Sandoz, like many very large companies, is not as flexible and quick as a smaller firm would be. They tend to rely heavily on systems and controls, which, in itself, is a very good thing that will keep the company from committing critical mistakes. However, those same systems can inhibit reaction time to various issues, opportunities, and also reduces entrepreneurial spirit.
Another negative is related to the investor-driven optics. Every quarter there are numbers to be met and investors (especially institutional) to keep happy. But negative events happen, and this is where the problems begin. A negative event is anything that will negatively impact net sales and profit, like sales of a blockbuster drug falling off much more quickly than expected. This leads to cost cutting exercises to try (and usually fail) to meet the bottom line profit number. Trying to hit the number is a good thing. But sacrificing the future to varying degrees (through layoffs, consolidations, downsizing, etc.) is not. This has impacts to both the health of the company, as well as the perception from the outside world.
