Caterpillar reviews

Middle management is very transient in decision making. The almost weekly changes in direction creates waste and frustration among staff. While there is very little that can be done about this mode of operation, discipline in the development processes will enable faster, more accurate decision making. Some areas of the organization have the potential for protecting "old habits" (i.e: "we have always done it this way"). It can be an overwhelming challenge for staff-level engineers to break these barriers to do what is right. The most significant challenge is to work with the people who stifle and disqualify the input of others.

The "Good Old Boy" network still exists in some areas, in that people advance based on a core group of men who have worked together and are very successful. They are in a position to advance people. Senior Management is extremely male dominated and over 50 years of age. Because of this, most major decisions are extremely conservative and slows the company down.