Google to slash 200 jobs worldwide

Internet search giant Google Inc is planning to cut nearly 200 jobs in sales and marketing operations worldwide, as the entity grapples with the economic slowdown.

"...we have informed Googlers that we plan to reduce the number of roles within our sales and marketing organisations by just under 200 globally," Omid Kordestani, Google's Vice President (Global Sales and Business Development ) said in a blog posting on Thursday.

The internet search major said it had to restructure its operations to improve 'effectiveness and efficiency as a business'. Google had little over 20,000 employees at the end of 2008.

In recent months, Google has laid off about 100 employees and also cut down on perks, primarily in the wake of the financial meltdown. The company has significant presence in India.

According to Kordestani, the entity has created overlapping organisations in some areas, which not only duplicate effort but also complicate the 'decision-making process'.

"That makes our teams less effective and efficient than they should be. In addition, we over-invested in some areas in preparation for the growth trends we were experiencing at the time," Kordestani noted.