CH 11 Case Google+China=Trouble Google has built its business around a bold, ide

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CH 11 Case Google+China=Trouble Google has built its business around a bold, idealistic principle: "Build stuff that users like, and figure out how to make money later." And profits have indeed soared, quarter after quarter. But when Google entered China-an economic superpower of the future-the company had trouble reconciling its lofty ideals with totalitarian reality. Unhappy that Google offered such broad access to information, the Chinese government began to block access to Google. They used giant Internet "router" switches (which control information entering or leaving China) to slow down-and periodically shut down access to Google. Given the unreliable performance, Google's market share stagnated. Meanwhile, Baidu-its key, China-based competitor raked up more than half the growing market. Google's managers chafed. They were incensed that Baidu was taking "their" users and frustrated that they often couldn't deliver for the users who remained Against this backdrop, Google decided to try a different approach. It created a new version of its site Google.cn-and placed the servers within the physical borders of China. This eliminated the international "router" problem of the California-based version, but subjected Google to Chinese censorship laws. The Chinese government requires that all China-based Websites comply with what seem to be intentionally vague restrictions (example: companies cannot provide content that "infringes upon national customs and habits'"). In actual practice the government's approach means self-censorship, since it does not offer any specific restrictions. This left Google with some tough choices In broad strokes, Google management decided that censoring the tiny universe of potentially offensive information was worthwhile, because it allowed them to offer the vast universe of neutral information in a fast, reliable flow. But even after they made this decision, Google faced another other challenging choice When people search a censored topic-say, Tiananmen Square, scene of the Chinese government crackdown on student protestors-should they just get the sites that pass muster, or should they get no information at all? Consider the arguments in favor of each approach: approach: as muster, or Chinese

Explanation / Answer

1. In my views, Google has not handled the censorship issue well in China. They seem to have adjusted their business operation to accommodate illogical needs of a tyrannical government. This particularly attacks the right of democracy of the individuals. China wants to exert its control over the content being delivered on a free network. If the content is controlled, the whole essence of a free network vaporizes.

Instead of bowing down to the whims and fancies of the Chinese government, Google could have tried to negotiate their way in the Chinese market. The current way of handling the censorship issue, just highlights that Google wanted to maintain its business in Chinese market anyhow and so they adapted to unauthorized needs of the Chinese government, thereby adulterating its own business form.

2. Google has the informal motto of “Don’t be evil”. The way Google’s management has handled the censorship issue in China clearly states that they gave way to the Chinese autocratic policies, just to maintain its business in the Chinese market. Even if this led to going against the normal flow of their business foundation. Google had been established as a free network where any kind of information is easily accessible by the consumers. It could have been clearly considered as an advocate of democratic rights across the world. However, in China, it gave way to the evil means and prejudices of the Chinese Government. The whole fundamental of being a free network gets corrupted if the users have to see filtered content based on illogical reasoning of the government. Clearly, Google’s actions in the Chinese market had undermined the impact of their motto.

3. This question becomes invalid as Google has ended its data censorship in China in the year 2010.

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