Question 1: Describe and evaluate the effectiveness of Google's approach to business strategy; that is, how is Google creating a sustainable competitive advantage?
Question 2: Describe Google's core products and business model?the basis upon which the firm makes money. Analyze the dual strategy that Google employs to execute its business model.
Question 3: Review Google's mission statement and the values that are described in the case study. Analyze how Google applies the strategy and principle of options valuation to create share holder value.
Question 4: Analyze how Google is competing. Conduct a high-level financial review.
Question 5: Synthesize how the dual strategy is implemented in the user base, core market (search engine) and movement into adjacent technological areas.
Question 6: Analyze Google's industry environment using Porter's Five Forces Model. Consider Grant's postulation of a sixth force. Identify the forces Google leverages to gain competitive advantage and/or alter the industry structure.
Question 7: Identify and analyze Google's key resources and capabilities. Consider their core products and management capabilities. How does Google leverage its technical resources to achieve new product development leadership capability?
Question 8: Articulate one or more strategic issues related to the degree to which Google has aligned its mission and capabilities to its business strategy and its ability to create a sustained competitive advantage.
Question 9: Describe and evaluate the effectiveness of Google's corporate strategy-that is, where is Google focusing to sustain its competitive advantage?
Question 10: Describe Google's organizational structure and management systems. Address how functions within the company are organized differently and identify the organizational theory that drives organizational design changes in response to industry changes.
Question 11: Describe the basis of Google's competitive advantage. Explain the generic strategy (cost or differentiation or hybrid) that Google employs to achieve a competitive advantage.
Question 12: Evaluate Google's corporate diversification strategy into new products and businesses.
Assess whether diversification creates value for Google shareholders; use Porter's three essential tests to evaluate:
- Video sharing (YouTube).
- Browsers (Chrome).
- Mobile phone operating systems (Android).
Articulate one or more strategic issues related to Google management's ability to coordinate organizational activities and/or corporate diversification into new products.