Essay: Google’s Vision and Mission

Section 1: Google Case Study

Google’s Vision and Mission:

In 1996 Larry Page and Sergey Brin (founder of google) were both students at Stanford computer science. They were thinking about a search engine by the name of BackRub. They lunch this search engine on Stanford server and it runs there more then one year. In the year 1997 they change the name of BackRub to Google. In September 1998 Google setup his first office in Susan Wojcicki’s garage. In May 1999 Google hire first non technical person to take care of sales department. In May 2000 Google first release the search engine in ten languages which are French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian and Danish. In December 2000 Google lunches the toolbar which makes it possible for the users to search the web using Google bar without opening the Google website. In July 2001 Google provide the access to 250 million images to its users. In may 2002 Google sign the agreement with the AOL. In January 2004 Google lunches it social networking community website orkut. In August 2005 Google lunches it first messenger Gtalk for instant messages and voice and video chat. In February 2006 Google lunches the Gmail.

http://www.google.com/corporate/history.html#1

The mission statement of Google is “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Google is working hard for its new products for future.

http://www.googlelabs.com/

Google has become one of the most powerful online tools that include a number of applications that are being processed in day today activities. A few years back it has expanded its business by buying www.youtube.com and www.orkut.com that were becoming extremely famous those days. Recently Google has launched a new mobile phone, Nexus One to compete with Apple iPhone. Not only this, it is also developing an online operating system that will not only be able to compete with Microsoft’s Windows, but also they are promising it to be better than that.

In order to diversify its operations it has also invested $38.8 million in two wind farms to go green. These steps are being initiated in order to suffice the corporate social responsibility of the organization. Corporate headquarter of Google is at Santa Clara County, California, namely Googleplex.

If the pace at which Google is progressing is analyzed, it would be found that it has made remarkable progress since its commencement. It is ranked 3rd in Fortune 500 list in a time span of just 13 years. If it is assumed that it will be progressing at such a pace along with degree of diversification it is adopting, it would one of the supreme brands in all the dimensions of technology by year 2025.

Google was so far confined till various dimensions of technological advancement, but now it has diversified its functioning in order to make sure that it does not suffer losses if one of the dimensions faces a downward slope. Google was basically initiated as a search engine which was extended to social networking website and various other types of online services that are being utilized by major section of the internet users. It now also deals in mobile segment, various desktop applications, and preparing for Operating System. It is also planning to extend its search engine to make an inclusion of artificial intelligence.

Google’s ergonomics main features and working environment:

Google is not an ordinary company it’s the world’s largest company. Google takes its every employee important at work place. And it takes the new ideas very much seriously which comes by the employee. Google provides the good amount of salary and also bonus to their employees. It also provides opportunity to its employees to earn more and more with their skill and innovation and hard work. Google has its office all around the world so it does not matter that where you live. If you are talented enough for working with Google then you can join Google to the nearest office by you.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/lifeatgoogle/

There are many features that why should we join Google and work for Google or how is the physical work place is at google. Google has as complete work culture within its work place. Google is big revenue generating company of the work so it will be a great experience to work with the one of the world’s big company. Which always works on new products? Employees are always appreciated there in the Google and working environment is very much friendly and supportive you can have a doctor, dentist, massage, yoga and snakes to eat. Google provide lots of motivation to its employees at work place.

Google provide lots of benefits to it employees which mostly includes to buy Google shares, it give choice to the employee to choice the best suitable medical program for him, and it also understands the problems of the employees and give the medical leaves to the them.

Google is the largest information providing company in the world it is because of there new innovations in their products so Google always give respect to the new and some creative and innovative ideas from there employees and also provide financial and non finical rewards to the employees on their ideas.

Google have all kind of employees form all over the world irrelevant of their culture and their background so it makes an interesting club for the employee form all over the world which can share their ideas and life style with each other. Google is a real global company. Its products are being used by almost every country of the world and by all types of people from an ordinary student to a PhD student so its ideas really matters in the world.

Google is dynamic and really an innovative company and It really give respect to your ideas if the ideas works then you can imagine that millions of people will be using that product basically which was build on your idea. Google also provide free lunch to the employees at the work place.

