Google/Internet Search (Nov 21st)

Session Overview:

• The majority of this session will be devoted to an analysis of the HBS Case "Google Inc." Google is having a profound effect on the world of business that stretches far beyond it's current dominance of Internet search. In this case analysis will come to an understanding of how Google works, what's behind it's success to date, it's unique culture and technology strategy, and the major strategic options facing the firm as it moves beyond search.
• As time permits we will take a tour of some alternatives to using Google to Search the web.
• Due – Have at least two posts on your personal blog (one to introduce yourself, one regular)
• If you'd like to download an electronic copy of the slides for this session, click here: Session08Slides.pptx, Session08Slides.pdf

Required Readings and Study Questions:

1. Google Inc. (Online Coursepack)

     Note: Don't neglect the Exhibits at the end of the case!

1. How does the Google search engine work? How is it different from what came before?
2. What factors were behind Google's early success? Is this primarily due to the specifics of how its technology work? Or how its business model (sponsored search) works? Or is it how Google's unique management philosophy and culture works?
3. Is Internet search a winner-take-all business? If so, will Google win? Or has it already won?

     * See below for additional study questions 

In recent years Google has made strategic moves that have put them on a collision course with several other titans of IT:

• The Android platform for Smartphones and Tablets, Google's New Music Service and its acquisition of Motorola Mobility => collides with Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iTunes
• Google+=> collides with Facebook and Twitter 
• Google Chrome browser, Google Docs (cloud computing version of office apps), Enterprise Gmail, and various other cloud products => collides with Microsoft’s office applications franchise and cloud initiatives
• Google TV , Youtube => potentially collides with NetFlix and Apple iTunes for internet video delivery

Meanwhile, Amazon’s increasing roles as an eCommerce aggregator potentially threatens the value of Google’s sponsored search franchise, and an increasing portion of our time online is spent on Facebook, beyond the prying eyes of Google's indexing spiders and the reach of Google ads.  The result is a looming Titantic struggle between Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple.  

So, given all this, what is your assessment of Google's recent moves and future prospects?

1. Do you think that Google is straying too far from its core sponsored search business? Which of these moves makes the most and least strategic sense?
2. What is the biggest threat or opportunity for Google going forward, and how should Google position itself to address this threat/opportunity?
3. Looking 10 years down the road, are we going to be seeing articles about Google like this one about Microsoft’s dying consumer brand? Or does Google have what it takes to stay on top?

2. Also required reading

• Please click through on the links embedded in the Google questions above.

Optional articles:

• Google in Three Parts: Search, Online Advertising, and Beyond, Chp 14 in  Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology, John Gallaugher, 2011
• This is another outstanding chapter from Prof Gallaugher's "open source" text book.  I'd love to have assigned it, but it's 57 pages long (granted, only half of that is text). Some of what is in here is redundant with the HBS case, but there is a lot of great stuff that goes beyond what is in the case. So, if you're interested in Google and online search, this is a tremendous resource. 
• The Cloud: Battle of the Tech Titans, Business Week, March 2011 
• Dirty Little Secrets of Search, New York Times, Feb 2011 
• Alternatives to Google Search, Donald Jenkins, 2011
• Cool Search Engines That Are Not Google, Wired, June 2009
• Inside Chrome: The Secret Project to Crush IE and Remake the Web, Wired, September, 2008
• In Search Of The Real Google, Time, 2006
• Is Google too powerful? BusinessWeek, 2007
• The Google Industrial Complex. Forbes, 2006,
• How Google Grows...and Grows...and Grows, Fast Company, April 2003.