Abbott Labs – “Experience of working at Abbott Labs”

Pros

The company is a solid performer that is very financially or numbers driven and provides good benefits. It is more a company to retire in rather than start a fast-paced career with (although different divisions have their own personalities). But, then that is no secret.

Cons

The decision making can be slow and bureaucratic at times. Senior management does not follow a hands-off approach and will try and impose US-think to other parts of the world (even though it does not work the same). I was surprised by how little direct exposure top management has to international markets particularly in the emerging markets.

Advice to Senior Management

More international people should be seen in top management positions. Almost all top managers are wasp with narrow thinking and a restricted worldview. Greater customer focus.
What works in the US or Europe does not necessarily work in the developing markets, yet same templates and expensive American expat managers are imposed in geographies where they take a year to find out what is happening, another year to blame their predecessor and the last one to find something new to do back home!
Strategic thinking about business during reviews. My experience has shown only numbers and more numbers being discussed almost to the exclusion of business issues or market or customer.