"And, like a virus, it begins to spread to other organizations"

"The first reason that organizations follow bad practices is that we tend to believe in a Darwinian view of management. We believe that competition weeds out bad practices and props up the best ones. Therefore, we believe that the most successful firms must be following the best management practices, while unsuccessful firms are not. And, since those best practices help firms perform better, those are the ones that thrive and survive and gradually take over.
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This isn't always true. Great companies aren't infallible; they make mistakes, too, and their processes and strategies can be just as inefficient and harmful as others'.
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Second, organizations adopt bad practices because it enhances their legitimacy, as economic sociologists call it companies are obliged to adopt or continue to follow a best practice because it is an industry norm, and if they choose not to follow it, investors, customers, and competitors will frown upon it. [Moi ici: Isto dá para recordar conversa de há dias em empresa em que alguém se interrogava se fazia sentido, para a sua empresa em particular, seguir a moda da APICCAPS de considerar os EUA um mercado apetecível]
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The third reason is as simple as it is frustrating. Sometimes we carry on with bad practices because that's the way it's always been done in our organizations. We side with the past and don't think twice about it. Most of the time, these practices don't start off as bad, but over time, as the organization or its competitive landscape changes, the practice becomes unsuitable. But no one questions it because we see its longevity as a sure sign of its continuing success.
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Bad practices wouldn't be as much of a problem if our organizations were quick to change and adapt. But they aren't. Once adopted, a bad practice is hard to identify and often refuses to quit. And, like a virus, it begins to spread to other organizations."

Trechos retirados de "Breaking Bad Habits" de Freek Vermeulen