Hidden Transcripts in Google LLC

Michael Foucault (a celebrated French Philosopher) is credited with the famous quote that claims that “where there is power there is resistance” (Foucault, 1978). Consequently, social scientists have been preoccupied with exploring power and in isolated cases, studied power resistance. One greatly explored form of resistance is everyday resistance, which explores how people act in their everyday lives in ways to undermine power (Scott, 1990). In this respect, James C. Scott introduced the concept of hidden transcript, the strategy of power resistance that goes on offstage, which is common in different organization including in Google LLC.

According to Scott (1990), all the subordinate people employ different strategies of resistance that may sometimes go unnoticed by the superiors due to the differences in the modes of interaction between the dominators and the oppressed. The dominators-oppressed relationships and interactions can be understood into two transcripts; the public and the hidden transcripts (Scott, 1990). The public transcripts are the public or the open interactions between the subordinates and their dominators, and reflect the normal day-to-day relationships between the oppressed and the dominator. The public transcripts are normally pacified and appear acquiescent, with the oppressed putting on the mask of being contented and happy, pertinent to their relationship with the dominator. The oppressed assume a conventional pattern of speech and stylized public performances, which help them avoid conflicts with the dominators. However, this performance is only skin-deep, and quickly changes when the oppressed leave the realm of onstage.

When the oppressed leave the dangerous realm the intimidating gaze of their dominators, they slip into the realm of offstage, such as their servants’ quarters, they shed-off their masks to express their hidden feelings to colleagues, families and friends. In this realm the oppressed can speak words of revenge, self-assertion, anger merciless lampooning raucous laughing and even bitter criticisms. They do it in the protective care of the offstage, away from the watchful eye of the dominator. As such, the only way to understand the complexity of power relations between the subordinates and their dominators is to understand the hidden transcripts of the powerless that belies their calculated conformity of the everyday life. The importance of understanding hidden transcripts to understand power relations can best be evidenced through the power relations at Google LLC.

Explanation of Organizational Context

Google LLC is a multinational company that provides internet-related services and products, such as search engines, online advertising technologies, cloud storage, computer hardware and software programs. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and was initially organized in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who now own fourteen percent of its share and fifty-six percent voting power, through super-voting stock power. Google started its activity as an online search website, however, nowadays it offers diversified interned products and services, as well as mobile phones hardware. This broad product portfolio, as well as its expansive market, has made Google one of the most influential companies in the high-tech companies internationally with its pioneer product, Google search, being used to search close to 70% of all internet searches (Google, 2018). Google LLC has more than eighty-eight thousand full-time employees, and is one of the best employers in terms of remunerations and benefits packages. The company is also credited for maintaining cordial power relationships between the managers and the subordinates, a factor that promotes optimal employee productivity (Google, 2018).

Application of Theory

In terms of everyday power relations, the subordinates in Google LLC can be viewed as the dominators as they wield the power to decide important employment issues within the company including salaries and employment packages. Conversely, the subordinates can be viewed as the oppressed, as their salaries, benefits terms of service and even duties and responsibilities are often decided by the management (dominators) (Horsley, 2004). The Google LLC has an excellent public transcript, whereby employees at the company often site very cordial working relations with the management. They employees boast of the best remuneration and benefits packages, excellent management among other beneficial employees’ considerations that make Google LLC to seem to be the perfect haven for all employees (Google 2018). However, it is just the public transcript, a narrative given by the employees under the watchful eye of the management and does not provide a real picture of the power relation between the oppressed and the dominator.

A critical exploration of the hidden transcript of the Google LLC reveals a massive discontentment among some employees pertinent to the employee-employer relationship at the Google LLC. However, the majority of the hidden transcripts of Google LLC can only be attained from the Google’s ex-employees, who are in no fear of victimization from the employer as are the current employees. According to Arrington (2009), there is a long list of disgruntled employers at Google if the long list of disgruntled ex-employees is anything to go by. The majority of the discontentment arises from low rates of remuneration, overworking, incompetent managers, and discrimination as is the case with James Damore among other cases (Arrington, 2009). These are the issue that are often spoken offstage in any company, thus reveal the hidden transcript in Google LLC.

As from the aforementioned, where there is power, there is resistance. However, for the oppressed, power resistance can only be understood by recognition of the hidden transcripts, which include the issues raised by employees when they are away from the watchful eyes of their employees. Google’s hidden transcripts reveal disgruntled employees, who complain about low pay, discrimination among other unfair employment practices. However, the hidden transcripts cannot inform policy formulation as they are almost always hidden from the dominators.

References

Arrington, M. (2009). Why Google employees quit. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2009/01/18/why-google-employees-quit/

Foucault, M. (1980). The history of sexuality. New York: Vintage Books.

Google LLC. (2018). Our latest. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/about/

Horsley, R.A. (2004). Hidden transcripts and the arts of resistance: Applying the work of James C. Scott to Jesus and Paul. Leiden: Brill.

Scott, J.C. (1990). Domination and the arts of resistance: Hidden transcripts. New Haven: Yale University Press.