Dallas,
You are correct in saying that it isn't just "the system" that works - its the people driving it (those at the top?) who matter just as much as the system. Replace one or two of those key drivers and the system is almost always going to slip until someone else gets a grip with how to handle it. Put the wrong people in and it will collapse.
I know one of those EasyJet SMS people and he is a great driver.
"A man can do one thousand good things but he will be remembered for the one thing he does wrong."