[manishsharan]

If you are a programmer in a company where IT is seen as a cost center, you are in a dead end job.

If you are programmer and your manager and his/her manager are PMPs , you are in a dead end job.

[hcarvalhoalves]

Spot on.

The tendency of any cost center is to be replaced by cheaper consultancy or automated away. And in companies with entrenched managers, hackers never move up.