Why shouldn’t one expect to see more companies follow Google’s lead? simple.. The people who runs the worlds largest firms are by and large not invested in their firms beyond their pay package. Executives are commodities whose decisions are made by the short term equation that with profits comes opportunity (for them), and is not about building companies. On the whole.
That, for all the arguments about whether or not the decision was made to comply with a firm’s motto, or what influence the founders upbringing had in complying with Chinese law, the fact remains that the founders of google are still the largest shareholders of the company.. And more importantly have built and retained a culture whereby they can make choices that do against the commonly accepted business rules that they are often measure by.
Which sadly leaves me to believe that few firms will ultimately put the firm’s codes and values out in front of their profit motive. that, when they entered China they made peace with any moral objections that may have existed ( we should not assume that everyone has a moral objections to china, its policies, or those in power).
So, before looking to others to make such morally rightous decisions, keep in mind that some organizations are better structured for such decisions.