When a comparative analysis of Google is performed with any other organization, it is observed it provide far more employee friendly environment to its employees, which had been acting as a prime reason for employee motivation over the years. It also provide its employees with extreme flexibility in terms of both working hours and working environment to make sure that creativity does not get suppressed. Google’s office has various modes of recreation and relaxation to make sure that there is no such entity like fatigue. Many of its employees state that they feel like they are working at cafeteria, but with tremendous difference in pay scale.

(Top ten reasons to be a googler, 2006)

Google Leadership and Practices:

Leadership in Google plays an effective role and is considered to be of paramount importance. Leadership and good management was regarded as two basic pillars of the company once its potential was recognized. As in all other companies, in Google also the leaders or the top managers set the goals and then all teams work hard to achieve those goals.

Google do not succeed in every project but they never gave up and always learn form their bad experience, but leadership has played significant role in successful projects to make them so. They control and provide right directions to their employees at every required step so as to ensure that all the efforts are being initiated in the right directions.

Good leaders always encourage their teams in the time of crises and always keep them motivated if any thing goes wrong and same is done in case of Google. Leaders chooses what to be done for the company, what products are good and suitable and can give us revenue in long terms, and the responsibility of management is to tell the ways how things should be done.

Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from Page 20

One of the important essences of leadership in Google is that leaders have a vast approach to see things out of box and the managers take care of the routine works and keep checks to make sure the work has been done or not. Here leaders keep an eye on every employee’s performance and keep tracks to the employee’s behavior and how to change the behaviors if required. All these aspects depict relevance of adequate leadership to be present in the company, thus Google perform sufficient preliminary actions and planning to appoint right person for the job.

Leaders have some tasks to perform in Google that are they set goal for the company, motivate people who are working under them, coach the employees and some time watch and absorbs them. They usually promote the team work because it has been realized that a team can perform better then an individual. They some time discourage the self-satisfaction of the employee and keep the employee on their toes.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from Page 21

Usually there are no set of rules for the company which make it a perfect company, leader keep a sharp watch on every event which has been happening and make changes in the soft rule of the company time to time in Google. This firm consists of many departments and many groups and different teams to perform different task at the same times. Therefore, leaders in the Google have to manage different teams and the quality of the work that different teams are doing at the same time of same task. Leaders have to think at upper level, thus there vision should be not limited in an organization like Google. They should see and analysis the problem in a very deep manner and give the possible solutions on a long term basis.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from Page to 24

Employee Motivation and Empowerment:

Employee motivation and empowerment is the most important aspect in the performance of any company. The two major types of motivation that are adopted by Google include psychological motivation, and financial (economic) motivation.

Non-financial rewards may include the services like health services and providing good education to the employee’s children’s, organization should provide the good culture and environment in the work place. And financial rewards can be in the form of some extras bonus.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from chapter 4 page 163

Selection criteria should be smooth and be adopted as after spending good amount of money on the selection process Google wants that chosen individuals are those people which are absolutely fit for the job. If a company like Google has a good reputation regarding with the employees then it will encourage the most brilliant people to come and join your organization. Provide the job security to your employees because job uncertainty always demotivates the people in the organization and it will affect the performance of the employees.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from chapter 4 page 171

Payment method should be very clear and good. It will give the sense of ownership to the employees and always open some ways to earn more and more in effective way so that the employees should work hard to their abilities. Always spend some money for the education and more skill development for your employees so that the employee should know the new market trends and work according to the new standards. Never discuss or force any employee about the dress he wears. And the workplace in which he works. Always treat your all employees in good and intelligent way, if they perform well then give them some rewards and appreciate their good work.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from chapter 4 page 172

Now coming to Google and we see that Google is always friendly with its employees and Google applies almost all the rules which are discussed above. Google always spend good money for selecting best people in all over the world. Google has very good employee friendly reputation in all over the world now so many intelligent and hardworking people want to join to Google due to its good reputation. Google pays well to its employees and spend a great amount of its income to its employees. This provides a sense of ownership in the minds of Google employees so employees put their best effect for the Google.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from chapter 4 page 173

