I think the problem is really just the investors, and how the law requires (stock traded) companies to maximize profits. This results in investors only comparing quarters to quarters, if you’re lucky they might be comparing the same quarter of last year. But they never look for actual long term investments. I’m pretty sure big companies could be much more flexible if we didn’t have investors constantly breathing down their necks.

Of course this wouldn’t mean all big companies would work better without such a pressure. I do think it would get a lot better overall, though.