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Paradoxical Thinking of Google

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Paradoxical Thinking of Google
Paradoxical Thinking of Google
Abstract
Paradoxical thinking is looking at a problem from opposite perspectives. We live in a complex world which is full of paradoxes. Paradoxical thinking has contributed to many companies success. It is important for us to know about paradoxical thinking. This article analyzed that how Google applies paradoxical thinking in their interface, products and '20 percent program '. Then the article indicated that the key to learn paradoxical thinking is open in mind.

Paradoxical Thinking
Introduction
Before we get started, we need to know what is paradoxical thinking. A paradox is a group of statements that are contradictory. And paradoxical thinking is looking at a problem or a situation from different or even opposite perspectives, and finding the same thing which is deep down in two opposite perspectives. (Westenholz, 1993) For example, in the 1830 's, Faraday had observed that a current of electricity passing through a wire could cause the magnetized needle, which was located close to the wire, to move in a rotational direction. This was the basis of his electric motor. But he didn 't stop with this. He twist his mind and found that moving magnets can cause electricity to flow. This is one of the most brilliant application of paradoxical thinking.
Paradoxical thinking has helped plenty of companies to be successful. The following research on Google is trying to find out how they practice paradoxical thinking.
Research on Google
Company History
Google Inc. is an American corporation which provides internet-related products and services. It has the dominant position in this field. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and set up the workspace in a garage. At the end of 1998, Google was recognized as the search engine of choice by "PC Magazine". In 1999, Google received 25 million dollars investment and started its rapid growth. In 2000, Google started to release multiple language versions of Google.com and became the world 's



References: "Our History in Depth" . Google Inc. (2012, October 21). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/about/company/history Gube, J. (2009, September 12). Popular Search Engines in the 90 's:Then and Now. Retrieved from http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/popular-search-engines-in-the-90s-then-and-now/ Helft, M. (2009, March 11). Google to Offer Ads Based on Interests. The New York Times. K.R.Ravi. (n.d.). Paradoxical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.krravi.com/PARADOXICALTHINKING.pdf Schonfeld, E. (2008, January 9). "Google Processing 20,000 Terabytes a day, and Growing". Retrieved from TechCrunch. Stross, R. (2008). Planet Google: One Company 's Audacious Plan to Organize Everything We Know. New York: Free Press. T.Belasen, A. (n.d.). Paradoxes and Leadership Roles. Walker, A. (2011, November). 'Creativity loves constraints ': The paradox of Googles twenty percent time. Ephemera: Theory & Politics in Organization, pp. 369-386. Westenholz, A. (1993). Paradoxical Thinking and Change in the Frames of Reference. Organization Studies, pp. 37-58.

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