Google always understands and spend good amount of its income on its employee’s new skill development. Some well-known motivation theories are as follows:

• Goal setting: according to this theory set a goal and put all the effect to achieve it just like in sports.
• Equity: according to this theory give equal reward to every employee for same job in the organization.
• Money as motivation: according to this theory money can be great motivation for people.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from chapter 4 page 175

Psychological motivation

This type of motivation is done on a regular basis as financial motivation can not be done on a frequent basis due to several constraints under which upper organization operates. This is the mere responsibility of the leaders that they are handling this particular aspect in a desired fashion in order to avoid any discrepancy at later stages. There is also an obligation that leaders and managers should be highly efficient as well as effective in their work so that they are not making any delay or there is no wastage of time in this particular activity.

Financial motivation

This type of motivation is performed on a periodic basis and generally on a pre-defined basis. There may be certain exceptions that Google may come across during its functionality, but on a general basis, it is one of the common activities that are being followed by many other organizations. This system is highly flexible in Google and varies in accordance to the echelon at which its implication is being made.

Various other principles that mark boundary of motivation include,

• Job security
• Recognition and appreciation
• Sense of involvement with company
• Personal development learning
• Opportunities for promotion
• Working for a successful company
• Variety at work
• High-pay
• Good working conditions
• Creative and interesting work

Google Encourage Innovation and Creativity:

Creativity and innovation means to think and create some new ideas for your company and products. Innovation is very much important for the long term success of the company. It is also important for the future growth of the company. One aspect of innovation is that, change your products according to the users demand. Always give respect to the new ideas of the company employees and give reward to the employees to motivate them for new ideas. Small but effective innovative changes can be done in the old products.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People at work by: Nick Forster from chapter 9 Page 338

Google Company hires some creative people and makes a creative team for creating some new innovative ideas, it may possible that in first glance new ideas should not hit you well but I can work. We have example of AOL (America online). The founder of AOL first give the idea to connect every house in the USA with the cable, at that time no one can accept that idea but later with the passage of time it had been proved. For the survival of the company innovation is necessary but some times it can be very stressful for the worker of your company. Because there are 80 to 85 % work in any company is routine work and workers are not happy to accept the new change at once.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People at work by: Nick Forster from chapter 9 Page 341

Creativity means to think the things in some new way and relate them to each other. Usually creativity is the God gifted but it can be improved with the education and knowledge. There are some differences between the creative thinker and the normal thinker. In addition, the manager should understand that difference well.

• A normal thinker take the problems in normal form and think the possible solution in very normal way but a creative thinker always see the many aspects of the problem and study them and then give the solutions in different new ways.
• A normal thinker give the solution to any problem at once whether they are right our wrong, but the creative thinker always present the right solution to the problem.
• A normal thinker has very short minded and has narrow thinking. But a creative thinker takes the problem and studies it with its all parts and all possible solution and try to give the best possible solution to the problem.
• A normal thinker usually follow the routine pattern and follows the other but a creative thinker does not follow any one intact there people follow him.

Reference: Maximum Performance: A practical Guide to Learning and Managing People At work by: Nick Forster from Page 342

Another element that needs to be precisely taken into account is that Google never confine innovative thinking and ideas to be generated and implemented by certain individuals or a group of individuals. It always promotes everyone working in the Google’s premises to make his/ her contribution at this end and hence make working of the organization better in every possible manner.

Next perspective that Google takes into account is that it always ensure selection of apposite leadership talent so that appropriate identification of innovative ideas is done and highly marketable ideas are brought into the market in a flawless manner to raise their productivity. They sometimes also perform grooming process in the ideologies so as to remove any blemish if present as far as their understanding is concerned and possible. If this facet is not taken into account, there may be conditions when company would not be able to sell its most innovative ideas in the market.

