The Google Matrix: Balancing Core Business and Moonshot Projects in a Shifting Tech Landscape
Case Study Brief: Google Inc. in 2014 By Emmanuel Kasigazi, 21st Feb 2025 Introduction Google’s meteoric rise from a search engine start-up to a global technology leader stems from its core mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible. However, by 2014, the company faced growing complexities in managing an e ver-expanding portfolio that included Android, YouTube, Google Docs, and more (Edelman & Eisenmann, 2017). With such diversity came questions about how to remain innovative without diluting core competencies. Google’s OKR (Objectives and Key Results) frame work has historically driven ambitious projects, yet it also challenges teams to balance risk-taking with focus. Meanwhile, approaches inspired by IDEO’s design thinking could further enhance Google’s product development strategy, but the company must care fully mitigate certain cultural and operational tensions. This brief examines Google’s key challenges, the impact of OKRs on product...