Google Cloud Sharing Case Study: Impact of Google Drive Digital Innovation

This report discusses the impact of Google Drive digital innovation on Google Company's business model. It uses a Work-Centered Analysis to compare the company before and after the innovation. The report presents opportunities and threats presented by the innovation and recommendations for handling disruptive events.

Google Cloud Sharing Case study
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Executive Summary
Digital innovations are important part of technology companies. Digital innovations disrupt
business existing models and create new value. The following report discusses how Google
Drive digital innovation affected the Google Company when it was launched in 2012. A Work-
Centred-Analysis has been used to analyse the company before and after digital innovation
disruption. The report found that the Google Company model was changed by Google Drive
innovation that increased the number of products and changed customer access of Google
products. The digital innovations presented the company with an opportunity for growth by
increasing number of products, market share and retaining customer’s strategy. The innovation
also posed security and new entrants threats. The report recommends that the company should
take patent and invest in data security for digital innovation. The report concludes that digital
innovations opportunities should be maximized and threats minimized to enhance business
growth.
Table of Contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Background Information..............................................................................................................................4
Work Centred Analysis Framework for Google Drive..................................................................................5
Before Cloud Storage...............................................................................................................................5
After Cloud Storage.................................................................................................................................5
Assessment of Google Drive Innovation......................................................................................................5
Recommendation........................................................................................................................................7
Implementation of plan...............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................8
Appendix...................................................................................................................................................10

Introduction
Digital innovations disrupts existing value network and creates new markets. Innovation creates
new system of production and marketing that change the product nature and method of
marketing (Zott, and Amit, 2017). Digital innovations have impact to an organization strategy
and business model that requires organization to implement new frameworks to remain
competitive in the market (Lusch, and Nambisan, 2015). The following report outline changes
that has occurred in Google Inc due to a digital innovation. Cloud sharing innovation to changed
Google existing business model and modernized the company operations. The report will
analyses Google Drive digital innovation using work centred analysis approach and compare the
company before and with the disruptive innovation. The report will then assess the effects of a
digital disruptive innovation and recommend on the how to handle a disruptive event.
Background Information
Cloud sharing digital innovation is a model of storing data in logical pools. The logical pools
provide virtual storage space when companies or individuals can share files online. Google
launched Google Drive in 2012. The Google Drive digital innovation was a synchronization and
file storage service. The Google drive aimed to allow consumers to store files on Google servers
and synchronize the files to their devices. The product had both online and offline for users. The
offline capacity was for offline editing for iOS and Android Smartphone, MacOS computers and
Windows. The Google Drive had the following features; Google Docs, slides and Sheets, and
office suite. The Google Drive allows collaborative editing of spreadsheets, drawing, documents,
presentations, and forms that are saved automatically in the drive (Demirkan, Spohrer, and
Welser, 2016)
The Google Drive changed the number of products that Google was offering to it users. The
product also changed how consumers were to access the Google products by creating an online
interface. The customers were also able to synchronize their files across the Google products.
This entailed that a customer only required to have a single account that would be used across
multiple Google products.

Work Centred Analysis Framework for Google Drive
Before Cloud Storage
Google Work Centred Analysis before Google Drive had customers have few products. The
main products for the company were Gmail, Google AdWords, Google AdSense, and Google
Search Engine. The company customers were Gmail users, advertisers, searcher, and content
sellers. Customers were supposed to create account for each product. The Gmail users were able
to send and receive emails while Advertisers signed up for Google AdWords and AdSense that
provided advertising services. Those searching content on the internet using the Google Search
Engine were not required to create account. The company required Computer scientist, IT
specialists, and internet marketers to maintain and improve company products. The Customers
data was stored in their in house storage.
After Cloud Storage
The introduction of cloud sharing by the company increased the number products that the
company was offering. The company started to receive customers in need of storage space. The
cloud sharing enabled usage of single account to access all the company products in the business
process of the company. All customers were required to sign up for Gmail account that was
synchronized and used in other company’s product. The company was required to hire engineers
to work on cloud computing and maintain the storage.
Assessment of Google Drive Innovation
The cloud sharing innovation in Google presented both opportunities and threats. The innovation
changed how consumers interacted and accessed the company products. The innovation event
opportunities gave the company an advantage in the market while threats posed challenges that
require to be addressed.
Google got several opportunities from Google Drive innovation. First, the innovation increased
the number of products that the company was offering. The Google Drive innovation introduced
Google Docs, Slides, Spreadsheets, and office suits that were not previously offered by the
company. The innovation also introduced file sharing and storage space for customers.
Increasing number of products enables a company to grow its products in the markets. Tirabeni,

