A Design BUSINESS. Business is first- then design
Pros
It is a well oiled machine and there is strength in numbers. Knowing that there are over 40 offices worldwide and the reach that has with both clientele and colleagues is a definite pro. There is a strong brand and a community. The size and reputation does attract some great clientele as well and with those are some global possibilities.
Cons
The size of the NY office has become too big and impersonal unfortunate and since the last recession, leadership has preferred to take on almost all work that comes it's way without consideration of the staff. There is a tendency by leadership and project managers to say yes to incredibly tight schedules and budgets without understanding how the work actually gets done. There seems to be a big gap in that consideration. Promotion is done by who has become close to leadership and played their game. Sometimes it's those people that make the biggest mistakes that get rewarded as well because they know how to pass the buck so well. All businesses have these kind of people and their egos, unfortunately in this leadership, this is what is rewarded and not actual good design. The word/ initiative to be 'innovative' is spread around as the key phrase but no one understands really what true innovation really is - or do they allow it. Rather there are innovation standards.