I suspect this tells us more about Argentina than it tells us about Google.
Google’s 2nd Headquarter in Buenos Aires « Reflections about International Poltics
Google has opened a second headquarters in the business district (Puerto Madera) of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The new office in Argentina will act as the regional hub for the company, managing not only Latin America but also providing some services to the Spanish market. Before Buenos Aires, Google had headquarters in the US and Ireland. The company is expected to employ about 1,000 workers initially, and that number will move to 2,000 within the next few years. The Argentina government is excited about Google opening in their country because of the many jobs it will create for its citizens.
I think this article is important because it is proving how globalization and transnational companies are really growing. Google was started in Silicon Valley (my home) and now it has become so popular worldwide. I think it is great that it is giving other countries opportunities for employment and experience at this kind of technological company. Google is a search engine that should, and can be used by anyone to search anything that they might want to research. It deinitely should be available for all those who want it.
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The fact that Google opened up an office in Buenos Aires, Argentina is great. It is a great location for them to be in as well as the fact that they are offering jobs in a area that has a very high unemployment rate. Argentina has many hard workers that are in need of work and I hope that Google is treating them right and paying them an appropriate wage. I know many people that are currently living there and they can’t stress enough on how bad it really is. This move made by Google will hopefully entice other corporations to follow suit and open other business’ there to support Argentina’s slow economy.
By: Jesse on April 19, 2007
at 4:33 am
¿Como se dice Google en español? Claro qué es cambio para mejor. The introduction of the Google enterprise into Argentina may be controversial to those who are against corporate America dominating the developing world but their presence provides many positives. The construction will provide jobs, the corporation’s maintenance will provide jobs, the corporation itself will provide jobs and countless spin-off jobs will be created by the increase in access to technology. Google has single handedly changed the way people seek out information. Yes there are other search engines but none of them have become everyday verbs like Google has (to google something…). The potential for students and young people to expand their knowledge base with greater access to internet resources is something that cannot be measured. Though corporate America’s translocation into the global south tends to be a negative step, as long as Google is fair and provides decent working conditions and wage standards, I think this could be a positive move.
By: Stacy on April 23, 2007
at 8:24 am
I agree with this blogger and the article that Google opening a hub in Argentina is an example of positive globalization. As such a huge and reputable company like Google with worldwide popularity, it only makes sense that they would want to spread themselves to a broader, more diverse region. I think that the most important effect this will have is that, as it was stated in the post, it will employ about 1,000 and then eventually 2,000 employees. With that many more jobs, the Argentinean economy is bound to experience significant growth. I agree with Stacy that there are some who would see that another American company positioning itself abroad will look to some that corporate America is gradually trying to take over and push out competition. However, if corporate America coming in and boosting the country’s national economy and creating more job and presenting the opportunity for locals to develop to their full potential (all without exploting the people or the country’s resources), I just don’t see what the problem is.
By: Cathy on April 25, 2007
at 8:38 pm
The fact that Google has begun establishing its presence should come with little surprise, but is still a positive on the whole. A company whose databases process over 1 million clicks per second, adding another center, creating jobs, and establishing economic ties to Buenos Aires seems like a logical decision. One interesting aspect of this issue is Google’s oversight in the construction planning of the new office. As Thomas Friedman reported (author of The World is Flat) on his Discovery Channel special, “Green: The New White and Blue”, Google moved its US office (located in Washington State) to a location in close proximity to a hydroelectric power plant. This is an important and responsible decision, as each hit that Google receives must be processed by massive supercomputers, made up of processors that must be cooled by electric fans, making each Google office a top consumer of energy. By running its US location completely off renewable, clean energy sends a positive message to the environmental community, and sets a good example for corporate America, which should be followed. By making little to no effort to continue this environmental consciousness, I feel as though Google dropped the ball in some respect. Buenos Aires is a sunny area. Can anyone say solar power?
By: Nick G. on April 25, 2007
at 10:50 pm
I have to say that I as well view this as positive. Simply as a fact that the jobs that Google is creating are the ones that can help people in developing countries like Argentina (actually this country is, in a way, special since a decade ago it was facing high unemployment, hyperinflation, and the inability to pay off massive debts). I say this because we so often see the negative effects on these developing countries due to globalization. We see a subtle type of exploitation where manufacturing jobs are sent to poorer countries because of their cheap labor, or we see foreign investment that extract resources and revenue and causes the vicious cycle of poverty that is explained in dependency theory. These jobs created by Google in Argentina seem like jobs people want and pay relatively well. It is a step in the right direction in development when you are able to shift away from agriculture and manufacturing to the service sector.
By: Mitch on April 26, 2007
at 6:51 am
In my world politics class we were just discussing the positives and negatives of having a big multi-national corporation (MNC) move in. With all the good things that Google can possibly bring the Buenos Aires region, I believe the country should consider some of the negatives.
The positives are that it will bring in a lot of new technology to the country. It will just give the area a face lift and maybe update some of the equipment other places use and what the workers know how to use. Like you said, Google will offer many potential jobs for the citizens. This will be great because it will create a lot of money flow through the community. Hopefully it will raise the economy, I’m sure it will. Another thing an MNC can do when it moves in is allow families to start sub divisions and create even more jobs outside the corporation. I don’t think Google will do this but other MNCs could.
However, the negatives that come with having an MNC is that it does not generate any money which comes back to the state except for what it pays its workers. A lot of times big corporations give off a lot of pollution. Lastly, big corporations are often able to make products cheaper and sell them cheaper than small, family owned businesses. This causes a problem because many families must close their stores. We’ve even seen this problem here in the U.S. with small towns when a Wal-Mart moves in. This can also cause a problem because if the MNC chooses to move out and leave, it can cause an economic collapse for the state because of its dependence on it.
I think its great Google is furthering our globalization and creating more jobs, but I just hope that is all it does. Hopefully with its great income it will give back some of its profit to the surrounding community instead of always shipping it back to its main offices.
By: Meredith on April 27, 2007
at 1:44 pm
I also agree that expanding ‘Google’ to Buenos Aires, Argentina is great and also a positive note for globalization. Unemployment rates are extremely high and considering that ‘Google’ will be employing these citizens and paying them in a decent manner, I really do not see any wrong in the situation. I really think that it is a step in the right direction, and could be opening a lot more doors in the future. Kudos to Google and its expansion in Argentina, hopefully with time the major inflation issues will fade away, and the unemployment rates will decrease.
By: Pearl on May 10, 2007
at 9:58 am
Good morning sir.
i am charles johnson,i am looking for a job based on spanish.i completed diploma in spanish from ciefl,(hyderabad), india
your’s faithfully,
charles
By: charles on June 9, 2008
at 10:49 pm
go-OHG-lay
Yeah, I am pretty sure.
By: Supercool on August 25, 2010
at 8:41 pm