Soderquist, and Pisano, (2016) stated that increasing the number of product enables an
organization to diversify it risks in the market. The innovation therefore introduced more
products that were not offered before in the Company. Secondly, Google Drive introduced
Google to new markets. Google started offering storage space and file sharing services that
enabled it to explore the market. The company ventured in this new market that was not
exploited or flooded by other companies (Barrett et al., 2015). Thirdly, Google Drive presented
an opportunity for increased company profits. The innovation increased number of company’s
products and enabled reach to new markets that increased sales. Nylén and Holmström, (2015)
new products increase sales that increase organization revenue earning higher profits. Fourth,
Google Drive innovation enabled customer retention. The Google Drive required customer to
have a Gmail account to use their services. This made it mandatory for users to sign up for a
Gmail account. This increased the number of Gmail accounts singed up by users to be allowed to
use other products of the company. This factor also made it easy for users to use several services
without need to sign up all time. This increased the company’s market share in providing email
services. This synchronization branded Google Inc to be the most valuable brand in the globe.
Lastly, the innovation enabled the company to attain a competitive edge in the market. Google
Drive enabled the company to offer free online storage and price their products at competitive
prices. This propelled the company to become a technological giant in internet based services.
On the other side, Google Drive presented several threats that posed challenge on the
performance of the company. First, the Google Drive threatened the company’s security. Storing
users’ information was a risky business because of increased hacking and virus (Lyytinen, Yoo,
and Boland, 2016). The company was therefore required to invest in system security and backup
to avoid losing customers data. Secondly, the company needed new skilled labour to maintain the
cloud storage. Clouding storage required engineers to build, maintain, and protect data. Lastly,
there was threat of new entrants. The innovation required the company to protect from new
entrants to minimize competitions. These threats posed challenges the Google Company required
to address for the innovation to have high return on investment (RIO)

Recommendation
The following recommendations can be used to reduce threats when adopting an innovation and
maximize the opportunities;
First, the company should acquire a patent to every new idea. A patent will help protect an
innovation from being duplicated by competitor who can increase competition in the market. A
patent can also help the company license an idea or product when transferring ownership.
Secondly, it recommended for the company invests in developing security systems that can
assure customers data safety. Data security is important when implementing an online based
product because of increased hacking and internet viruses that can interfere with product.
Another recommendation is that the company should invest in equipping manpower for an
innovation. Human skills are important to successful implementation of an innovation (Fichman,
Dos Santos, and Zheng, 2014). The company should recruit and train people before launching an
innovation to ensure effectiveness in maintenance and continued improvement.
Implementation of plan
The plan for implementing the report recommendation will follow three main steps;
Step 1: Acquiring patent: This will ensure the idea cannot be duplicated or used elsewhere
without the company consent. This will also minimize competitors in the market when the
project is launched.
Step 2: Recruiting and training personnel: This will equip employees with expertise to
implement the innovation in the company.
Step 3: Instituting a security system: This will involve investing in artificial intelligence and
other security application that can maintain the system security and uphold credibility, reliability,
and confidence to customers.

Conclusion
From the report, digital innovations are part organization growth. Digital innovations are
disruptive to the business model and strategies. They change the organization’s existing models
and establish new models that lead to new opportunities and threats. Google Drive is a cloud
sharing innovation that changed the company model by synchronizing data and introducing file
sharing. The innovation also enabled customers to acquire storage space online. The Google
Drive innovation presented the company with an opportunity for marketshare growth, customer
retention strategy, increased profits, and competitive advantage. The innovation had threats of
new entrants, security of data and human resource skills for maintaining its performance. The
report recommends the Company should take patents, train employees, and invest in a security
system when introducing an innovative product. Therefore, companies should be prepared for
digital innovation and should maximize their opportunities and minimize their threats to get its
benefits.
References
Briscoe, G. (2014). Digital innovation: The hackathon phenomenon.
Barrett, M., Davidson, E., Prabhu, J. and Vargo, S.L., 2015. Service innovation in the digital age:
key contributions and future directions. MIS quarterly, 39(1), pp.135-154.
Demirkan, H., Spohrer, J.C. and Welser, J.J., 2016. Digital innovation and strategic
transformation. IT Professional, 18(6), pp.14-18.
Fichman, R.G., Dos Santos, B.L. and Zheng, Z.E., 2014. Digital innovation as a fundamental and
powerful concept in the information Systems curriculum. MIS quarterly, 38(2).

Lusch, R.F. and Nambisan, S., 2015. Service innovation: A service-dominant logic perspective.
MIS quarterly, 39(1).
Lyytinen, K., Yoo, Y. and Boland Jr, R.J., 2016. Digital product innovation within four classes
of innovation networks. Information Systems Journal, 26(1), pp.47-75.
Nylén, D. and Holmström, J., 2015. Digital innovation strategy: A framework for diagnosing and
improving digital product and service innovation. Business Horizons, 58(1), pp.57-67.
Tirabeni, L., Soderquist, K.E. and Pisano, P., 2016. Driving Innovation by Enhancing Employee
Roles. The Balancing Act of Employee-Driven Innovation. World Academy Of Science,
Engineering And Technology, 10(1), pp.148-156.
Zott, C. and Amit, R., 2017. Business Model Innovation: How to Create Value in a Digital
World. GfK Marketing Intelligence Review, 9(1), p.18.

Appendix
Before Google Drive Customers
People using Gmail Users, adverting business and
Website search
People using Google Search Engine
Business Process
Sending and Receiving Emails
Searching content on the internet
Biding Keywords for advertisement
Information
Application programming
for online use
Participants
Programmers
Internet Marketers
Technology
In house Storage
Product
Gmail, Google Search Engine,
AdSense, AdWords

After Digital innovation
Customers
People using Gmail Users, Advertising,
searching content, and requiring storage
space online,
Products
Gmail, AdSense, AdWords, Drive, Search
Engine
Business Process
One can use a single account to access all
company products for search engine,
AdWords, AdSense, and sending emails
Information
Qualified and
experienced
Workforce to create
online based software
and maintains cloud
storage
Participants
Computer Scientists
IT specialist
Internet Markets
Engineers
Technology
Cloud Computing