Eduelp
Not trying to excuse "British current management practice" but would suggest what you have is MBA practice garnered from a certain number of US management schools. Look at US companies outside the tech area(cuddly feely !) and indeed airlines, and you see exactly the same thing as you are experiencing in the race to the bottom. I have never had the time in any organisation to actually do an MBA, but surprisingly make them (companies I have worked for) and me a lot of money, usually when the MBA Harvard yard graduate blinks !
Happy New Year
Mr Mac