Corning – “Strong culture, questionable location”

Pros

Strong culture where the corporate values do appear be be worth something. People are respected here. Corning goes a long way to create an inclusive culture. It also attracts a lot of bright minds to R&D. The idea of patient money means that we can wait for research to bear fruit. We don't just chase the profits in the current quarter. The small town community where the HQ is can be a big plus for people because it's safe, housing is affordable, and the schools are pretty good.

Cons

The location of the HQ in upstate NY is isolated. The mall sucks and there aren't as many cool restaurants. High property taxes in NY are also alarming. If you don't have an Ivy League MBA it's hard to get opportunities for certain jobs. Scientists without PhDs also sometimes don't feel listened to. So there is some academic snobbery here.

Advice to Senior Management

Develop our competency in strategic marketing.