Semi-Organic Growth, + Website: Tactics and Strategies Behind Google's Success - Hardcover

by George T. Geis (Author)

An in-depth examination of Google's innovative approach to M&A

Semi-Organic Growth presents a unique analysis of Google's distinctive expertise in the area of mergers and acquisitions, derived from more than 150 acquisitions carried out over the company's short history. While organizational growth has traditionally been characterized as organic (internally generated) or inorganic (from acquisition), this book examines Google's semi-organic strategy for accelerating product and service revenue, explained through a unique sector/subsector classification scheme that dynamically maps the media, Internet, and technology platform markets. You'll gain insight into Google's disclosure strategies for private company transactions, and more importantly, their methods for integrating acquisitions into product and service offerings to achieve ecosystem synergy. Unique perspective reveals the lessons learned along the way from both successes and failures, and the companion website gives you access to the tools that help you implement what you've learned.

Google's extensive use of M&A as a growth strategy has been in sharp contrast to the practices of rivals like Apple, and further contrasts with the failures of many other companies in corporate business development. This book shows you the thinking behind the company's successful methods, and demonstrates the mechanisms behind the success.

• Learn why corporate M&A activity often fails to add value
• Delve deep into the complex dimensions of M&A integration
• Discover what Google has learned through specific deals
• Consider innovative integration methods that foster synergy

Google is an iconic, premiere company, and it didn't happen by accident. Their success is driven by their innovative approach to strategy in all areas, and their M&A expertise has been a major contributing factor. Semi-Organic Growth takes you through the core workings of Google M&A to provide insight into successful strategy for the modern market.

Front Jacket

Since the beginning, Google has been a highly successful experimental lab, not only for products and services but also in using M&A to further its overall strategy. Written by George T. Geis--a noted expert in the field of M&A--Semi-Organic Growth offers an in-depth analysis of Google's distinctive expertise in the area of mergers and acqui-sitions and shows how M&A activity became a core element in Google's ongoing ability to thrive. Traditional organizational revenue growth is characterized as organic (internally generated) or inorganic (from acquisition), and this book highlights Google's unique use of a blended, semi-organic strategy to accelerate product and service revenue.

Semi-Organic Growth clearly illustrates how Google's M&A moves can be explained by dynamically mapping the media, Internet, and technology platform markets. Effective market modeling dynamics are illustrated with graphics that offer an appreciation of the important categorical M&A dimensions and help to visualize deal constellations. By tapping into these winning market-modeling techniques, any company can increase its core competency in M&A.

The author reveals why Apple and Google traditionally applied dramatically different corporate philosophies to the role of M&A and explains why Google's acquisition of Applied Semantic was a watershed transaction. Semi-Organic Growth includes profiles of many of Google's most successful acquisitions and examines why others have failed. The text contains an analysis of the acquisitions that Google has made to strengthen its position in Internet search, accelerate its move into a range of additional Internet products and services, and offers a detailed market model to explain Google's Internet-related purchases. In addition, the companion website provides videos designed to add to your understanding of the key concepts found in a given chapter.

Semi-Organic Growth explains how acquisitions have played a key role in extending Google beyond its core search and advertising business to an ever-expanding technology platform for new products and services. It walks you through the core workings of Google's M&As and offers keen insight into an effective strategy for today's competitive marketplace.

Author Biography

GEORGE T. GEIS teaches at UCLA Anderson in the areas of corporate business development and entrepreneurship. He has been voted Outstanding Teacher of the Year at UCLA Anderson five times. Currently, he is faculty director of Anderson's Mergers and Acquisitions Executive program. Geis has also taught mergers and acquisitions at the Haas School, University of California, Berkeley.