What Would Google Do?

What Would Google Do? examines Google's business principles and methods, exploring how they can be applied across industries and sectors. The book breaks down Google's approach to openness, innovation, and customer relationships. Author Jeff Jarvis analyzes specific cases of companies and institutions that have either succeeded or failed to adapt to the digital age. He presents strategies for implementing Google-style thinking in fields including media, healthcare, education, and government. Through interviews and research, Jarvis outlines the core rules that drive Google's success: give users control, harness the power of networks, make mistakes quickly, and operate with radical transparency. He demonstrates how these principles create value in the modern economy. The book serves as both a business manual and a broader commentary on how the internet has transformed power structures, challenging traditional models of authority and control. Its insights extend beyond technology into fundamental questions about how organizations and society function in a connected world.

Readers found the book's core ideas could have been conveyed in a blog post rather than a full book, with many noting significant repetition of concepts. The first third received praise for exploring Google's business principles, while the latter sections examining other industries felt forced and superficial to many readers. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanation of Google's philosophy - Discussion of transparency in business - Relevant examples from tech companies Common criticisms: - Too much padding and repetition - Dated references and examples - Oversimplified solutions for complex industries - Author's self-promotion throughout One reader noted: "The irony is that Google would make this book more efficient - it needs better search and filtering of ideas." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (5,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (180+ reviews) Several readers mentioned the book would work better as a series of blog posts or a long-form article rather than a 400-page book.

Wikinomics by Don Tapscott, Anthony D. Williams. Mass collaboration and digital connectivity transform business models and organizational structures.

The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. Digital markets enable niche products to compete with mainstream hits, creating new economic opportunities.

Free: The Future of a Radical Price by Chris Anderson. Digital economics and zero marginal costs reshape pricing strategies and business fundamentals.

Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky. Social tools and technologies enable group formation and collective action without traditional organizational constraints.

The Cluetrain Manifesto by Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger. Markets function as conversations in the networked world, transforming relationships between businesses and customers.

🔍 Jeff Jarvis wrote this book after his blog post about Dell's poor customer service went viral and became known as "Dell Hell," demonstrating firsthand the power of online public feedback 📱 The book's concept originated during a conversation between Jarvis and his publisher about Facebook's success, when they wondered: "What would Google do if it were running the publishing business?" 💡 Prior to writing about Google's business philosophy, Jarvis was the creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly magazine 🌐 The book's principles influenced many businesses, including Dell, which later hired Jarvis as a consultant to help transform their customer service approach 📊 Google never officially endorsed or participated in the book's creation, yet the company's then-CEO Eric Schmidt later praised it as an accurate interpretation of their business philosophy