It is very difficult for management to over time not change the rules on promotion enough that it tends towards a random walk where your level is approximately

It is very difficult for management to over time not change the rules on promotion enough that it tends towards a random walk where your level is approximately proportional to your length of service. Also,in at least the places I have worked, the enormous emphasis on individual performance both detracts from looking at group performance, i.e. actual productivity, and sucks up so much time. Copying from what execs have heard about Google they have promo boards, overly defined level descriptions, endless work of writing and rewriting promo packets, tactical discussions on which VPs need to be impressed independently of the merits or scope of a change, etc. There is a clear incentive to help people in a sister org over helping your team accomplish its goals. The whole system seems destined to be replaced by something more useful.