| Op-eds in prominent newspapers around the world | | | | It is very momentous to acknowledge that China's |
| are discussing profusely the latest decision by Google | | | | economic practices are far from fair and its |
| to disengage from China in a move that epitomizes | | | | socio-political system may at times be antithetical to |
| the search engine's level of camaraderie with | | | | paradigms experienced in other parts of the world. |
| communist censors. | | | | That China is not a democracy is commonplace |
| While few viewpoints offer a holistic examination of | | | | rhetoric, yet many, if not all, Fortune 100 companies |
| a complex issue that goes beyond the business | | | | are keen to put basic tenets about free speech into |
| sphere, the majority applaud Google's shift as | | | | oblivion and open a Chinese subsidiary. |
| salutary to enhancing democracy in the Asian | | | | Geostrategic factors at the macro-economic level are |
| country. | | | | those that Google should pay thorough attention to. |
| The query nowadays in the western hemisphere is | | | | The firm is a leader in its industry and possesses |
| whether China can live without Google. | | | | reliable friends within the Obama administration - |
| Many respond by the negative, citing, among others, | | | | Andrew McLaughlin, its former head of global public |
| the infancy of the country's technology infrastructure | | | | policy, is currently the Deputy U.S. Chief Technology |
| and its limited number of qualified engineers; some | | | | Officer in the Executive Office of the President. Yet, |
| even posit metaphorically that Beijing will be "in the | | | | a company by itself cannot represent a major |
| darkness" after such exit. | | | | strategic player in the much larger and complex |
| Truth be told, China needs Google far less than the | | | | continuum of US - China relations. |
| opposite. Hence, to the inverse question - can Google | | | | Politicians are very economical with the truth when it |
| live without China? - the reasonable answer becomes | | | | comes to China. While they occasionally resort to |
| yes. | | | | rhetorical dissent vis-a-vis Beijing's transgressions on |
| Strategically, there is a superfluity of arguments | | | | democracy and issues relating to free speech, they |
| attesting that the Mountain View, California-based | | | | all keep legendarily mum when it comes to coupling |
| technology mammoth is following the wrong path in | | | | business with ethics. |
| handling its Chinese conundrum. Some of these | | | | They shouldn't be necessarily blamed because there's |
| arguments are specifically endogenous to the firm, | | | | a variety of sibylline elements that make up |
| whereas others are more varied in nature and closely | | | | transnational relations, and bi- or multi-lateral issues |
| inherent to the macro-environment in which the firm | | | | are not always simplistic with crystal clear solutions. |
| evolves. | | | | If Google pulls out of the mainland, it stands to lose |
| Google does not divulge the size nor the profitability | | | | billions of dollars in core revenues and collateral |
| of its China business but it can be inferred, from the | | | | business. It will lose its dominance in the regional |
| country ca. 400 million internet users, that Google.cn - | | | | search business and such economic void will attract |
| its local portal - contributes a hefty part of the | | | | other rivals, which in the end will cripple the firm's |
| overall bottom line. | | | | global market share. |
| Gauging the firm's scope of business in Mao's republic | | | | This doom scenario is far from a Hollywood sci-fi |
| implies factoring not only core search revenues but | | | | episode. If Google exits, locals (such as Baidu) and |
| also the ancillary business derived from joint-ventures | | | | major rivals like Microsoft's Bing and Yahoo will |
| in Asia and Google's own commercial undertakings. | | | | doubtless grab the manna. Alternatively, new |
| The firm cannot ignore the potential cash-cow that | | | | entrants may easily imitate the firm's search model |
| Chinese internet users represent and the competitive | | | | and take advantage of local authorities' reprimand and |
| pre-eminence that a local presence can proffer. The | | | | develop their business. |
| recent announcement from Google to move its local | | | | There is a long list of Western multinationals |
| servers from the mainland to Hong Kong and end its | | | | operating in the mainland despite repeated protests |
| censorship of searches does a disservice to the firm's | | | | from human rights activists. Think McDonald's, |
| core business strategy because Google needs to be | | | | Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Citibank, etc. |
| in China to win in the Chinese market, irrespective of | | | | Collateral losses for Google are already reflecting |
| the notorious practices of the nation's economic | | | | China's angry reaction after the search engine made |
| climate. | | | | its announcement; news media reported so far that |
| Therefore, Ed Burnette is accurate in reiterating this | | | | Chinese mobile phone companies will drop Google or |
| viewpoint. | | | | Android, its new mobile operating system. |