Pros
Founded by a brilliant and honorable man who set a solid foundation based on his ideals. Dr. Bose knew the importance of creating a culture that championed the development of his people, (the most valuable asset of any company) and provided avenues for one to explore and embrace the limits of their potential. The name Bose is still associated with quality.
Cons
The decline of this company, (especially its culture, values, product build quality, retail experience and senior management) has clearly correlated with the health issues and eventual passing of its founder, Dr. Amar Bose. This was a man who would grab a tray at the Headquarters cafeteria in Framingham Massachusetts like any other employee, sit down at any open table and engage in conversation especially if it were related to problem solving. He was brilliant, inspiring and approachable. Though the company is multi-faceted and overall, financially secure, their retail model has been losing them millions for years. They finally began to update their image and retail model a few years back, (they like many can thank the Apple Store look) with the newer Music-To-Go Stores but only in an effort to eventually find a profitable retail model, (which I doubt they have). However, part of this new model is products of lesser performance and build quality, fewer advancement opportunities and minimal staffing which has a far greater “part-timer dynamic” with younger and far less knowledgeable sales associates. The days of having your product checked, replaced by honoring the warranty or possibly even fixed in-store are numbered, if not over already as they give you a card and refer you to their “Tech Support” which has recently been outsourced to other countries instead of Bose trained technicians who worked from headquarters. It’s sad really. This company was a shining example of U.S. engineering and substantial values but as they continue to trend downward and distance themselves from Dr. Bose’s vision, they have no one but themselves to blame.