Interessante la teoria "darwiniana" di Laura Ries nel contestare l'apparente strategia (per il momento di successo, per la verità) di Google di occuparsi di qualsiasi cosa, dal VOIP al WIFI, dai blog alla mail, dai sistemi operativi all'ecommerce.

But today, rich and powerful Google is going backwards on the food chain. Google was once a small nimble fish that became an killer whale, and now looks more like an octopus. Google has its tentacles in way too many divergent businesses.

The problem is that the octopus model for running a business is all wrong. Building a strong base and then stretching out your tentacles in all directions gets your brand in trouble. It confuses the consumer as to what your brand stands for. It confuses the company as it what it stands for. It confuses management as to who the enemy is. It confuses R&D as to what direction to go. It confuses the advertising agency as to what the message is. It confuses the public relations agency as to what the buzz is.

Google starebbe ripetendo l'errore di Microsoft, l'ultimo grande octopus: occuparsi di tutto, dai tablet all'xbox, senza risultare profittevole in nessuna di queste attività collaterali. E alla fine l'octopus diventa sushi nelle fauci del prossimo small killer nimble fish.

Google sushi anyone?