Next factor that add high value in the functioning of Google is its policy towards promoting innovation and novel ideology among its employees. It avail its employees with adequate rewards when any positive idea is generated from that side while along with its proper implementation. But there is also a fact that is of paramount importance and taken utmost care by Google officials, i.e. they do not punish their employees if any initiation fails due to any reason. If such activities are conducted on a frequent basis, it will be highly difficult for Google to motivate its employees to make innovative contribution from their side at every possible notch.

Practices Affecting Business Performance:

From the above discussion on Google Company we can conclude that Google is company which is almost around the world and it has many products for it users which are all around the world. So it will be very much beneficial to invest your amount in Google because Google generate a hansom amount of revenue per year as shown in the given table.

It is very much clear form the table 1.1 that Google earn greater amount of revenue form the last year, because Google is dynamic company and very much innovative which introduce new services and products to its user every year. So we can say form the table 1.1 that Google is a successful company which is doing a good business on the internet. It has a great work environment, highly qualified and skilled employees and good leaders and managers to support it. If you want to invest your money and want to do some business with Google then it will be a better choice for you and your business because Google is well renowned and trusted company in the world. Google is an innovate company which invest in its new products and on new ideas to say alive in the market of compotators. Google put great effort for motivating of its employees. It provides rewards and benefits to its employees. Google take it business in very professional way it hires all professional and skilled people from all over the world. So doing business with Google will be a great thought. People are professionals and skilled and they take their business in very serious way, they run business all around the world. In future Google will introduce it is more interesting and innovative products to its users.

Revenue in Millions Table 1.1	Year
	2007	2008		2009
Revenues	16,594		21,796	23651
Google web sites	10,625		14,414	15,723
Google network websites	5,788		6715	7166
Total advertisement revenue	16,413		21,129	22,889
Other revenues	181		667	762
Share Price	465.92		417.25	499.8
Net Income	4,204		4,227	6,520

http://investor.google.com/financial/tables.html

Economic measure performance of the company can be measured directly by looking at its EPS. Following shown is the EPS of the Google on both basic and diluted basis,

EPS	2007	2008	2009
Basic	$13.59	$13.46	$20.62
Diluted	$13.29	$13.31	$20.42

Section 2: Summary

Some history of Google Company that is the core product of Google is the search engine that first lunched in 1996 by two Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin; they first lunch the search engine on the Stanford university server with the name of BackRub which was later named as Google.

Then there is some brief history is been provided that how the Google has flourished over the time form 1996 to till now, and what services it is providing currently. Some of the popular products of the Google are Gmail, (Google free Email), YouTube (video sharing on the net), orkut (online community network) Google chrome (web browser), Google translator (which translate many languages). In addition, after that some of the Google future products has been discussed on which Google is being working and there products are in the pipeline for future.

When a comparative analysis of Google is performed with any other organization, it is observed it provide far more employee friendly environment to its employees, which had been acting as a prime reason for employee motivation over the years. It also provide its employees with extreme flexibility in terms of both working hours and working environment to make sure that creativity does not get suppressed. Google’s office has various modes of recreation and relaxation to make sure that there is no such entity like fatigue. Many of its employees state that they feel like they are working at cafeteria, but with tremendous difference in pay scale.

It provides doctor, dentist and free lunch at work place. Google understands the problems of employees and always take every possible care to its employee. It provides financial and non-financial rewards to its employee. Google is worldwide company so it hires people from all over the world irrelevant to their culture and religion so it makes a great global culture. Google always respects the innovative ideas form its employees and always take it very seriously and work on new and innovative ideas.

Leadership in Google plays an effective role and is considered to be of paramount importance. Leadership and good management was regarded as two basic pillars of the company once its potential was recognized. As in all other companies, in Google also the leaders or the top managers set the goals and then all teams work hard to achieve those goals.

Google do not succeed in every project but they never gave up and always learn form their bad experience, but leadership has played significant role in successful projects to make them so. They control and provide right directions to their employees at every required step so as to ensure that all the efforts are being initiated in the right directions.

Good leaders always encourage their teams in the time of crises and always keep them motivated if any thing goes wrong and same is done in case of Google. Leaders chooses what to be done for the company, what products are good and suitable and can give us revenue in long terms, and the responsibility of management is to tell the ways how things should be done.

