Can you give me good and bad articles regarding Google?

[denxxchua]

Hi! I'm working on a thesis paper and I'm in need of articles that have good and bad comments on Google. We're doing a company evaluation related with morals and ethics.

[Nicole R]

If you have time, swing by your local library and see what databases they have available to help you out. Odds are good that they will at least subscribe to Academic Search Complete, where you can do a 'subject' search for 'GOOGLE Inc.' and then add other keywords like 'ethics' or 'business practices' to get a variety of results. Most of these are available in their full text from the database.

A few I found:

Einhorn, B. (2006). Helping Big Brother Go High Tech. Business Week, no. 4001, 46-50.
The article reports that American companies like Cisco, Oracle, Google, and Yahoo! are providing the Chinese government with software and equipment that can be used for surveillance on private citizens. The market for security equipment in China is huge, but companies are being criticized for helping to restrict human rights including freedom of speech.


Levy, S. (2006). Google and the China Syndrome. Newsweek, 147(7), 14-14.
This article comments on the decisions by Internet concerns Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. to co-operate with the Chinese government and censor topics that can be researched on their web sites and via their search engines. The author suggests that such actions are unethical and betray the ethics stated by the companies themselves in the interests of commerce. Internet use in China is second only to the United States in volume.


Kaser, D. (2005). Googlephobia. Information Today, 22(7), 16-16.
This article expresses opinion on issues involving search engine operator Google Inc., including the controversy of its supposed merger with Amazon.com. Combining search with social networking, the Google Grid will provide news tailored to the individual. The news media will file a lawsuit to stop the evolving personalized information construct (EPIC) news service. The case will go all the way to the Supreme Court, which will decide in Google's favor. At its worst, states the narrator, EPIC is merely a collection of trivia, much of it untrue, narrow, shallow, and sensational. But it is wanted and chosen. And its commercial success preempted any discussion of media, democracy, or journalistic ethics. Still, there is always a shred of truth in futuristic visions. Maybe Google will not buy Amazon. And maybe everyone will not accept social networking as the preferred news source. The author was reminded of this when he saw the letter that the Association of American University Presses sent to Google and also published in Business Week Online. Though it is not a suit per se, the letter includes 16 itemized points, each in the form of a question, and each with a legal implication about the Google Print for Publishers and the Google Print for Libraries programs.

Alsop, R. (2005). Ranking Corporate Reputations. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition, 246(122), B1.
The article discusses the annual Reputation Quotient ranking of corporations. Emphasis is placed in technology companies, which made an impressive showing and enjoy the strongest reputation of any industry. Google Inc. debuted this year and placed third after Johnson & Johnson and Coca-Cola Co. However, most industries, such as automotive, airlines, pharmaceuticals and energy, lost ground in the rankings, and the overall reputation of American corporations slipped despite a growing emphasis on ethics, social responsibility, and corporate governance.

Vise, D. A. (2006). GOOGLE. Foreign Policy, no. 154, 20-24.
The article discusses various claims regarding Google, Inc., a leader of the internet and technology industries. The prospect of Google as a worldwide company equivalent to Microsoft is discussed, as well as its innovation and commitment to technological ethics. The author's book, " The Google Story: Inside the Hottest Business, Media and Technology Success of Our Time" discusses these issues and others surrounding the company.

Anders, G. (2007). Why Google Inspires Diverging Case Studies. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition, 250(38), A2.
The article focuses on Google's management practices. He questions whether the company is revising the rules of good management or just enjoying its breakthrough regardless of missteps. He mentions management consultant Gary Hamel and business professor Thomas Eisenmann, who were both studying the case of Google. He points out the danger of following the business model of young companies to gain success.

Hardy, Q. (2005). Google Thinks Small. Forbes, 176(10), 198-200.
The article looks at the corporate culture of Google Incorporated under Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt. Schmidt and other insiders believe they may have found a world-changing way to run a company. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, children of the Internet, have built a world where a well-chosen elite accommodates flexibility, shifting roles and urgency. Google shares all the information it can with as many employees as possible, encouraging debate but insisting on like-minded cooperation. This ideas-and-data approach lets Google use fewer managers.




I looked to see if Google Scholar would link anything relevant for you, but the results didn't seem nearly as good and it didn't offer any of these.

I suspect that, as my results show, you're going to find more 'bad' articles than good because it makes better news, especially lately. Focusing on things like their work environment or particular products might get better 'pro' articles. Also try using the keyword 'evil' in searches - you'll get articles calling google evil, but also referring to their maxim of 'don't be evil', and get some that balance both sides.

Good luck in your research!


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