Product details

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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

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