Management Excellence - Google

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Destination: Google, Inc.

Stacey Troup

MGT-230

April 5, 2015

University of Phoenix

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One cannot begin a discussion regarding superior management techniques and

globalization of a brand without one word coming from their lips or into their heads – Google.

Since the company formed in 1998, they have grown into one of the most sought after

employers because of their commitment to their staff, teams and growth.

Globalization

Google, Inc. as a brand started in Mountain View, California, by two college students

who met at Stanford University in 1995 and had built an initial search engine (called

“BackRub”) by 1996 (Company - Google). Larry Page and Sergey Brin built the initial search

engine on the premise that “The importance of links would better assist the user in finding their

needed information”(Company - Google). The company became the giant known as Google

after receiving a check for $100,000.00 from Sun Micro Systems co-founder Andy

Bechtolsheim to launch it into a brand (Company - Google). At the company’s core belief

system is a list of ten things they strive for every day as a company (Ten Things We Know To

Be True - Google - Company). From a garage in California to offices in over 40 countries and

employing over 40,000 employees (Google Locations - Company - Google), Google, Inc. have

established themselves as a global leader in innovation, technology and even management.

From inception, the company strived to change the world and has done so through their

extensive planning of the company’s future.

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Technology

From meager beginnings to its place as a leader in technological advances, one is hard

pressed to find a company who does technology quite like Google, Inc. Starting with the first

search engine which launched the company as a platform, they have grown into a global brand

offering business solutions, advertising solutions, applications for Android phones and much

more.

The acquisition of Youtube.com during their “Broadcast Yourself” advertising launch as

well as mapping technology which now drives a bulk of GPS systems including cell phones (i.e.

Google Maps) keep them on the forefront of technological advances. Their commitment to

excellence grows with every day as they strive to bring the best platforms and programs to their

customers. Gmail, the first of the free platforms designed for world domination, was launched

on April 1, 2004 and provides users large capacity pop email accounts with RSS Feeds and

integration into other programs through its Google+ platform (Company - Google). One has to

wonder if they are responsible for Microsoft announcing in 2015 that they plan on doing away

with Internet Explorer as a search engine (in name only) (The Death of Internet Explorer in

Name Only - Redmondmag.com). Google continues to think outside the box and bring

innovations to the masses which are surely helping to establish the company as a true innovator.

They effectively see the needs of the end users and plan accordingly to stay two steps ahead of

the competition and launch free programs amidst a difficult financial time.

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Innovation

While known for technological innovations, Google is also a premier place of

management technique. Utilizing the true “team” environment and engaging the employees in a

creative environment, they have established themselves as a premier place for people seeking a

well structured, creative, growth encouraged environment with superior management styles

(Passion, Not Perks - Think With Google).

Management includes their employees on the progress of the company during weekly

meetings with the company founders referred to as TGIF. During “The first 30 minutes, we

review news and product launches from the past week, demo upcoming products, and celebrate

wins. But the second 30 minutes is the part that matters most: Q&A” (Emerald Group

Publishing, Limited, 2013).

It is this sort of bottom- up management style that is often criticized by other companies

as over sharing of sensitive information but what makes Google a place for every voice to be

heard. They believe when you involve all the employees your “Whole Organization Becomes an

Innovation System” (Passion, Not Perks - Think With Google).

Diversity

Not only believing that “Our People Are Our Greatest Asset” (Passion, Not Perks - Think

With Google) but putting that practical thought into process has established Google as a true

team environment for their employees. Not only do they place the best employees into engaging

managers to mentor other employees into great growth, they also invest in their worst employees

by offering “Intense coaching and support, which helps 75 percent of them get better within a

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quarter” (Passion, Not Perks - Think With Google). It is this commitment to their culture and

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growth of their employees that keeps people seeking out a position with Google in order to find

their true happiness.

