I am trying to think of an Operator I worked for that emphasized sticking to the "Rules" as printed in company documentation or government pubs.....rather than encouraging getting the job done.
Of course, the flip side is that when the rules are too onerous, you can change them - when in a poorly regulated environment. So you can have some nice shiny Ops Manuals that look like the same JAA/EASA Manuals in your company's base country, but with some key differences in a couple of minor areas - like Flight Time and Duty Limitations, VFR weather minima and performance requirements. Nothing major, just a couple of areas tweaked to help when the normal rules don't fit the operational scenario........