My reluctant relationship with our future Google overlords and the value of understanding the new economy

Despite owning the film “The Internship”, using Gmail religiously, and applying for summer internships I never wanted under intense peer pressure, I never even considered applying to Google. When my classmates asked why I wasn’t interested in what was supposedly a dream position, I would dismiss their question in one of the following ways:

• “No one, especially an employer, gives things like massages away for free.”
• “I’d love to, but the advertising industry has become pretty tame since ‘Mad Men.’"
• “I’m not really that desperate to delete my Gchat history.” (This is a lie. I am terrified of what Google knows about me.)

Unlike many of my peers, working for a technology company never really appealed to me. I always considered it a world for people with a degree in computer science or engineering. I thought I was better off working at a company without free lunches or nap pods.

However, despite my ambivalence towards working for a technology company, I am very excited about the way technology is impacting business and society as a whole. According to Forbes, three of the most valuable companies in the world in 2013 were technology companies. Skype and Whatsapp have facilitated global communication and companies such as M-Pesa and MicroEnsure brought access to credit and insurance to remote regions in Africa.

I have even started to notice subtle changes at my school. Students at London Business School were encouraged to participate in a digital marketing competition this spring and the theme of our Global Leadership Summit next Tuesday June 24th is “Generation Tech: The Impact on Global Business.” The event attracts more than 500 senior executives from a range of sectors and geographies and will offer insights into the challenges and opportunities of the technological change of the modern era.

While I remain immune to the allure of a company that treats its employees the way the rest of us would like to be treated, I am awed by the effect companies such as Google have had on the world. Understanding the implications of the rise of the technology sector is a necessity. I encourage everyone to attend the London Business School Global Leadership Summit, or follow via the webcast , to better understand the impact technology will have on his or her life and profession. I may never work for a technology company, but technology will play a significant role in my career. The more I know, the better off I will be.

-Isaac

Bio: Isaac Gross is a member of the 2015 MBA class at London Business School. Before coming to London Business School, Isaac worked for the Clinton Health Access Initiative in West Africa and the USA. In Africa, Isaac managed a $10 million HIV medication donation, which provided lifesaving medication to over 50,000 people. He also advised governments on cost reduction strategies. In one instance, he helped Ivory Coast save over $3 million by convincing policy makers to update their HIV treatment protocols and buy medication from low-cost generic manufacturers. Isaac is at London Business School because he wants to transition from public health to development finance. He is on the executive committees of the Africa and Net Impact Clubs at London Business School and enjoys playing golf, tennis and rugby. Isaac graduated from Brown University in 2007 with a Bachelors in Science in Psychology.