I don't think it's either, actually. He's saying that, according to the MBA playbook, the executives of both companies did exactly what they were "supposed" to

I don't think it's either, actually. He's saying that, according to the MBA playbook, the executives of both companies did exactly what they were "supposed" to. The ultimate outcome was negative for Dell, and it isn't because the Dell executives were straying from current conventional managerial wisdom but because they adhered to it. Saying "you can do exactly what the MBAs tell you to and still end up screwed" isn't doublespeak or diplomacy; it's getting straight to the heart of his overall criticism.