There are 6500 employees and 700 directors. At one director for every 9.3 staff employees, there are multiple meetings, presentations, and a lot of talk going on on, when the staff might otherwise be doing something productive. These directors tend to manage 'up' to their superiors (fancy elite managerial directors or VP level) at the expense of the engineers and good engineering practice. Upper management is now culled from the finance world, rather than engineering or tech, this atmosphere may be due to obsession with shareholder value.
There is public posturing about innovative solutions, but it is mostly talk. The company does not do any more than it has to in order to secure an account. When Lam's existing technology falls short, band-aid solutions are offered. Tons of data may be taken, with little understanding of its importance, how their own algorithms and systems actually work, or the need for new techniques. Format and presentation of endless PowerPoint slides often takes precedence over truth, value or actual content of the presentation. The company is almost stifling in its adherence to its own procedures, even when they are outmoded and offer diminishing value.
The engineering groups suffer the most from this situation. If you are an experienced engineer seeking a chance to innovate and move the industry forward, think twice before joining Lam. At the very least, examine the directors and management in your direct path and obtain as much info as possible about work life under them. There are some good people in the organization, but also others who are responsible for frequent attrition on account of their management style.