Several companies want their employees to just sit and listen without having a voice –

but not Google. They have within their Code of Conduct a “Freedom of Expression” (Code of

Conduct - Investor Relations - Google) section that encourages the free flow of idea no matter

what the position the person holds. This strategic management style affords the employees the

most opportunity for self expression and subsequent growth.

Often seeking out students for their intern program, participants are put in teams to see if

they possess not only the skill set of a future Google.com employee but also if their personalities

thrive in a collaborative team environment. Google truly puts forth the effort to find candidates

who not only possess the skill set for the available position but also the personality to fit in with

others who have the core beliefs of the company at their core (Company - Google).

Ethics

Ethics are what drive the people at Google. The company employs a Chief Cultural

Officer who oversees teams globally to ensure that the employees stay true to the core values of

the company. One might view this as excessive or unnecessary; however, the Board of Directors

at Google sees this as a necessary position to ensure the future of the company.

Google believes that culture and strength of its people jointly help contribute the most to

the company’s success. Also at the core of their beliefs is the fact that values and beliefs are

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crucial to innovativeness. It is their commitment to their transparency that keeps them ahead of

the game. By letting employees of all levels participate in discussions of products, technology,

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progress or innovations, you open the doors to ideas which would have been stifled by a more

controlling micro management style.

The company offers healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner to employees, encouraging team

building at all hours of the day and night. In addition, they are afforded the ability to beta test

the products before their official release. At the Mountain View, California location, employees

are given free rides to and from work daily through the company bus system. Pets are welcome

in the office by employees and are even encouraged to give “Massage Credits” to other

employees for a job well done (Google Employees Reveal Their Favorite Perks About Working

For The Company).

While employees may see these as perks, the trained eye sees these things as true team

building environments disguised as benefits. Google truly does think of how to make its

employees engage and enjoy each other while in their company (and even when they leave the

office!).

Conclusion

Companies worldwide could benefit from a management review of Google and their

policies. While some may view them as sophomoric in nature and geared only toward people

right out of college, it simply is not true. Google has truly looked at how it manages its

information, technology, employees and company as a whole to ensure the happiness of those

who help grow them into the superpower they are today.

Companies on Wall Street in New York allow shoe shine people to come into the trading

floor to give shoe shines but that is where the benefits end. In the rare case that a company

provides a lunch daily, it is truly designed to keep you productive in the office but does not

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encourage team building. Google has really examined management styles and put into effect an

effective leadership team and style that benefit all those who enter the doors at Google.com.

The lesson learned? Invest in your employees, build true teams and your employees will

give you 110% every day and love every minute of it. Google truly has an inspired charisma

within its management that is to be revered by others and an eye for benchmarking and strategic

maneuvering that is to be truly admired. They have effectively overcome management barriers

and looked into the future for the benefit of the employees and the overall success of the

company.

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Works Cited

Code of Conduct - Investor Relations - Google. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from Investor.google.com: https://investor.google.com/corporate/code-of-conduct.htmlCompany - Google. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from Google.com: https://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/Emerald Group Publishing, Limited. (2013, 09 12). Google grows on people: Bottom-up leadership and minimalist management inspire innovation. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/1428869118?accountid=35812Google Employees' Favorite Perks - Business Insider. (n.d.). Retrieved from BusinessInsider.com: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-employees-favorite-perks-2014-7#the-free-gourmet-food-and-snacks-are-never-ending-1Google Locations - Company - Google. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from Google.com: http://www.google.com/about/company/facts/locations/Passion, Not Perks - Think With Google. (n.d.). Retrieved 2015, from Thinkwithgoogle.com: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/passion-not-perks.htmlTen Things We Know To Be True - Google - Company. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from Google.com: https://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/philosophy/The Death of Internet Explorer in Name Only - Redmondmag.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from Redmondmag.com: http://redmondmag.com/blogs/the-schwartz-report/2015/03/the-death-of-internet-explorer.aspx

Management Excellence - Google

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