Ineffectual Senior and Mid. Management, who is both unrealistic and hypocritical. Columbia is embarking on a multi-year SAP (ERP system) software implementation, and the Management cannot--or alternatively--will not lead the transformation, in any sort of an effective manner...this puts the entire firm at risk of failure. A number of key individuals have left the firm, having been 'burned' from the less-than-successful Canada implementation in 2011, and (probably) knowing that the future situation is dire. Still, Management does not alter their course--though they say otherwise. The staff that is employed to build and configure the SAP system is largely demotivated, because they are being forced to build the system against 'best-practices'. Staff continues to inform Managment of the danger, but to no avail. You don't want to work at Columbia Sportswear until after 2015--too much risk. Beyond this, Columbia badly trails their peers in a number of critical financial metrics; inventory turns, return on assets, net margin...this company is simply not well-run. Expect another major Reduction-In-Force, within 2.5 years...historically, this is the typical Columbia reaction when financial targets are not met.
