CLASH OF THE TECHNOLOGY TITANS - GOOGLE VS MICROSOFT

1.   Define and compare the business strategies and business models of Google and Microsoft.

Google began as one Search Company among many but the effectiveness of its Page Rank search algorithm and online advertising services, along with its ability to attract the best and brightest minds in the industry, has helped Google become one of the most prominent companies in the world. The company’s extensive infrastructure allows it to offer the fastest search speeds and a variety of Web-based products. Google believes that the maturation of the Internet will allow more and more computing task to be performed via the Web, on computers sitting in data center rather than on the desktop. This idea is known as cloud computing, and it is central to Google’s business model going forward.

Microsoft grew to its giant stature on the strength of its Windows operating system and Office desktop productivity applications, which are used by 500 million people worldwide. Sometimes vilified for its anti competitive practices, the company and its products are nevertheless staples for businesses and consumers looking to improve their productivity with computer-based task. Microsoft has built its success around the model of desktop computing. Microsoft’s goal is to embrace the Internet while persuading consumers to retain the desktop as a focal point for computing tasks.

2.   Has the Internet taken over the PC desktop as the centre of the action? Why or why not?

No. This is because Internet can be access through many others medium such as via smartphone, notebook, handphone, and many more. Maturation of the internet will allow more and more computing task to be performed via the Web, on computer sitting in data center rather than on desktop but PC desktop is still a focal point for computing task as it difficult to be done in other medium. Beside that, with new advance technology with broadband and Wi-Fi, Internet usage become much more wider where by people can access to the Internet anywhere at anytime using their handphone or smartphone.

3.   Why did Microsoft attempt to acquire Yahoo!? How did it affect its business model? Do you believe this was a good move?

Microsoft attempt to acquire Yahoo! because it can help to increase market share. Yahoo! controls 20 percent of market share as compare to Microsoft that is under 10 percent so by acquiring Yahoo!, Microsoft can increase their market share. It can help Microsoft to achieve its business model. It is a good move as it can bring success to Microsoft Company because Microsoft goals are to innovate and disrupt in search, win in display ads, and reinvent portal and social media experiences. By acquiring Yahoo!, it can help Microsoft to meet the target.

4.   What is the significance of Google Apps to Google’s future success?

Google effort by introducing Google Apps may enhance their future success if they are attempting to compete with Microsoft. Their basic and simpler version might be suitable for beginners because Internet has become dominant in today’s technology, thus, user may download the applications offered by Google. Instead, Google also offers applications such as Google Scholar and Google Sketchup that can be searched and downloaded for free. Besides that, Google offering Premier Edition for $50 per year per person and this would be an advantage for them because their applications are cheaper as to compared with $500 per year per person offered by Microsoft. However, Microsoft has already sustained its growth in such applications for very long and it would be hard for Google to encroach on Microsoft’s turf as they have dominant large number of customers that are reluctant to change from Microsoft Office.

5.   Would you use Google Apps instead of Microsoft Office applications for computing tasks? Why or why not?

Google Apps may suitable and practical for beginners that wanted to learn to use such applications because it might be easy to be downloaded and it is simpler version as compared with Microsoft as stated by Google. However, traditionally most of computer users used Microsoft Office for computing tasks and very satisfied with it. Office definitely a safe choice, easy to use and user are adapted to use from the beginning before Google introduced its Google Apps. Even for Macbook (Apple laptop) users use Microsoft Office for Mac although Apple introduced iWork (similar like Office but for McIntosh). This shows how convenient the applications and the writer would use Microsoft Office applications instead of Google Apps for computing tasks.

6.   Which company and business model do you believe will prevail in this epic struggle? Justify your answer.

Google is the leading search engine that controls over 60 percent of the Internet search market and the companies gets bigger. With this statement, the writer believes that Google would prevail in the clash with Microsoft. Even Microsoft has been dominant for very long in computing tasks, they started to gets fierce competition from Apple that introduces better and more attractive applications. Google has several applications that would be the reason for researchers and users to search. The company’s extensive infrastructure allows it to offer fastest search speeds and variety of Web-based products. Therefore, it has helped Google to become one of the most prominent companies in the world.