in the Journal of Case Research in Business and Economics by Ronald Kuntze and Erika Matulich both from the University of Tampa. The study was published in 2010 using more than 35 sources dating back to 1998. Both Kuntze and Matulich are professors of Marketing and have had many research studies published that can be found on Google Scholar. Together they published this case study to inform future employees of the operations that make Google what it is.

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The information found in this case study is important to Google’s future employees. If future employees could read the study they would get a good idea of both the good and bad of working for Google. It gives statistics, charts, and graphs to back up and enhance any information given. This study would also be useful for business students because it gives an analysis of a large firm. Students can than see the relationship between an excellent company and even better employees and how it leads to success.

 

Case Study: An Analysis of Google Inc.

 

The information gathered from “Case Study: An Analysis of Google” pertained to the company’s background, corporate mission and organizational culture, human resources, and general information about Google Inc. In a breakdown of each of these, readers are able to understand that Google was started as a research project that later formed into the top search engine to exist. It has been awarded several times and has even grown in revenue. Their cultural aspect was built in terms of being open and upholding a special dynamic. In terms of their human resource, it is aligned with the workforce and their vision. The better understanding employees have of Google’s vision, the better overall the company is. Google’s training and development pays attention to both the employees and the engineers. The company has even set out to provide classes for everyone to help sustain it. In whole, this company values the enthusiasm their employees shown when given the chance to learn and that is why they continue to provide this opportunity.

 

An argument for the reliability of this source would include the fact that it contains a full analysis of the company’s background, corporate mission and organizational culture, human resources and their work as a business partner, training and development, and Google’s take on being a learning organization. This sources covers a wide variety of topics on the company and rather than having general information that the author has pulled from random places, they heavily cite where their information was gathered from other credible sources. What makes these source credible is that some are from business and communication journal authors which is significant in this project.  In all, the material is relevant to the article and subheading it relates to.

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An assessment for the value of all the information provided in this article would start with how it would benefit the prospective employee. For those looking to work at Google, they would be able to gather the specific material needed on the topics discussed earlier. They would also be able to get a sense of where Google stands on these topics. For those that value a certain area such as culture, they would be able to line up the organization’s criteria versus their own. The analysis of these subjects overall ensures how the company has and will continue to grow.

 

A Grounded Theory Study on The Business Model Structure of Google

 

The information gathered from this article discusses the way in which Google has decided to operate their business model. A business model is important for the purpose of entrepreneurs and for a company in general to gain structure in their firm. It is stated that Google Inc. has taken a different route in their business model, making it more innovative and less traditional. The research conducted in this article was about the grounded theory qualitative research method, social network analysis, causal mapping, and how the social network analysis helps to find core elements within Google. The data collected is gathered from 1996 to 2008 and found that in each of these focuses is different from many numerous viewpoints.

 

Prospective employees may not know the layout of Google’s business model. It is important to discuss so that individuals can comprehend the basics of a business model before diving into a specific company. This will also allow individuals to generate ideas that could design and improve the business model in times where the company is faced with disputes in the future.

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The information found in this journal source will more likely than not be useful for the prospective Google employee. The research narrowed in on select topics and useed what they knew and found to elaborate on each one. There are points made within each area that can be difficult to understand for the average reader, which may be a downfall in the use of this source. However, it is still important to know what Google's business model is and the plans or strategies they have produced for the growth of the company.

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Ease and difficulty of finding sources overall

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At one of the team’s earlier meetings, members sat down to search for sources that dealt with what circumstances would be like for an individual to work for Google. This was difficult at first, but then became easier as we grasped exactly what we needed to look for. Factoring in that the sources had to be scholarly journals and contain case studies was challenging. Team members found many articles that dealt with the typical workday, benefits, and company values, but none of those included case studies. These sources were more so articles than they were scholarly journals. The articles also did not include a sufficient amount of factual data to pull out. It helped to know that these sources could still be used, although we continued to struggle by find exactly five scholarly journals on all areas we planned to cover.

 

Once team members understood the task and what journals to look for, this step in the project became easier. All members used Google Scholar and the Mansfield University North Hall Library database to gather information. However, some members found that many relevant journals had to be purchased, which hindered the team's search. Members eventually retrieved five scholarly journals with data pertaining to Google’s work environment, their business model, how they innovate, their products, and their economy, all factors that would be to the benefit of a prospective employee's interest. Each scholarly  journal includes case studies and in depth research on the topics that will further be to the advantage of the team. Other articles that the team will incorporate into the project exemplifies the points discussed.

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Research is varied and complete

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Once each journal source was gathered, they were split up between team members. Each member volunteered for a source and read it to gather all valuable, necessary information. For every journal that was recorded the data, an argument for its reliability, and the value were noted within this document, Without going into further detail of that information, overall, the team can say that the research is varied and complete in terms of this project because each one elaborates on a different subject matter. The team decided to choose five different areas to focus the research on, having one scholarly journal for each section, because of the fact that there is so much information on this organization. Also, to address that within each area, the topic is dynamic. Furthermore, the team wanted to emphasize how positive and inspiring Google is for prospective employees.

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