Book Review: The Google Way

The Google Way gives an insight into the fascinating story of Google. With its unconventional approach towards not only Internet search, which is its core business, but in many other business and technology processes forming essential part of the modern enterprise, Google has indeed been a trend-setter.

Going through the book, it appears that Google seems to have a thoroughly researched, many-a-time counterintuitive and analytical approach not only in its core business of Internet search but also covering business management and strategy, technology, the industry-academic interactions and positive use of the rapidly evolving Internet society as integral parts of its growth as a corporate entity.

Some of the interesting discussions in the book are centered around the unique reasons for rapid growth of technology enterprises on the West coast of the United States. These include legal and academic specialties of the region as well as the strong drive for entrepreneurship starting from higher education institutions.

Some of the unconventional ways of Google highlighted by the author include the triumvirate of management at the top, using OpenIPO method to go public, the cost-per-click advertising model, having small team sizes, uncommon recruitment practices and employee benefits.

The fourth and last section speculates about the challenges and risks based on the author's knowledge and experience until our present recessionary times. These include cultural and national concerns, confidence and privacy concerns or something on the management side like the effect of loss of one person at the top , out of the triad of Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, among others.

The author has presented a well-researched book which would help corporates and educationists in developing the academia-industry linkages as well as looking the relevance of current course content in business schools. Book is recommended as a must read not only because of its management and technological utility but also to get a sense of the direction that our immediate future will take.