[netcan]

If you think of what a company does to explore & exploit, you might characterize CEOs as being stronger in one or another.

I don't think you can say that Google under Schimdt has been weak in the explore department. Operating systems, web based office, video maps. BTW, I think every one of them can eventually be tied profitably to their core business.

Exploit, on the other hand, has been very effective but not really all that creative. If I was a google shareholder I would want to see them try to focus on the glue that ties these new services to their main business.

Google's customers are a massive asset. One that I think is hard for technical people to understand unless they spend some time working with them. Salt of the earth businesses. Electricians, cleaners, removalists, doctors, lawyers. These guys pay sums that would have been thought impossible to extract from small businesses. They pay, and they are hungry for more stock. Then, they have a massive ecosystem of consultants who can sell Google services to them and make them work for them.

All they have to do is find ways to grow the stock. That's why I think the Groupon interest is a step in the right direction. They don't need to go out and hussle to find businesses for it. They have them in bulk.