Google is a corporation whose main objective, from the point of view of the critical theory, is to generate profit and maximize its shareholders' wealth. As an organization and as a browser, Google is accompanied by some myths. One of the myths related to Google is about the possibility of finding answers to all questions free of charge. The myths about the organization may be strengthened as a result of providing and sharing tools that satisfy all needs of the users. The organization is able to sustain the myth of being indispensable and omnipotent. In accordance with the interpretation under the critical theory, there is only an appearance of gratuitousness. This publication is to conduct a critical analysis of the Google myths that are sustained by the organization's strategy and to present them in line with the effort to maximize the profitability of the new media corporation being analyzed. The author thinks that the analysis of the myth in the context of the strategy constitutes an uncommunicated pattern that is, however, copied by numerous new media organizations.
TopIntroduction
Constant development of new technologies means that the digital revolution that has started at the end of the last century still continues. Its consequence is undoubtedly universal access to the Internet and, therefore, in response to the demand reported by users, the emergence of many different new media organizations. Network users have almost unlimited access to their resources, regardless of the time zone and latitude in which they are located. It would seem that the only obstacle is the speed and stability of one’s connection.
Although, as mentioned, there are many new media organizations, and their number is constantly increasing, this publication will take a closer look at one of the most popular, if not the most popular – Google.
Google is primarily a corporation whose main purpose from the perspective of critical theory – which has been adopted in this analysis – is to maximize profits and shareholders’ wealth. Few users of the services and tools offered by this new media organization realize that Google is only a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, which made its debut at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) in August 2004, with exchange rate of 100.1 USD (Successful Google debut, access 20.08.2004). Currently, as evidenced by stock quotes, the exchange rate is 944.26 USD (NASDAQ exchange quotations, as of 16.08.2017). These values speak for themselves, so it is worth asking the following question: what has contributed to the large-scale success of Google? What measures have helped the owners of the analysed new media organization to achieve such a high position and gain the trust of network users?
We can cite many opinions and myths about this organization, which are reproduced not only by the management bodies of Google, but also by the users themselves. The key issue analysed in this document is the role of these messages and whether they contribute to the achievement of Google’s financial goals. In order to answer this question, this paper will include a critical analysis of the myths associated with Google, myths that, according to the author, dictate the strategy of the organization and are presented in accordance with the desire to increase the profitability of the analysed new media company.
In order to analyse the role of the myth in the context of the new media organization's strategy (Google), the paper includes qualitative research. With it, it will be possible to explore the phenomenon of mythologising new media organizations looking at them from a broader perspective, through the prism of different fields of science.
Myths have been and still are the subject of interest of researchers form many disciplines, such as anthropology, sociology, philology, as well as those analysing the strategies of organizations. To better understand the mechanism of action of the organization, whose strategy is based on, among others, disseminating myths, a critical analysis based on texts on the issue examined will be conducted. These actions will allow us to verify the following hypotheses:
- 1.
Myth is en element in the context of which we should interpret the strategy of the new media organization Google, leading to the achievement of market goals.
- 2.
Myth is associated with strengthening the brand position of a new media organization.
- 3.
Interpretation of the strategy in the context of the myth associated with an organization often has a universal, non-communicated nature and may be reproduced by many new media organisations.
TopMyth And Organisation
For many, the first association with the word “myth” can be mythology, which is widely known thanks to the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. As noted by Józef Niżnik, the myth has long occupied an important place in the culture of ancient societies and the so-called primitive societies, although we can see an increasing interest in this issue by modern researchers, who seek to raise the rank of the myth by proving that it still plays an important role in the contemporary culture, despite elapsed time and the continuous development of technology (1978). In addition, Józef Niżnik in the article “Myths as a methodological category” also draws attention to an important issue, namely:
Today’s representatives of humanities are less interested in the examples of myths [...] and more interested in their functions. What really fascinates, are the specific needs met by myths.