Cara Operations – “Once a Great Company to work for though no longer”

Pros

Below the Senior Management level there was a good group of people to work with. For many it felt there was more than just a Team environment.
Benefit package though cut back was still pretty good in comparison to other equivalent firms.
Vision for the long term of the company was correct even though it was not properly executed causing much of the troubles the company is in today.

Cons

Senior Management lost touch on how to communicate properly with their employees not unless you were a Queens Graduate.
Respect of knowledge from long term employees was not solicited.
Senior Management coming from a Marketing Oriented company could not adapt to working in an Operational environment. No experience on how to deal with real people. There past was to worry about getting the product on a store shelf and doing what it takes to get people to purchase it. Having to deal with real consumers was too much of an adjustment for them.
Senior Management made some questionable decisions such as a New Head Office where they do not even own the property but a friend of Don's does.
These decisions may have resulted in the mass layoffs that occurred. Severance packages were dismal but necessary to allow them to continue to pay the ridiculous salaries of Queens Graduates straight out of school.

Advice to Senior Management

Understand the need for the change but removing your base of knowledge completely is a very questionable business practice. Book smarts is not always the best way to operate in a Service Oriented environment.