The value google provides here is not the technology, but a "neutral" external partner. It means that bosses do not need to elevate anyone's responsibilities to

The value google provides here is not the technology, but a "neutral" external partner. It means that bosses do not need to elevate anyone's responsibilities to some niche (but probably better) alternative tool. It's the same with most standard tools or outsourcing partners. The point is not so much "no one got fired for choosing IBM", it's that IBM is customer to the boss, not the subordinate. A big value in SaaS is that it allows the boss to have the highest privileges in all systems.