I've come to the conclusion that the problem with large, MBA-managed companies is that they are centrally-planned dictatorships. I think the founders typically

I've come to the conclusion that the problem with large, MBA-managed companies is that they are centrally-planned dictatorships. I think the founders typically make an effort to have the leaves make decisions, but after the founders are gone then decision-making centralizes. Beyond a certain size, central-planning is inefficient, as we've seen with Communist countries. And from my outside perspective, MBA programs teach people that central-planning is what produces "shareholder returns". Add in some hubris on the part of the CEO and the fact that control is the easiest way to get people to do what you the central-planning agency wants, and you get the large corporation. Leadership is vision and empowering the leaves, but that takes knowing yourself (to get the vision) and courage (to let the leaves have control). It's easier to act like a boss and give yourself the title of "leader". The only difference between a boss and a dictator is that that a boss controls by economic power and a dictator controls by physical power. (Of course, most companies and management are somewhere in-between the poles)