The Operations of Google Inc - Term Paper Example

Introduction During the current period, it is very important to understand issues related to culture. Culture distinguishes one organisation from theother and it also shapes the way an organisation operates whereby it can be noted that it determines the effectiveness of the organisation. Against this background, this report seeks to critically evaluate the effectiveness of organisational culture and the overall performance of the organisation through an analysis of the operations of Google Inc which is an organisation that specifically deals with providing internet services. The report starts by giving a brief description of the organisation followed by an outline of the organisational culture operating there. Description of the organisation Google Inc is a multinational public computing and internet search corporation based in California. According to its official website, Google operates one of the biggest internet search engines in the world and it develops a number of internet based services and products. The organisation operates more than one million severs in data centers around the world and it has more than 200 000 employees worldwide. Likewise, the organisation also has leaders whose aim is to ensure that they positively influence the members of the organisation to pull their efforts towards the attainment of organisational goals. The organisational culture at Google is inclusive and every employee has something to say. Organisational culture Organisational culture can be described as the shared understanding which exists amongst organisation members with regards to the way things are done in a particular organisation (Swanepoel 1998). It refers to a set or system of shared features such as beliefs, values, assumptions, expectations, symbols and many others. People in the organisation can learn values and they shape their behaviour. Since these values are learned and created, there is an aspect of management function where the management ought to establish a culture in an organisation which can be used as a guide in the way the organisation operates. In every organisation, there is a culture which defines the policies as well as the structures needed in carrying out business. In the case of Google, it can be noted that there are espoused values that are clearly defined by the organisation as its preferred way of doing business and they are reflected in the company’s website. The espoused values at Google Inc put people first and the employees are encouraged to share information as well as learning from each other. Creativity is a virtue and all the employees are given the autonomy to contribute towards the operations of the organisation. To a greater extent, Google Inc uses an inclusive approach in its operations where the employees are treated as valuable assets. According to Schultz et al (2005), this approach is effective in as far as organisational culture is concerned since there is a sense of belonging inculcated among the people employed. By closely analyzing the culture at Google Inc, it can be noted that use low power distance which emphasizes on networking and collaboration. The structure of Google Inc is decentralised whereby decision making is mainly determined all the members of the organisation. Communication is open and all the members of the organisation can interact freely. As per performance, deserving employees can get promotion and can be elevated to the higher positions. The organisational structure promotes learning where the members can share ideas and knowledge. All the members are motivated and this has a positive impact on their performance. Organisational culture is used to design codes of conduct, policies, employee support structures as well as communication channels (Robins, Odendaal & Roodt 2001). There is need to implement these policies and the managers must take a leading role in ensuring that the needs of minority groups in the organisation are also catered for since it contributes to the sum total of the organisational culture. The concept of culture entails that through learning and sharing of ideas, people develop values and norms that form organisational culture. Thus, the concept of organisational culture is very important since it shapes and influences the behaviour of all members of Google Inc. Organisational Climate Organisational climate is described as the behaviour in people which keeps on repeating itself and is easier to assess and change than culture (Ekvall et al, 2000). Organisational climate is mostly concerned with shared perceptions about behaviour as well as attitude and it is strongly believed to play a major role in determining the performance of the employees as well as their creativity. At Google Inc, the organisational climate is accommodative and the members can freely interact while at the same time sharing their ideas. Organisational culture is deep rooted and it is difficult to change it which makes it different from organisational climate. As far as organisational climate is concerned at Google Inc, the behaviour of the people as well as their values are greatly influenced by the way they interact and this positively contribute to their overall performance. This has been supported by Rollinson, (2008) who shows that organisational climate plays a very important role in creativity and innovation processes within the organisation. To a greater extent, the culture of an organisation determines the effectiveness of the organisation’s climate in that it influences its daily operations and procedures, hence it also influences creative activities. For it to be possible for members of an organisation to be in a better position to find solutions to the problems they can encounter at work, they should learn collectively in a bid to create norms, beliefs as well as shared assumptions that become organisational culture. As noted in the case of Google Inc, culture in an organisation is created by members who learn from other people around them. Given such a scenario, it can be noted that organisational climate which originates from its culture plays s pivotal role in enhancing the organisation’s creativity and innovation. Thus, culture determines