Dolby reviews

Where to begin... Unless you're a talented engineer, look elsewhere for something that will improve your career. Working here is really like that movie "Office Space" - politics and mediocrity are deeply entrenched. Dolby is an engineering company through and through, and it seems only engineering brilliance is recognized and promoted. The marketing organization is a mess right now. Dolby desperately needs qualified people with proven track records, to bring the brand up to date. (It feels like 1998 right now.) The recent marketing re-org was a travesty, but you have to hand it to the management who advised their way out of this – It's truly laughable... those who are the core of the problem, advising on the solution.

--stagnating company means politics (land grabs and maneuvering to secure ongoing roles) --heavy internal promotion of under-qualified employees who have been here for years, and have no outside perspective or experience to help bring positive change. The result: frustrated top talent steadily leaves (or is pushed out) to work at companies which actually build products. Remaining management turns into group-thinkers overseeing disspirited "yes men". --long-tenured mediocre performers not removed --inconsistent and often poor people management, with nearly no management training or monitoring by HR --vast majority of revenue from a single product (Dolby Digital Plus surround sound), which is increasingly irrelevant because of stereo devices like tablets and smartphones. --near total failure to execute in mobile (public information) --key underlying patents are expiring (also public information) --few employees under 35, and just as few customers under 35 who know or care about the company --consumer marketing is a muddled mess, and partners aren't marketing on behalf of the company --multiple acquisitions with no clear on-boarding process, and little-to-no resulting revenue