You seem to be describing at least 2 things: Rising to a level of ineffectiveness: Employees rise through an organisation until they're ineffective at their jo

You seem to be describing at least 2 things: Rising to a level of ineffectiveness: Employees rise through an organisation until they're ineffective at their job, but just enough effective to keep/justify it. This is career peak and moving stops. I'm sure there's a Dilbert on it, or perhaps that is the whole of Dilbert. This is not bad people, just people that have found comfort on a decent salary. >fake engineers Not sure what you mean about "our suggestions were turned down by hiring committee" best not to have a hiring committee, sounds like avoiding accountability for hiring. Have the hiring manager make the decision for who they want. >There are managers and directors who simply don't know what the fuck is going on. They exist to draw salaries. Yes. And staff manipulate them. Like a small child tests parents, seeing what's possible and what's not. Often not incompetent, but competent enough.