Is Google really that well-managed?
The more I look into Google — and frankly, it’s the same with some other big tech companies — the more I ‘m convinced that, in reality, and although we are talking about one of the largest companies in the world with a $1.45 trillion empire, the clearer it becomes that this is a company with a huge management problem, something I wrote about some time ago.
Since its beginnings, and despite coming from an educational institution of the caliber of Stanford, Google’s culture has tended to reject the leading business schools, and instead has defined management talent on its own terms, based on technical excellence, in “apparent” opposition to excellence in management. Google’s philosophy is different to the vast majority of companies of its size, and thanks to its image, is able to attract an unlimited pool of talent.
But what if many of the company’s problems stem from its managerial quality, or rather lack thereof? While the technical excellence of Google’s products and services is undeniable, the quality of its decisions regarding them and the results obtained over time suggests a company that could be managed much better. Google has mismanaged its product portfolio, many of its management practices are outdated, and there are many decisions that cannot be explained.
