Subject category:
Human Resource Management / Organisational Behaviour
Published by:
IBS Center for Management Research
Length: 17 pages
Data source: Published sources
Topics:
Organisational culture; Innovation strategy; Innovation management; Innovation culture; Organisational behaviour and corporate entrepreneurship; Corporate entrepreneurship; Models of corporate entrepreneurship; Sustaining corporate entrepreneurship; 'Launch and iterate' process; Innovation as a strategy; Resource-based view of the firm; Strategic capabilities; Enabling and managing change; '70/20/10' innovation model; 'Innovation Time Off'
Abstract
Google, Inc made innovation an everyday process rather than using it as a strategy during times of crisis. While some companies worked on perfecting their product before its initial release, Google followed a unique 'launch and iterate' process to innovation. Right from the time the company was founded, Google relied on its employees to augment its culture of innovation. Its policies like the ‘70/20/10’ innovation model and ‘Innovation Time Off’ gave a lot of freedom to Google’s employees to work on their preferred projects. Google also made it easy for its employees to express themselves through several channels including TGIF, Googlegeist, and Google Moderator. To foster radical innovation, the company set up the Google X division, where the employees were pushed to come up with ‘moon shots’ - projects that created products and services that were 10 times better than the competition. Co-founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, and other members of the top management team took a personal interest in these projects. However, the management team had to contend with various challenges as some of the 'moon shot' projects such as Google Glass, Google Driverless car project, and Project Loon faced questions with regard to their commercial viability. Moreover, as Google grew to huge proportions in terms of product-market diversity as well as employee strength, the challenge before the triumvirate of Page, Brin, and Schmidt, was how to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive in the company. This case is suitable for courses in strategic human resource management/ innovation management/ entrepreneurship and strategic management.
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for postgraduate courses.Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2005-2013.Geographical setting
Region:
World/global
Featured company
Google
Industry:
Information technology
Featured protagonists
- Larry Page (male), CEO and Co-Founder
- Eric E Schmidt (male), Executive Chairman
- Sergey Brin (male), Co-Founder
About
Abstract
Google, Inc made innovation an everyday process rather than using it as a strategy during times of crisis. While some companies worked on perfecting their product before its initial release, Google followed a unique 'launch and iterate' process to innovation. Right from the time the company was founded, Google relied on its employees to augment its culture of innovation. Its policies like the ‘70/20/10’ innovation model and ‘Innovation Time Off’ gave a lot of freedom to Google’s employees to work on their preferred projects. Google also made it easy for its employees to express themselves through several channels including TGIF, Googlegeist, and Google Moderator. To foster radical innovation, the company set up the Google X division, where the employees were pushed to come up with ‘moon shots’ - projects that created products and services that were 10 times better than the competition. Co-founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, and other members of the top management team took a personal interest in these projects. However, the management team had to contend with various challenges as some of the 'moon shot' projects such as Google Glass, Google Driverless car project, and Project Loon faced questions with regard to their commercial viability. Moreover, as Google grew to huge proportions in terms of product-market diversity as well as employee strength, the challenge before the triumvirate of Page, Brin, and Schmidt, was how to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive in the company. This case is suitable for courses in strategic human resource management/ innovation management/ entrepreneurship and strategic management.
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for postgraduate courses.Settings
Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2005-2013.Geographical setting
Region:
World/global
Featured company
Google
Industry:
Information technology
Featured protagonists
- Larry Page (male), CEO and Co-Founder
- Eric E Schmidt (male), Executive Chairman
- Sergey Brin (male), Co-Founder