Executive Summary

Team 6: Haaris Alsam, John Ben Kausal, David Mabry, Kevin Theodore, Ankush Verma
Management Issue: Work Values
Company Name: Google Inc.
Introduction: Purpose and Scope of the Presentation
1. Topic Selected: Work values are the topic of our Presentation. We will be analyzing
Googles work values as well as defining them. Generally, work values can be defined as global
aspects of work that are important to a persons satisfaction. Examples of such values include;
responsibility, ethics, attitude, motivation, and loyalty. Work values such as creativity can hold
significant influence over the success of an organization. In Googles case, creativity plays a key
role in formulating their strategy and eventually implementing it. Finally, we will provide
suggestions to Google based on our findings and research.
2. Why Its Important: Work values are important because they help define an
organizations culture. Importantly, they also contribute to Organizational Commitment
Behaviors (OCBs). OCBs can occur when the work values of the organization align with those of
the individual employee (Dekas, 2013). Alignment results in employees exceeding their
contracted duties and propelling the organization further. Having work values aligned also
creates significant trust between the organization and top-level managers (Salter, 2008). When
work values are exemplified, the employee and the organization both benefit from the
relationship by giving each other exactly what the other needs (Dose, 2014).
Literature Review/ Theoretical Foundation
1. What does the literature indicate? The literature shows that Googles work values are
focused on a number of different facets. On their website, the company lists its core values.
These include striving for more than a great product, focusing on quality rather than quality,
working with teams to encourage a productive work environment, and finally, creating a work
environment that can help creativity flourish (Amabile, 1996). Creating such an environment
allows employees to engage in activities that are unrelated to the business and helps them think
outside of the box (Google). The literature also indicates that the current work values that Google
has in place are working, as their company has been extremely profitable over the last decade.
2. What theory, framework, and/or model is the foundation for your project?
The book provides information about organization structures. For Google, we are building our
project on the notion that Google has a flat line organizational structure, which helps promote
creativity and keeps the employees motivated. A flat organizational structure relies on self-

managing teams. In Googles case, each self-managing team has the ability to come up with
innovative ideas. A flat line structure allows employees to be creative, and also, it provides every
employee autonomy. It gives each employee the ability to have his or her idea sent through the
grapevine quickly (Jones).
Methodology:
1. Brief Background Summary: Google Inc. is a search engine that was born in 1998 by
two college students by the name of Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google Inc, 2014). Larry and
Sergey met at Stanford University in 1965. By 1996, they had created a search engine by the
name of BackRub. This search engine used links to determine the importance of individual webpages. It was not until 1998 when the two Stanford students decided to name the search engine
Google. The name was derived from a play on the word googol,. Following that, Google
Incorporated was born. Today Google Inc. is not only known for their search engine, but their
various other creations such as Google Mail, Google Plus, Google Earth, and Google Chrome
(Britannica, 2014).
2. Method for Researching the Organization and for Gathering Company Information
related to topic (Work Values): For researching Google, the first initiative we took was
navigating through the companys website. By doing so, we were able to get a better
understanding of the overall background of Google and its core values. Also, we browsed the
web for other reliable sources that explained a more in-depth look at Googles past and how it
has expanded as a company over the years. Through those sources, we were not only able to
learn about some of their primary practices, but also how Google does what it does. While
researching, we were able to gather information pertaining to Googles work values as well. As
mentioned earlier, work values can be defined as global aspects of work that are important to a
persons satisfaction. To find ways in which Google presents its workers with work values best
fit for them, we felt the best place to go was Googles career site. There we were able to find
information on the overall workplace environment of Google. We also got a chance to visit some
career profiles on the website that gave us an insight on the experience employees had while
working for Google (Google, 2013).
Results/Findings
1.What did we find? What were the results of your analysis of the company?
Our findings have been summarized in each of the varying sections, however there are a few key
aspects that we would like to touch on. Google, has earned its place in the technological industry
by being innovated and by creating products that people want. We have come to learn that
Google truly put first its work values so that they can create an actively learning and engaging
environment for their employees. Google employees, known as Googlers, have the ability to
voice their concerns, work directly with the owners, and work on their own ideas. While there is
a chain of command, even the regular employees have the ability to speak directly with anyone

