Pros
Despite some routine upheavals common to all major corporations, it's actually a fairly stable place if you aspire to be at Director level or below. Most VP's and above get shot or otherwise attritted on a regular basis, typically 2 years, then out. The better career strategy in this place is to stay one notch lower, and stay off the radar, and then stay for many years. There is little incentive to jump to the higher levels here.
Cons
The place is absolutely obsessed about their insane BDP's (business development plans) and budgets. They spend 9 months each year arguing what the numbers should be for the next year and initiating various cuts, instead of growing the business, grooming people and taking entrepreneurial risks. Then they start the insanity all over again 3 months later. It's a protracted disease like nothing you've ever seen anywhere, and is driven by a Dutch finance spendthrift mentality that all other companies have abandoned 50 years ago. It is not really a corporation at all, just a loose group of companies running wild, with a deep fear of any central control and fearful of any change. The few folks who are in the central control spots are fearful of exercising any power or authority for fear of losing their jobs, and tend to just go with the flow and make least common denominator decisions that offend no one.
