Company: IBM
Date: 2013-05-17
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Misaligned Management
Pros: From a global point of view there are some wonderful aspects to working for IBM. 
-some of the smartest people are drawn to IBM, with incredibly deep knowledge 
-you find yourself working with team members from all over the world
-IBM invests in incredible training and supports your work.
-in the larger centers in developed countries you tend to work with highly driven and exceptional people
Cons: I think one of the most defeatist elements of the company is that due to its very complex matrix structure many of its divisions are in conflict or in direct competition with each other. This produces a situation where goals are disparate and misaligned and an enormous wastage of both energy and initiative. 

In the most severe circumstances, one division will plan and begin to execute a new initiative and even gain some traction (including employing staff) only to be circumvented by another division with alternate goals. Unfortunately this can lead to terrible human resource management where staff is brought on, on a permanent basis, only to be released within 6 months when the initiative is stopped. This results in a negative return in investment on the human capital as they have not yet had time to contribute to the business but have cost the company a great deal to recruit and train.