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3 Big Signs Google's Becoming a Conventional Company Under Page

Submitted by Scott Cleland on Fri, 2011-04-08 10:59

Ironically after Google's Larry Page pledged in the first line of his 2004 IPO letter -- that "Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one." -- Google under his new CEO leadership is in fact rapidly becoming much more of a "conventional" company.

Three Big Early Signs from Mr. Page's CEO-ship:

  1. Conventional Management: Mr. Page has reorganized the company to be just like conventional companies by establishing clear "Management 101" lines of control for the first time (per an exclusive in the LA Times.)
    • In doing so, Google for the first time brings conventional focus to what Google's actual business priorities are.
    • Mr. Page established six new Senior VPs direct reports for: Mobile, Social, Chrome, YouTube, Search, and Ads.
      • Mr. Page's vision for Google is obviously not just as a search company but as a Googlomerate of more autonomous units.
  2. Conventional Video Programming: Google is reorganizing YouTube into conventional video channels and is going to fund its own programming just like conventional broadcast and cable networks have done for decades. If you can't beat em, join em.
  3. Conventional proprietary management/control: Google is no longer operating its business as "open source" like it has long claimed, it is now asserting conventional proprietary management control over its Android operating system by demanding anti-fragmentation agreements from its partners.

In sum, Google is becoming much more of a "conventional" company under Mr. Page.

  • Ironically, Mr. Page is embracing conventional "management 101" methods in order to make Google more nimble and innovative. A sort of "Back to the Future" management approach. Peter Drucker might approve.
  • A big open question going forward is -- will new CEO Larry Page also embrace the conventional role of a CEO and become the public face of Google and respect the conventional needs of external constituencies (media, investors, customers, partners, and Government) for information and interaction with Google's CEO.
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