Name one major development project at Boeing that is on schedule and on budget. Just one.
Pros
If you are passionate about aviation. The products have been great and hopefully will be in the future. Someone considering a career here might hope that the down turn will be severe enough to truly purge the deadwood and force the company to focus on the essentials of being a successful business. For the right person, this could be just the challenge they are looking for. The aggregate level of business acumen, even in the management and central marketing areas is woefully low. This presents an opportunity for a bright person who understands the complexity of the product and the business environment to make a difference.
Cons
There exists a bloated management structure and a toxic culture where leaders have been driven out. A culture of "yes men" has taken root. Opportunities for people with true leadership skills are few and far between. Over the years, the sense of urgency has evaporated from the collective consciousness. On the production side, particularly the 737, incredible achievements in manufacturing efficiency and quality have been realized. Unfortunately, the entire industry seems to have become unable to develop new products without exceeding budget projections by a factor of two or three or more. This is clearly the case at Boeing and presents a significant challenge going forward.
