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Case | HBS Case Collection | January 2014 (Revised March 2015)

Google Car

by Karim R. Lakhani, James Weber and Christine Snively

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Abstract

By 2013, Google, while not a traditional manufacturer of automobiles, had invested millions of dollars in its self-driving cars which had logged over 500,000 miles of testing. The Google management team faced several questions. Should Google continue to invest in the technology behind self-driving cars? How could Google's core software-based and search business benefit from self-driving car technology? As large auto manufacturers began to invest in automotive technology themselves, could Google compete? Was this investment of time and resources worth it for Google?

Keywords: Digital Services; innovation; technology; auto industry; Technological Innovation; Online Technology; Market Entry and Exit; Transportation; Auto Industry; United States;

Language: English Format: Print 30 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Lakhani, Karim R., James Weber, and Christine Snively. "Google Car." Harvard Business School Case 614-022, January 2014. (Revised March 2015.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | January 2014 (Revised March 2015)

    Google Car

    Karim R. Lakhani, James Weber and Christine Snively

    By 2013, Google, while not a traditional manufacturer of automobiles, had invested millions of dollars in its self-driving cars which had logged over 500,000 miles of testing. The Google management team faced several questions. Should Google continue to invest in the technology behind self-driving cars? How could Google's core software-based and search business benefit from self-driving car technology? As large auto manufacturers began to invest in automotive technology themselves, could Google compete? Was this investment of time and resources worth it for Google?

    Keywords: Digital Services; innovation; technology; auto industry; Technological Innovation; Online Technology; Market Entry and Exit; Transportation; Auto Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Lakhani, Karim R., James Weber, and Christine Snively. "Google Car." Harvard Business School Case 614-022, January 2014. (Revised March 2015.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related

About the Author

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Karim R. Lakhani
Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration
Technology and Operations Management

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  • Technical Note | HBS Case Collection | January 2019

    The Punishment of Business

    Rafael Di Tella, Jose Liberti and James Weber

    Citation:

    Di Tella, Rafael, Jose Liberti, and James Weber. "The Punishment of Business." Harvard Business School Technical Note 719-048, January 2019.  View Details
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  • Case | HBS Case Collection | April 2018 (Revised December 2018)

    The Whistleblower at International Game Technology

    Aiyesha Dey, Jonas Heese and James Weber

    Robert Mayhem, a senior manager at International Game Technology, had filed a whistleblower report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleging that the company had misstatements in its financial reports. Mayhem’s report involved IGT’s practice of refurbishing used parts in one of its reporting segments and then transferring those parts to another reporting segment. Mayhem indicated that IGT’s method of determining the costs of the refurbished parts was inaccurate and resulted in profits being shifted from one segment to another. Prior to his report to the SEC, Mayhem had reported his concerns to his managers and to the company’s internal compliance hotline. At about the same time, IGT announced that it had accepted an offer to be acquired by another large player in the industry, which would soon move its incorporation out of the U.S. and into the UK. What should IGT do regarding the whistleblower and his report?

    Keywords: whistleblower; Financial Reporting; Governance Compliance; Ethics;

    Citation:

    Dey, Aiyesha, Jonas Heese, and James Weber. "The Whistleblower at International Game Technology." Harvard Business School Case 118-061, April 2018. (Revised December 2018.)  View Details
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  • Supplement | HBS Case Collection | December 2016 (Revised December 2018)

    Faber-Castell (B)

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    Supplements the (A) case.

    Citation:

    Raffaelli, Ryan, and Christine Snively. "Faber-Castell (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 417-030, December 2016. (Revised December 2018.)  View Details
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