For too many Western brands, "it's the ugliest race to the bottom because the financial crisis in America and Europe means that people are getting very scared of buying expensive things, " says Sanjiv Pandita, executive director of the Hong Kong-based Asia Monitor Resource Center, which tracks labor conditions across the region.

WSJ: Apparel Retailers Confront Tough Options

Google lacks a way to get new ideas surfaced and on the agenda for management discussion, rapidly create a team dedicated to the growth project, resource the teams with money and other necessary tools, and then monitor performance while simultaneously encouraging behaviors that are outside the Google norms.

FORBES: Where Larry Page must manage risk, and invest time, as Google's new CEO