the effectiveness of organisational climate in many ways. During the current period, it can be seen that we are certainly moving in a knowledge economy where there is need to constantly create and manage the knowledge in order for the organisations to remain viable. In the case of Google Inc, the workers have the power to make decisions about their operations and they are closely related to their managers. Where there is a close relationship between the decision makers and the other employees, it can be noted that there will be mutual trust among them which positively impacts on the employees’ commitment to their expected tasks. Brand (1998), observes that supportive and innovative culture encourages creativity in an organisation which entails that the effectiveness of organisational climate is attributed to the concept of organisational culture. It can be seen that culture in an organisation plays a big role in determining whether the climate of the organisation will accommodate the views of people from diverse backgrounds in order for them to have a feeling of belongingness to it. If the culture of an organisation is accommodative to everyone and it mainly relies on the views and ideas of everyone, then it means that everyone will be inclined to the culture of the organisation as noted in the case of Google Inc. This is the reason why climate should effectively deal with issues related to creativity and innovation. For organisational climate to be effective, the culture must be accommodative so as to avoid problems likely to be encountered which are related to unfair treatment of the employees. Fair treatment of employees is very important in an organisation that is concerned with its goals and objectives which can only be achieved through people. In order for creativity to occur, there must be an open and free climate which encourages people to share ideas and information. A flexible climate can only be created if the culture of the organisation is flexible and accommodative to the wider views of other people in the organisation like the approach taken by Google Inc. Indeed, it must be acceptable that not all creative efforts will succeed given that there are likely to be some unprecedented obstacles hence the need to have a climate in the organisation which promotes creativity and innovation. This often has roots in organisational culture and it has been suggested that organisations should support employees to be creative and there ought to be openness so as to allow the employees to share ideas in such a way that they will be committed to their work (Swanepoel 2008). Feurer et al. (1996) concurs with this notion when he states that creativity can be achieved in climates which are open and flexible. Reflective report In doing my assignments, I can say that I am motivated by various factors. It is my strong belief that during the contemporary period, education is widely regarded as the gateway to success and I am mostly motivated by the need to achieve my educational goals of passing my academic studies. I have an inner feeling that I should do the best. Thus, Schultz et al (2005) define motivation as the force within us that arouses, directs and sustains our behaviour. I am going to use this definition in attempting to reflect on the factors that motivate me to complete my assignments as well as to resolve the problems I may encounter during the course of my studies. My interest in making a good impression about my education both to myself and my peers always arouses me to want to engage in behaviour that I think will allow me to do the best. Indeed, the energy that drives my behaviour towards my schoolwork is the need to shape my career so that I will be able to get the best in the future. I also believe that it is a noble idea to excel in my studies so that I can get a nice job in the future. What also motivates me is the need to meet my personal goals of learning and this is the reason why I always attempt to make a good impression about my assignments because this will reflect on my commitment to my education. I strongly believe that with perseverance, one will be assured of achieving the desired goals in life. I am more than willing to sustain my behaviour until I finally achieve my goal. My motto which inspires me is, “Backwards never, forward ever.” I am focused about the future every time when I am working on my school work. Having a vision about my educational career always gives me hope that someday, I will prosper in my dream achieving academic excellence. I always set my goals which I know are achievable. When it comes to solving problems that I encounter during my studies, I am motivated by the fact I will get long lasting solutions which can positively contribute to the body of knowledge I am building. We often learn from mistakes and this is inspirational in that I always know that I will remain focused in my direction with regards to my educational attainment. Having a purpose in life and everything we do is very encouraging to such an extent that you will not lose focus. Above all, the purpose of learning is to acquire knowledge which is the reason why I do not despair when I encounter some difficulties. If I had all the knowledge, I do not think I may be learning so this motivates me to persevere in my education. References Brand, A, 1998, ‘Knowledge management and innovation at 3M,’ Journal of knowledge management, Vol. 2 No.1. Ekvall, G, Isaksen, SG, Lauer, K.L. and Britz, A., 2000, ‘Perceptions of the best and worst climates for creativity,’ Creativity Research Journal, Vol. 13 No.1. Google official website (ND), Viewed on 11 February, 2011, Mullins, LJ (2008), Essentials of Organisational Behaviour, (2nd edn), FT Prentice Hall. Robins SP, Odendaal A, & Roodt G, 2001, Organisational Behaviour, Pearson Education. Robbins, SP, (2009), Training in Interpersonal Skills, (5th edn), Pearson Education. Rollinson, D, (2008), Organisational Behaviour and Analysis, (4th edn), FT Prentice Hall. Schein, EH, (2004), Organizational Culture and Leadership, 3rd Ed, Jossey-Bass Schultz et al (2003), Organisational behaviour, Van Schaik Publishers, CT. Swanepoel, BJ, (Ed) (1998), Human resources management: Theory and practice, Juta, CT. Read More