Info Tech project

1. How is Google’s mission statement related to its business strategy?

Ans: Google’s primary goal is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful (mission statement). Google continues to take risks and expand into new markets to further its reach into the information world. It takes advantage of new avenues to expand its market share by making information freely available on its Intranet, and by willing to take risks by investing in speculative and strange projects if they see a large potential payoff.

2. How does Google’s information systems strategy support its business strategy?

Ans: Through openness and innovation. It permits users to download their own software, maintains official and unofficial blogs, and buys and makes software to suit the needs of the business. IT encourages innovation by allowing employees to spend 20% of their time on a project of their own choosing. This “flexible” IT structure supports the innovation and creativity that its business strategy espouses.

3. How does Google’s organizational strategy support its business strategy?

Ans: Google has a culture of innovation and creativity. However, it still provides a level of structure when making decisions. Specifically, Google’s mission statement relates to its business strategy by making data on all ongoing projects and systems available to all of its employees through its corporate Intranet. Any employee can see what is transpiring in other areas and can lend a hand through Google’s “free day” policy and other open work-environment strategies.

4. Which of Porter’s three generic strategies does Google appear to be using based on this case? Provide a rationale for your response.

Ans: Differentiation, though one may argue that cost leadership is also utilized with its very reasonable ad costs. However, through the use of its innovative processes and unique business model, Google has differentiated itself from its competitors by keeping a clean and simple interface (which most of the other search engines have emulated), and by continuing to invest in its employees to provide innovation on a large scale.

1. Analyze Google’s strategy and the type of market disruption it has created using a dynamic environment perspective.

Ans: In some form or another Google has utilized a blue ocean strategy, which changes an entire industry. Google has added new products that provide value to its customers (AdSense, etc.). It is continually seeking out new knowledge through its innovative management styles and by its willingness to invest in risky projects that have a high-return potential. Google constantly innovates by setting limitations on how long it will take to make changes to its products and services. Through this innovative approach, it is able to stay on the cutting edge of technology and lead this market of the IT world. Through its new products and services (AdSense, GoogleApps, etc.) and its low cost marketing, it changes competition by finding new and better ways to serve its customers.