Scoble posted his thoughts on the announcement this morning that the founders of the Dodge ball social networking software which were bought by Google and then effectively ignored, have left Google to pursue new projects.
Scoble sees parallels between what is starting to happen at Google and what has been happening for years at Microsoft. They're becoming a large company, and as such are losing their ability to nurture the entrepreneurs within that have brought them their success:
"It seems that management is trying to get a handle on the chaos that is Google but in doing so is removing some of what made Google attractive to entrepreneurial developers."
I've seen the same thing happens in congregations as well, so I think the problem is systems theory issue not something unique to the business world.
Have any of you seen a place that managed to both grow and innovate? Or does the sociology and group dynamics of "size" preclude it?
Read the rest here: Google gets big company disease?
I've actually wondered this same thing, both in business and in the church. It's one of the reasons I'd like to switch fields after grad school from protein physics to social physics.
Posted by: nate | April 16, 2007 at 08:21 PM
It is inevitable that any organization will change radically as it grows. Some of this change is good and necessary; some of it can be dangerous to the company's survival. Of all the companies I am familiar with, GE has probably been the most successful in recognizing the dangers of size and remaining innovative. This is a rare ability, and I have not seen it in many other companies.
Posted by: Paul Martin | April 17, 2007 at 09:49 AM