Unfortunately it aligns with internal pressure. If you are not working on something that has clear quantifiable/promotional benefits that can be realized within 2-3 quarters, you are at risk of the PIP train. Having buy in from senior management can help but in a company that re-orgs regularly, your manager can change, so the risk is higher.

^This. If this is only about less pay, lots of people would actually do it instead of chasing bonuses and promotions.

But in a cut throat environment, you can't afford to not move the corporate metrics in quarterly reviews. Otherwise you will get pipped or fired

> No incentive meant no action taken.

sounds like late stage capitalism

Sounds like simple poor management to me. If you're going to do R&D work or invent something you hope to be able to sell, you have to accept that value may not be realized immediately and there may be some paths explored that don't end up leading to anything.

If you're going to sell T shirts, then sure, have quarterly goals.

Yep. Fundamentally, tech R&D requires management that will be ok with trial and error, and ambiguous timelines.

The predictable unit production/sales way of management works for duplicatable, repeatable goods.

> If you're going to sell T shirts, then sure, have quarterly goals.

The issue provided in the example is about helping other teams out without an expectation of a reward, not about short term vs long term gains.