PBS高端访谈:谷歌成立新公司Alphabet,这意味着什么?

 　　GWEN IFILL: Now big changes at a global tech business icon¹. Google announced late yesterday it is restructuring.

　　The core Internet search business, with which it is most closely identified, now becomes the largest subsidiary of a newly created holding company named Alphabet. Other enterprises under the Google umbrella, like the home automation division Nest, become part of Alphabet.

　　Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will oversee² the new conglomerate³, and current vice⁴ president Sundar Pichai will become Google's new CEO.

　　But what difference will that make for consumers?

　　By way of background and explanation, we turn to David Yoffie, a professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School who writes about the technology industry.

　　So, Professor Yoffie, why the reorganization? What's the purpose of this?

　　DAVID YOFFIE, Harvard Business School: I think that Larry had a couple ideas in mind.

　　Probably, first and foremost, he wanted to streamline⁵ the company, potentially make it much more entrepreneurial, and give people in the very small businesses an opportunity to be their own CEOs, so that they could run the company in a more entrepreneurial way.

　　They also wanted to make the business respond faster to the market, streamline the bureaucracy at the top of the organization. And I think he also was hoping that it would be a great way to retain some of the really good people who otherwise might be looking for other opportunities in Silicon⁶ Valley.

　　GWEN IFILL: What are these other non-search businesses? I think you call them moon shot enterprises.

　　DAVID YOFFIE: Yes. Well, I don't call them that. That's what Larry calls them.

　　And they are things like Google X, which is robots and self-driving cars, Calico, which is looking at how do you expand life expectancy⁷, Nest, which you already mentioned, as well as Dropcam, which is an Internet-based video that you can put in your home or in a business.

　　There are also businesses like Google Capital and Google Ventures, which are traditional venture capital-like firms or late-stage venture firms that are looking at long-term investments in technology trends.

　　GWEN IFILL: Tell us about Sundar Pichai. What does he have to do about this, and what difference does it make that he's taking over? Any?

　　DAVID YOFFIE: I think, in that case, Sundar is known to be a great manager, a great personality, extremely well-liked inside the company.

　　And he's largely going to continue doing exactly what he was doing before, except he goes from being a senior vice president to a CEO, at least in the context of the Google umbrella, which is now going to be called the Alphabet umbrella.

　　GWEN IFILL: How does Google, or Alphabet, but in general the company, make its money? It makes a lot of money, but is it really from all of these other enterprises, or is it from what we know, what we recognize?

　　DAVID YOFFIE: Well, there are two answers to the question. One is, we don't actually know. Google doesn't tell us. They keep all of the information about their segment reporting, what each individual business makes, a secret.

　　But we know that they make about 90 percent of their profits from advertising⁸, which is the business where Sundar is going to be the CEO.

　　GWEN IFILL: OK. So when you get your Google screen up for your search with your Google doodle or whatever else you find there, what difference will it make for the average consumer that the company is structuring itself differently now?

　　DAVID YOFFIE: For the average consumer, they're going to see any difference whatsoever⁹. The Google Web site will be the Google Web site. The Chrome browser¹⁰ will be the Chrome browser, and Android on your smartphone will be exactly the same, run by the same people in the same organization.

　　So, for a consumer, it shouldn't be meaningful. The real question is, will it be different for investors¹¹. Will they get more information? And will it be different for these other businesses, where they will potentially be unlocked and able to move more quickly?

　　GWEN IFILL: Well, also, will it be different for this public perception of Google, which has a reputation of being kind of different, a little quirky? And now it seems like it's headed more in the direction of Berkshire Hathaway or a GE.

　　DAVID YOFFIE: And that's the open question. Is Alphabet really trying to become a conglomerate like a Berkshire Hathaway, or is it just a reorganization?

　　That part, the verdict is still out. It's very hard to be a conglomerate in the tech world. It's a lot easier at Berkshire Hathaway, where you're dealing¹² with companies like Fruit of the Loom¹³ and NetJets or insurance.

　　But in a company such as Alphabet or Google, you're dealing with very high-tech¹⁴, very capital-intensive, in some cases, certainly R&D-intensive businesses, where innovation is the key, and not simply running the business for cash flow.

　　GWEN IFILL: And, finally, does this protect Google in any way from the challenges to its primacy, especially in Europe? Regulatory challenges, by reorganizing itself, does it become less vulnerable?

　　DAVID YOFFIE: No, I don't think so.

　　Google's core business, what's going to still be called Google, Inc., is the primary business where they're being challenged by antitrust authorities in Europe. And that will be equally vulnerable under this structure as well as the old structure. So Google still has to deal with potential antitrust issues, whether they're trying to put other competitors in their business out of business, and this structure really doesn't help them at all.

　　GWEN IFILL: Professor David Yoffie of the Harvard Business School, thanks for helping¹⁵ us out.

　　DAVID YOFFIE: Thank you.

1 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

2 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

3 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

6 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

7 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

8 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

9 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

10 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

11 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

14 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。