Microsoft

Microsoft is a great place for career development.

They are relatively quick to adopt new technologies, and there are good opportunities to learn new skills on the job.

They also have a great continuing education program with on-site classes and tuition reimbursement.

While they are quick to embrace new technologies, management could do more to accept and encourage innovation.

While they do not say so, they are slow to even consider any idea that does not come from senior management.

Additionally, senior management's ideas are not held to the same rigorous review process as ideas coming from non-managers. If a senior manager has an "innovative" idea, it gets done with very few questions asked about whether it's a good idea from a business or technology perspective.

Hold the same standard for new ideas coming from both management and individual contributors. An idea from senior management should have an answer for a business model and how it differentiates itself from the competitive landscape. Management should also consider a business model, competitive landscape analysis, and a working prototype before dismissing it. Management should also encourage innovation first by being very open to new ideas, and second by providing support for innovation in terms of reasonable resources and flexibility.