Google is the most popular known search engine in the present world. The organization has been popular for more than one decade. Google is also well known for providing people with a platform where they can search the information they want from the internet. Google encounters different business challenges because the business segment in which it operates is quite different from the other businesses. Google’s organizational structure is unique because it comprises several shareholders that are involved in the decision making process of the organization. The paper provides a discussion about the organizational structure in Google regarding the distribution of authority and tasks, the organization’s espoused values and how the organization’s structure and culture relates to and supports Google business strategy.
Google has been one of the most admired companies to work for in the United States. According to Gitman (2007), the organization was listed as the leading company to work for in 2007 and 2008. One of the key reasons that attracts employees to Google is its cross-functional organizational structure. Google maintains a strong leadership and encourages innovative techniques in its core management structure. The organization was founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1998 where it began its internet business operations under the motto ‘Don’t be evil’. Since its inception, Google has expanded and it currently employees more than 25000 employees across the world. The organization also comprises of the most experienced professionals in the field of technology in its management. Most of these professional head Google’s various departments (Google, 2014).
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"Organizational Structure Of Google".
Google’s management team comprises a number of executive officers including Larry Page as the CEO and Co-Founder. According to Google (2014), Larry’s responsibilities include every day operations in Google. He also leads the organization in the technology strategy and product development. Larry is the Google’s first CEO. He and Sergey Brin managed to grow the organization to at least 200 employees and achieved high profitability (Google, 2014). Larry was Google’s president of products between 2001 and 2011. Eric E. Schmidt is Google executive chairman. Eric is responsible for Google’s external matters, developing business partnership and wider business relationships for instance the agreement between Google and Samsung, though leadership in technology and government outreach and providing advice to the company CEO and other senior managers regarding Google’s business and policy issues (Google, 2014). Between 2001 and 2011, Eric was the chief executive officer for Google where he was responsible for the technical and business strategy of the organization in conjunction with Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Another Google’s c-founder, Sergey Brin is responsible for the special projects carried in the company (Google, 2014).
Previously, Sergey has headed the technology department sharing the role of coordinating every day operations in the company with Eric Schmidt and Larry Page. Other members of the management include the senior Vice President, Corporate development and chief legal officer responsible for leading global teams of Google, communications, public policy, merger, development and acquisitions (Google, 2014). The senior vice president and chief financial officer is responsible for Google’s financial management and operations.
An organizational structure comprises several activities such as coordination, task allocation, and supervision that are focused towards attaining the aims and objectives of the organization (Griffin, 2009). In addition, the organization structure can be considered as a perspective or the viewing glass through which people view their organization and business environment (Griffin, 2009). The culture of the organization implies the collective behavior of employees who comprise the organization. It also includes the significance of those employees and their specific roles in the organization (Weber, 2008).
Google makes use of the cross-functional structure with a combination of a unique philosophy (Google, 2014). The cross-functional organizational structure embraced by Google is more of a team approach to the management and is horizontally structured. Google purposively keeps a small-company feeling. This is a belief held by the company that every employee feels to be a hands-on contributor to the organizational strategy and everyone is of equal significance to the success of the company (Thompson, 2013).
There are several espoused values that Google employees embrace to ensure they enhance their business delivery and also ensure that they remain the leading in the market by providing high tech innovative solutions. The values also ensure that Google employees are honest and accountable on everything they do. One such important value is their motto ‘Don’t be evil’ (Google, 2014). The moral code aids in guiding Google employees to hold themselves to a high degree of accountability to the management. In addition, the moral code helps to maintain the spirit of innovation since Google’s foundation is based on accountability (Griffin, 2009).
Google provides benefit packages to its employees. The benefit also plays a significant part in attracting the best and resourceful employees to the companies. According to Google (2014), Google provides free lunch and dinner programs, and employee retirement funds. The company makes an effort to provide customizable programs that meet the needs of each of the company’s employees. In terms of corporate service delivery and product enhancement, Google has dramatically managed to scale up its business infrastructure. The company also has diversified in offering its products while ensuring that it maintains the same string culture of accountability and innovation (Weber, 2008).
Google has given its employees a flexible time plan to ensure that they are able to discover and utilize their talents (Weber, 2008). Employees have freedom and are allowed to spend 70 percent of their in handling current projects, 20 percent in handling related assignments of their own choice, and 10 percent in handling projects in any area of their own desire. This ’70-20-20 rule’ is a representation of the managerial guideline that also authorizes the company’s employees to take risks (Thompson, 2013). The management of the organization encourages its employees and managers to collaborate with each other to come up with innovative ideas in the technology. The cross-functional management ensures that employees are able to closely work with their department executives. Google supports open communication which contributes to the enhancement of the organization’s structure in terms of innovativeness and service delivery (Thompson, 2013). Open communication also makes the employees feel that they are contributing to the business objectives of the company.
In addition, Google’s management assists their employees to achieve their objectives by giving them a space and an environment to set the goals and objectives for themselves. Google recognizes its managers as leaders with the responsibility of facilitating inspiration and empowering employees (Thompson, 2013). The function of Google’s management is to control the roles of employees through several checks and balances. The employees are given the opportunity to set and evaluate goals in a quarterly basis (Weber, 2008).
In a nutshell, the paper had discussed about the organizational structure in Google regarding the distribution of authority and tasks, the organization’s espoused values and how the organization’s structure and culture relates to and supports Google business strategy. Google’s management is led by the chief executive who oversees the day-to-day operations in the company supported by the other senior managers. Google provides benefits to promote employee commitment, and a flexible time plan to ensure that they are able to discover and utilize their talents. It also assists their employees to achieve their objectives by giving them a space and an environment to set the goals and objectives for themselves.
- Google. Company. Retrieved 27 November 2014 from http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/facts/management/
- Gitman, L. (2007). The Future of Business: The Essentials. Cengage Learning.
- Griffin, R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. Cengage Learning
- Thompson, S. (2013). Google’s Business Leadership and Organizational Culture. Retrieved 27 November 2014 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/googles-business-leadership-organizational-culture-58108.html
- Weber, S. (2008). Organizational Behavior – Google Corporate Culture in Perspective. GRIN Verlag
