The problems start at corporate HQ. I worked there as a contractor for a few years. Getting anything done there is a huge political struggle. When I was there, at least, B&M and dotcom were two separate concerns, often with conflicting goals. Product was off doing its own thing. Everybody there seemed to forget they were all playing for the same team.
I routinely worked with MBA's from supposedly reputable schools who could put excel spreadsheets together, but couldn't interpret the results. Most full-timers spend their days in meetings while contractors do the real work. When I finally left, they offered me a few plush full time positions, in which I would have vague responsibilities and ill-defined deliverables. No thanks, I told them.
Everybody there felt pretty smug when they were kicking Circuit City's ass. Now the shoe's on the other foot.
I can back you up on this. I also worked at corporate as a contracter on the dotcom team and it was a total circus. After outsourcing the work for their website for so many years, the entire site was a disaster. Not to mention the "business" side was running on waterfall while our team was trying to do agile. Worse? Mangers on both sides knew it and did nothing about it - this was just considered "normal" there.
I pulled the plug after only 8 months - it was crazy what was going on there. Afterwards, a few of my friends who also did short stints there were amazed I lasted that long.
I routinely worked with MBA's from supposedly reputable schools who could put excel spreadsheets together, but couldn't interpret the results. Most full-timers spend their days in meetings while contractors do the real work. When I finally left, they offered me a few plush full time positions, in which I would have vague responsibilities and ill-defined deliverables. No thanks, I told them.
Everybody there felt pretty smug when they were kicking Circuit City's ass. Now the shoe's on the other foot.