Pros
If you're young, and are able to make all of the sacrifices, you can move up very fast in this organization. A modicum of competence and a nod to the DBS quality system is all you need if you know how to play the game and are willing to burn your bridges as you go.
Cons
I worked for many years for a foreign owned company that was purchased by Dananher. They let us operate as per past practices for a while, and we continued to be highly successful, but eventually their management insisted on imposing their will. After 18 months of their serious meddling, it’s a wonder the company is still in business. Paranoid management, disrespect, constant tension, and long hours sum up most of Danaher’s real culture. Generally speaking, it is a pressure cooker and all communication is one directional – top down. Any attempt to streamline, impact change, or even discuss a better way to do anything is strictly frowned upon when it comes from the bottom. Work longer/harder, don't complain or try to fix any of the myriad broken systems or processes, and don't forget that there are 10 people lined up outside to take your spot (your manager certainly won't forget). The DBS quality system is a joke. Don’t get me wrong, theoretically it has many outstanding qualities. Unfortunately, the company is operated by ruthless, ladder climbing, management-by-spreadsheet types who have neither the time nor the inclination to learn let alone properly apply the myriad processes. “Whatever worked once will work again” is the prevailing attitude, and a one-size-fits-all solution is forced on everything. All of the talk about growth, best practices, and competition is just that… idle talk. Ultimately, the Danaher business model is not one of retain and reinvest. It is the same old downsize and distribute, cut your way to profitability, do anything to meet/beat analysts’ expectations on your stock price management style that pervades the entire venture capital culture.