‘Googleplex Cultures’: a Marxist analysis of Silicon Valley workplace cultures
‘Googleplex Cultures’: a Marxist analysis of Silicon Valley workplace cultures
Author
Tharani, Alim
Faculty Advisor
Date
2020
Keywords
corporate culture , Google , Marxism
Abstract (summary)
This paper takes a Marxist approach to analyze Silicon Valley workplace cultures and how they exploit and alienate their
workers. Unlike traditional corporate offices, Silicon Valley workplace cultures offer a range of perks and benefits that attract
every office worker; however, it makes them feel a sense of appreciation, known throughout the paper as ‘Googleplex
culture’. This culture presents a “decentralized workforce explicitly with integrated units working together to find solutions to
problems or failure” (Tran, 2017) while providing employees with a range of unconventional, yet useful amenities.
Throughout this paper, it is clear Googleplex culture’s onsite benefits, such as kitchens, free meals, snacks, cafés, private
rooms, designated sleep areas, workout facilities, and many more perks the average workers could only wish for, obscure
both the absolute and relative surplus labour which lead to exploitation. Googleplex cultures claim to be centred around the
worker; however, the concept of crunch depicted in these companies is mainly focused on profits rather than employee
health, further providing evidence that these workplace cultures initiate Marx's four forms of alienation.
Publication Information
Tharani, Alim. 2020. "‘Googleplex Cultures’: A Marxist Analysis of Silicon Valley Workplace Cultures." Crossing Borders: Student Reflections on Global Social Issues 2(1). doi:10.31542/cb.v2i1.1995
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Student Article
Language
English
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)
