1. Describe the strategic management process at Microsoft. How are strategic decisions made? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach?

2. Explain the role of organizational inertia in Microsoft’s difficulty in establishing a presence in the online paid-search business. What could Microsoft have done differently? What recommendations pertaining to the strategic management process would you give?

3. How did two college students successfully launch a business in online search and advertising that outperforms Microsoft, one of the world’s leading technology companies? Among other issues, consider the role of differences in organizational culture.

4. Why is Google successful in the online search business while Yahoo and Microsoft are struggling?