Motivation and empowerment of the employees are very import in any company; it creates a sense of ownership which helps in the better performance of the company.

Motivation can be of two types in any company i.e. motivating the employee with some financial rewards or non financial rewards. Financial rewards may include bonuses and some extra pay to the employees at some good word to motivate them and keep them on their toes. But this process should be very smooth for every employee. It should not create any droughts among the employee this will create problem for the company. Treat every employee equally. Also spend some handsome amount on the educational and skill development programs on the employees. This will benefit in the skill developments of employees.

Some non financial rewards for motivating the employees can be providing suitable health policy or providing the some amount for employee’s child’s education. Then some well known motivation theories are discuses which are:

• Goal setting motivation theory: This theory says that a company should fix a long term goal and try its best to achieve that goal.
• Equity motivation theory: according to this theory, give equal reward and respect to every employee for same job in the organization. If you do not take every employee equally, then this thing can create problems for the company.
• Psychological motivation: various other factors but money can act as a base for motivating employees to achieve organizational objectives.
• Economic or Financial motivation: according to this theory money can be great motivation for employees of the company

Other features which are very important parts of an organizational functioning are creativity and innovation. Which mean, to create the new ideas and new product to meet the new market trends and keep in touch with users Innovation is very much important for the long term growth and success of any company. If some new ideas come from any employee which is working for the company then always give respect to that idea and take it very seriously may be that idea clicks. Innovation can also be applied on the current products to change them in some new styles.

For the survival of the any company creativity innovation is important but some times it can be very stressful for the worker of your company because workers are use to daily routine works so then may produce some resistance in the new change but a good leader or manager can handle this in an effective way with some motivation techniques.

In many ways, usually creativity is the God gifted thing but it can be improved with the education and good knowledge and with the time and some good experience. Then some difference are being discussed between some creative thinker and a normal thinker, a good manager should have to know theses differences to work and understand the employees of the company, theses differences are:

• A normal thinker has short minded and has narrow thinking. But a creative thinker takes the problem and studies it with its all parts and all possible solution and try to give the best possible solution to the problem in the current situation.
• A normal thinker usually follow the routine works and follows the other in any tense matter but he makes the decisions and other have to follow him a creative thinker does not follow any one intact other people follow him.
• Another element that needs to be precisely taken into account is that Google never confine innovative thinking and ideas to be generated and implemented by certain individuals or a group of individuals. It always promotes everyone working in the Google’s premises to make his/ her contribution at this end and hence make working of the organization better in every possible manner.
• Next perspective that Google takes into account is that it always ensure selection of apposite leadership talent so that appropriate identification of innovative ideas is done and highly marketable ideas are brought into the market in a flawless manner to raise their productivity. They sometimes also perform grooming process in the ideologies so as to remove any blemish if present as far as their understanding is concerned and possible. If this facet is not taken into account, there may be conditions when company would not be able to sell its most innovative ideas in the market.
• Next factor that add high value in the functioning of Google is its policy towards promoting innovation and novel ideology among its employees. It avail its employees with adequate rewards when any positive idea is generated from that side while along with its proper implementation. But there is also a fact that is of paramount importance and taken utmost care by Google officials, i.e. they do not punish their employees if any initiation fails due to any reason. If such activities are conducted on a frequent basis, it will be highly difficult for Google to motivate its employees to make innovative contribution from their side at every possible notch.

In addition, if your want to invest with the Google then how will it affects your business. Google is well renowned company in the world it is earning a tremendous amount our revenue because It follows all the standard rules and regulation. It hire well skilled employees form all over the world then pay them well, and also provides them some rewards which may be some financial rewards or not financial rewards and it always keep workers well motivated.

Google is dynamic company and very much innovative which introduce new services and products to its user every year. It is very much clear form the table 1.1 that Google earn greater amount of revenue form the last year with its different services and products on the net.

Google lunch it new service in beta version then it checks the users’ response and make it better and better, this show that Google as company also take cares of its users. It never disappoint it user. It changes the products according to the user demands. Therefore, there is a good change to move forward with working Google.