An Exploration of Google's Acquisition through Integrating Strategic Brand Management and Network Theory

The purpose or the study is to explore Google’s network expansion through acquisitions by integrating two different perspectives - Strategic Brand Management and Network Theory - in order to fill the gap in the existing branding literature in relation to network theory. In addition to Strategic Brand Management and Network Theory, the study also explores literature that is related to interrelatedness of networks and their impact on corporate brand identity and reputation as well as corporate and business strategy in relation to brand and market orientation. Furthermore, brand architecture helped us to identify the branding relationships between acquisitions and the acquiring company. In methodological terms, the research method chosen to conduct this study involves the analysis of a case study with embedded cases which is supported by content analysis of secondary data. Our three main contributions in academic terms include the following; (1) the integration of two approaches in order to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of network expansion through acquisitions, (2) the identification of corporate brand identity as a key component to maintain consistency between the two perspectives for the integration process and (3) the determination that a synergistic relationship between corporate strategy and corporate brand strategy allows a network to undertake radical changes in the network without compromising its overall identity. Our three main managerial implications are the following; (1) the explanation of the impact that the expansion of a network can have on corporate brand identity, (2) the development of a broader and more flexible framework that can be used to identify the compatibility between the acquisitions and the acquiring party’s corporate brand identity and (3) the identification of four specific corporate brand identity elements that can particularly impact on the corporate brand level in a tech acquisition context