in the company. Workers are given a lot of autonomy in choosing how they go about doing their
work which is one of the primary reasons Google is at the position that it is right now. The work
values that are in place allow for these types of ideas to come about. The companys
organizational structure, which resembles that of a flat line structure, allows ideas to spread
across the company quickly.
2. How is the organization dealing with the selected issue? What are the facts?
There are many ways in which Google continues to provide its employees with key work values.
Google gives responsibility to employees to provide excellent service to users. With the primary
objective to have users have the best experience possible, both goals of the employees,
managers, and leaders are aligned with each other. Google has an outstanding financial situation
in the marketplace; Google had about 50 billion dollars in revenue last year, about 22% of
overall company. Googles financial situation allows workers to be innovative because money is
not a problem. An idea can be created then implemented and tested. Money promotes
creativeness because employees are not afraid to develop an idea that may need funds to get off
the ground. Google also consists of something called the 70/20/10 rule. The 70/20/10 rule
enforces the companys persistence of creating products that are high quality, and products that
are innovative. All Google employees follow this rule. It decrees that each employee must spend
70 percent of their day working on current products, 20 percent of their day working on new
ideas or their core projects, and 10 percent working on ideas regardless of where they are in the
grapevine (Chron, 2014). This indicates that Google executives truly believe creativity and
inspiration can come from anywhere. Another example of this is how Google tracks user usage
to guage how to improve their products. They are constantly looking for ways to provide the best
working experience for their employees.
Conclusion (SWOT Analysis):
1. What makes the organization unique or distinctive in dealing with the selected issue?
With access to large groups of internet users with 79% of internet users; google has brand loyalty
from its user. Since Google has a pretty stable brand loyalty, Google is able to be loyal to the
employees due to ongoing success. Also, with product integration employees are able to work
with all sections of the company. The product integration is aligned with the flat line
organizational structure of Google. The flat line organizational structure allows for creativity to
flourish within organization. Creativity creates autonomy among employees because Google can
plug in employees where they need it the most.
2. Internal Analysis A: What are the organizations strengths in dealing with the
selected issue? Google has strong organizational strengths, motivational approaches and
creativity approaches within the organization. The products and services that Google provides
are universally accessible across many different areas in throughout the world. It is Googles
mission to provide their products and services to as many people and users as possible. Customer

experience and quality experience are primary concerns of Google. Also, Google gives
responsibility to workers to provide excellent service to users. With the primary objective to
have users have the best experience possible, both goals of the employees, managers, and leaders
are aligned with each other. With there being a strong culture of innovation, OCBs are being
created because employees want to be innovate and will go above and beyond to do so. Google
also has strong leaders that are able to lead employees and implement plans and goals
seamlessly.
2. Internal Analysis B: What are the organizations weaknesses in dealing with the
selected issue? Google has many unprofitable products like google drive and their operation
systems. Employees may feel unmotivated because they are not a part of sections within the
company that make the profit. This boils down to intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of
employees. Some employees want to make money for the company because they may view this
as gain exposure within the company. With Google only having one true source of income they
rely on, some employees are in departments that do not create revenue. Litigation and legal
troubles are nothing new to Google because there are many barriers to entry especially in the
technology sector. Sometimes it is easier to copy an idea to get off the ground and change it
later; but have litigation issues come with more effects than money and being sued by a
competitor. This issue of litigation may distract the company from innovating new products, and
without innovation than Google does not exist. Company morale may suffer with employees
which can cause high turnover rates (Google Investor Relations, 2013)
Recommendations:
1. Recommendations & Alternatives: When managing a company, it is very important to
keep in mind the work values associated with the organization and the employees that are a part
of it. The values associated with each business helps the company reach both its short term and
long term goals by focusing on terminal and instrumental work values. Because each business
has different missions and goals, each business will tend to focus on different work values. As
we begin to look at Googles organizational culture, we notice a few trends that help us
recognize Googles main work values. In recent years, Googles success has gain lots of
attention and many have become interested in studying the companys habits. After doing some
research on the organization, we have found that Googles main work values include innovation,
freedom, wisdom, and providing a comfortable and fun work environment. Although Google has
gained much growth and has experience much success, there is still room to improve the
companys works values in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency. By surveying
employees, Google can gain insight on what companys work values will look like in the future.
2. What Specific Changes & Why: Recently some of Googles employee expressed their
dissatisfaction of the organizations culture. Introducing some additional work values into the
work environment could answer to employee demands. Some of the employees believe that they

are overqualified for the job positions that Google gives them; others believe that the work place
is too immature. Two work values that could effectively solve these issues are a sense of
accomplishment and professionalism in the workplace. Giving your employees tasks that they
feel are important and worth their time will increase both their job satisfaction and motivation.
By adopting professionalism as a work value, Google will be able to satisfy employees who view
Googles work environment as sort of playground that is not being taken too seriously. At the
same time, this implementation will create conflict with the employees who value the freedom
that Google gives its employees. By balancing both freedom and professionalism, Google will be
able to improve job satisfaction, employee motivation, effectiveness and efficiency. Within our
course textbook, we have learned that when employees are happy and the work values of the
company reflect its employers and vice versa, then the company will be more likely to reach its
full potential and gain more success (DB Corp, 2014)