Google - Don't Be Evil

Executive Summary

Google, Inc., a Fortune 500 technology company, has become one of the most powerful and widely known companies in the world. Google is recognized for its unique internet search engine; however it is continually developing new technologies and products. Google is consistently found on “Best Companies” and “Most Innovative Companies” lists due to its application of technology, innovative business models, brand recognition, and its focus on enhancing the user experience without exploiting its stakeholders. Google's informal slogan “Don't be Evil” embodies a main point in its corporate philosophy, which states “You can Make Money without being Evil.” Faced with recent debates with China over privacy and censorship issues, Google has been faced with ethical dilemmas and has risen to the challenge.

Stakeholders

Google's stakeholders are more than just its shareholders, in fact the primary Google stakeholders are its end users. According to Google CEO, Dr. Erik Schmidt, “By providing the best user experience, we believe that we are building a company that will create more value, not just for our users, but ultimately also for our shareholders as well.” http://investor.google.com/corporate/ceo-message.html Other primary stakeholders include Google employees and its customers, which include advertisers, cell phone companies, etc.

Enhancing the User Experience

Google’s technological success comes from its vision of being a Universal Search Technology with intense focus on the experience of its primary stakeholder, the user. The Google user is able to search for information on a broad array of topics, including images, maps, documents, videos, patents, books and News archives, and is able to receive high quality, relevant results from a single source. This vision is not complete without consideration of user needs. Not only does Google provide a broad breadth of searchable information, but it provides the results in a contextually relevant and ordered fashion. With its “product” being searchable information, it is driven to map the entire internet and offer its product through an increasing number of applications and venues.

Google’s ability to execute its vision first provided it with immense benefit well ahead of competitors with similar products. Its resources have provided it with an advantage to provide fast and relevant search results, which is constantly trying to be copied by its competitors. The company’s ability to use the data from web searches in new and different ways allows it to continue to grow while providing its user base with a reason to stay loyal to Google.

Google has used the search engine concepts of context and monitoring of correct function to its advantage in order to make money.