Everyone said it -- long, long, LONG, dungeonmaster work hours. Marvell would be proud beyond reason!
On really critical cornerstone projects, some managers dictate no vacation/time-off allowed during project tape-out (doesn't sound so bad until mangement tells you 'tape-out' period can start 4-5+ months ahead of final GDSII release, and too many projects designated 'critical')
Just about all IT/engineering assets available through VPN -- now you have NO EXCUSE for not working past 10pm.
When I was on a 'critical SoC project', about 1/3 of my emails arrived between 8pm and 2am (same timezone!) TO keep up, you pretty much have to match the other vampires, otherwise ye dungeonmaster may notice your emails are conspicuously absent during those normal workhours (8pm-2am)
Although the technical excellence showed everywhere, unrealistic workload (and poor planning) interfered with execution. In some ways, Broadcom is a victim of its own success. In the early years, the frantic work-schedule (typical of silicon-valley startups) was the rule, and indeed, propelled Broadcom to success. But that should have just been a phase, with a transition to a more sustainable development-flow and strategy. Having every group run their employees into the ground (until they burnout) is not a sustainable management style.
