Reports that Google has announced job cuts at its Doubleclick unit perhaps signals that the 'magic' doesn't insulate from wider economic forces.
Google's unique monopoly business model has made it the focus of much attention and it is not unusual to find Google presentations at various HR events as people frantically scribble 'nuggets' of how to do it differently.
But the economic horizon and the recent Microsoft bid for Yahoo (I forecasted last year a potential change in this market-space) are changing some of the ground that Google is built on. The phenomenal rise of Google is perhaps for the first time encountering 'a wall' of sorts as advertising revenue begins to take a dip.
It will be interesting to see how it copes with its first economic downturn. For an organisation that prides itself on its rigorous recruitment selection process it must be a bit of a blow to have to make the cuts. Unfortunately that's what economic reality does. I trust that it doesn't have to make anymore but I wouldn't put any money on it.......
