Semi-Organic Growth: Tactics and Strategies behind Google's Success

An in-depth examination of Google's innovative approach to M&A

Semi-Organic Growth presents a unique analysis of Google's distinctive expertise in the area of mergers and acquisitions, derived from more than 150 acquisitions carried out over the company's short history. While organizational growth has traditionally been characterized as organic (internally generated) or inorganic (from acquisition), this book examines Google's semi-organic strategy for accelerating product and service revenue, explained through a unique sector/subsector classification scheme that dynamically maps the media, Internet, and technology platform markets. You'll gain insight into Google's disclosure strategies for private company transactions, and more importantly, their methods for integrating acquisitions into product and service offerings to achieve ecosystem synergy. Unique perspective reveals the lessons learned along the way from both successes and failures, and the companion website gives you access to the tools that help you implement what you've learned.

Google's extensive use of M&A as a growth strategy has been in sharp contrast to the practices of rivals like Apple, and further contrasts with the failures of many other companies in corporate business development. This book shows you the thinking behind the company's successful methods, and demonstrates the mechanisms behind the success.

• Learn why corporate M&A activity often fails to add value
• Delve deep into the complex dimensions of M&A integration
• Discover what Google has learned through specific deals
• Consider innovative integration methods that foster synergy

Google is an iconic, premiere company, and it didn't happen by accident. Their success is driven by their innovative approach to strategy in all areas, and their M&A expertise has been a major contributing factor. Semi-Organic Growth takes you through the core workings of Google M&A to provide insight into successful strategy for the modern market.

About the Author

George T. Geis teaches at UCLA Anderson in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, financial modeling, entrepreneurship, and accounting. He has been voted Outstanding Teacher of the Year at UCLA Anderson five times. Geis has also served as Associate Dean and Faculty Director of UCLA Anderson's Executive MBA program. He is currently Faculty Director of Anderson's Mergers and Acquisitions Executive program.

Geis has taught mergers and acquisitions at the Haas School, UC Berkeley. He has been a visiting professor at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy as well as at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Geis is an expert on M&A activity in technology, communications and media markets. His latest book, Semi-Organic Growth, provides an in-depth analysis of Google's innovative approach to M&A. Geis' research interests include market modeling for M&A-related strategies as well as venture initiation and growth processes.

A National Science Foundation and Woodrow Wilson Honorary Fellow, Dr. Geis has extensive consulting experience and has published dozens of professional articles and six books. He is the recipient of the Financial Executives Institute Award for outstanding achievement in finance. In 2013, Geis was a Batten Fellow at the Darden School, University of Virginia.

Dr. Geis taught in the LEAD Summer Institute for minority youth for more than 10 years. He has provided management education for directors of Head Start programs nationwide as well as for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in UCLA's Entrepreneurs' Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. His 16- tape lecture series on "Statistical Analysis in Business" appeared as part of the Teaching Company's Super Star Teacher series.

Geis is editor of trivergence.com, a web site that provides a visual analysis of M&A deals in technology, media and communications markets. He also writes a blog entitled M&A Professor.

Geis received a B.S. "summa cum laude" and with "honors in mathematics" from Purdue University , an M.B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. from University of Southern California.