If I were in management these barriers to progress would be annoying, but I'm not in management. I'm a developer. Senior developer, but a developer.. and I haven't written any code to speak of in months.
I don't ever want to work for a large company again. I loved this job until we got bought by a megacorp. Everything they've touched has turned to shit, and the constant turnover in positions previously held for 10+ years shows how well their "direction" is working out.