Imagine that Google’s Board of Directors has employed you as a consultant to assess the company’s overall situation and recommend a set of actions to improve the company’s future prospects. Please prepare a report to the BoD that includes:

1. the pros and cons of Google’s strategy,
2. an assessment of Google’s competitive position in the different industries in which it compe
3. an evaluation of Google’s performance,
4. an assessment of Google’s portfolio of businesses,
5. the use of at least 4 strategy tools,
6. your outlook and suggestions for Google’s future performance and its prospects for revolutionizing the industries the company is in.

To write your report, you are required to analyze your company’s strategy using the concepts (Lectures, Seminars, Webinars, Textbook and Additional Readings) learned in class.

Presenting your analysis of the Google’s strategy in 3,000 words is a difficult task and should not be underestimated. It is strongly advised that you use figures, tables and diagrams to help you present your findings clearly and economise on words. Also, the key here is not to repeat the information from the Case Study provided to you, but to interpret them and present your own critical evaluation of the situation Google is facing.

GUIDANCE ON YOUR ANALYSIS

To guide your analysis and writing of the report you might want to use one, or more, of the frameworks we are using in class for strategy in Context or the following list of questions, which should shed light on what kind of analysis you are expected to perform to write your report. It is important you use the either the strategy Diamond framework or AFI Strategy Framework and four or more models and techniques.

Questions to guide your case study analysis

The following questions can help you in clarifying which aspects to touch in your report. A good report is expected to answer each question. However, the report should not be structured in the forms of answers to those questions. The questions are only meant to give guidance on where to focus your attention and guide your work on the assignment.

1. What are the key elements of Google’s strategy?
2. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed most closely approximates the competitive approach that Google is employing?
3. What is your assessment of Google’s performance? You may use the financial ratios in the Appendix of the text (You can conduct 3 years independent research based on Google’s 3 years Annual report).
4. What are the issues/problems Google’s top management team need to address? Are they the same in each industry or differentiated?
5. What, if any, changes/adjustments in Google’s strategy would you recommend?