Another View of the Google Management Shuffle
June 13, 2011
Search Engine Journal examines “Google’s Re-Focus, Its Meaning, and Its Risks.” We agree with writer Rob Young: Google is taking a risky step.
The changes began with the CEO swap from Eric Schmidt back to founder Larry Page. For one thing, there have been shifts in management personnel. What interests us, though, is the narrowing product focus.
Seeming to apply the adage that it is better to do fewer things well, Google is shutting down or consolidating several projects, like Newspaper Archives, the tablet versions of Android OS 3.x, and many developer APIs. Young predicts that these newly released resources will be applied in the social networking realm. That’s a valid conjecture, considering both Google’s recent overtures in that direction and the continuing rise of all things social.
Young summarizes:
But what is Google sacrificing to narrow their efforts? Sure, the company is dropping a lot of dead weight, but they’re also dropping several profitable projects. As Google continues in its minimalist cleansing, it’s possible that they’ll lose some flexibility in innovation, one of the strengths that previously defined the company, and may upset developers in the process. Considering the importance of web and mobile app developers to core Google projects (especially Android, Chrome, and Chrome OS), Google must proceed with caution.
Change can be good, but it can also sour very quickly. Is Google becoming its own worst enemy. The most recent problem is the price tag Oracle has slapped on the alleged Java patent legal matter. Will Android revenue flow to Oracle? Management has legal, financial, technical, and market challenges with which to deal. Risky indeed.
Cynthia Murrell June 13, 2011
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, the resource for enterprise search information and current news about data fusion
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