Making code perform more efficient is easily analyzed as a feature. If the inefficiency results in end user delays then it can be directly traded-off against ot

Making code perform more efficient is easily analyzed as a feature. If the inefficiency results in end user delays then it can be directly traded-off against other feature requests, if it only impacts costs it can be fairly easily be determined whether or not it is worth devoting (very expensive) developer resources against. Prioritizing improving performance for aesthetic reasons, that is because a "low-performance hack job" offends someone's sensibilities, likely means either: 1) the team is poorly lead or 2) doesn't have enough high value work to do.