Case
Teaching Notes
Abstract
The case follows Google LLC (Google), a pioneer in using serendipity as a workplace design for increasing chance interaction among employees as a means of innovation. Serendipity-based workplace design at Google resulted in the ideation and launch of famous products such as Google News and Street View. Apart from Google, several other tech companies, including Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Zappos.com, and other Silicon Valley players, also adopted serendipitous workplace design practices to enhance innovation chances. According to experts, serendipity was not meant for path-breaking innovation and generally involved small incremental improvements. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as companies made employees work from home, concerns regarding serendipity in a virtual environment remained. How could Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, combat serendipity challenges in a virtual work environment?
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