Discussion: Google’s Web Pages
Discussion: Google’s Web Pages
How did the information systems and the organization design changes implemented by Knudstorp align with the changes in business strategy?
2. Which of the generic strategies does Lego appear to be using based on this case? Provide support for your choice.
3. Are the changes implemented by Knudstorp an indication of hypercompetition? Defend your position.
4. What advice would you give Knudstorp to keep Lego competitive, growing, and relevant?
Sources: Adapted from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/business/global/06lego.html (accessed August 21, 2015) ; Brad Wieners , “ Lego Is for Girls ” (December 19, 2011 ), 68 – 73 ; information from Lego ’ s 2012 annual report, http://www.lego.com/en‐us/aboutus/news‐ room/2013/february/annual‐result‐2012 (accessed March 29, 2015); and “Lego Case Study,” http://thelegocasestudy.com (accessed March 29, 2015).
Started in the late 1990s, Google grew rapidly to become one of the leading companies in the world. Its mission is “to organize the world ’ s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” It is operating on a simple but innovative business model of attracting Internet users to its free search services and earning revenue from targeted advertising. In the winner‐takes‐all business of Internet search, Google has captured considerably more market share than its next highest rival, Yahoo . This has turned Google ’ s Web pages into the Web ’ s most valuable real (virtual) estate. Through its two fl agship pro- grams, AdWords and AdSense, Google has capitalized on this leadership position in searching to capture the lion ’ s share in advertisement spending. AdWords enables businesses to place ads on Google and its network of publishing partners using an auction‐engine algorithm to decide which ad will appear on a given page. On the other hand, Google uses AdSense to push advertisements on publishing partners ’ Web sites targeting a specifi c audience and share ad revenue with the publishing partner. This creates a win–win situation for both advertisers and publishers; Google makes more than 90% of its revenue from ads.
You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.
Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.
Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.
The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.
