I think a lot of it's the influence of the U.S. military, where you often learn a rather primitive style of leadership and followership too!
At the time Suggs made his famous remark there was an over-supply of helicopter pilots coming out of Viet Nam so that it was an employer's market for ex-military helicopter pilots.
Another thing is that the U.S.A. is a republic with 50 different States, when many States in the South have rather weak laws protecting employees. You often used to get this "It is my way or the highway!" stuff from the employers, when they were quite correct in that up to a point!
Others here can tell you a lot more about P.H.I. and what really went on, when all I know is what I read in the papers. I certainly recognised his style from aviation jobs I had and lost.
Too, it is a fair argument whether he got it all that badly wrong, given that P.H.I. is still big and still in business.