In response to Andrew’s question, I think the answer has to do with why these companies exist in the first place.
Why did Google originally exist? To create an awesome search engine.
Why does Google exist now? To create a return on investment for its shareholders.
Now, creating shareholder value is certainly a worthwhile goal (especially for shareholders), but I think it probably undercuts the ambitious, entrepreneurial atmosphere that made the company successful in the first place.
Google is only a few years removed from its explosion as a multi-billion dollar public company, so some of that attitude of perpetual hustle probably still lingers.
But imagine a firm like Microsoft, where many employees weren’t even born when the company transformed from startup to juggernaut.
Being huge certainly doesn’t preclude innovation — I think Microsoft has done some truly outstanding work with its Xbox 360 game console, for example, and Apple, also a massive firm, did single-handedly transform the digital music player market — but it does mean that innovation isn’t necessarily your top priority.
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