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can become very troublesome when progress is reviewed or milestone payments are determined by completion of stated actions. |
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Other than language and geographically or ethnically defined cultural differences, as described above, there is also the aspect of corporate cultures. Some items to look for and, then, compare to your own corporate culture are listed below. All of these things cannot be quantitatively or objectively quantified. Some of the best ways to get a feel about these things is to talk with the secretaries or visit the company lunchroom, if they have one. Other ways are to talk with executive recruiters, past employees, consultants, their advertising agencies, or meeting people at national or international industry/academic meetings (e.g., PhRMA meetings, American College of Cardiology, BIO-conferences, etc.) |
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Formality: Is the company formal or informal, do they have dress down days, or is there a generally accepted uniform? |
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Environment and Atmosphere: Is there a feeling of pressure or anxiety within the company, or does it seem that people are feeling good about what they do, the company and their future? Is the atmosphere quiet and somber or bustling and energetic? |
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Bureaucracy: All organizations have formal processes and procedures, but are they rigid or flexible? Are there multiple levels of approval necessary for almost everything, or is responsibility fairly widely distributed? |
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Communication Flow and Patterns: Does it appear that communication flows easily up, down, and horizontally, or is there some unwritten communication protocol implying that communications between departments or divisions have to go up through the hierarchy in one department or division to the top, the Chiefs talk or exchange written correspondence, and then, it goes down into the other department or division? Does it appear that information, both good and bad, flows easily in all directions, or is there a desire to relay only information that confirms or conforms to expectations? Are person-to-person discussions favored over written communications? |
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Organizational Structure: An organizational structure can describe or imply how a company will operate. |
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Þ Is the structure relatively flat, or are there multiple levels with strict reporting lines? |
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Þ Are there more Chiefs (by title) than Indians? |
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