I think it goes high up - all the way up to the company's relationship with its investors (venture capital or investing customers both). Investors and customer

I think it goes high up - all the way up to the company's relationship with its investors (venture capital or investing customers both). Investors and customers stick around because the company promises that it's just around the corner. Then that's unrealistic and the delays start racking up. (This is at least what I have seen, when deadlines come from all the way from top management and everyone below tries to squeeze their plan into those deadlines.)