Humans are naturally wired for social bonding; small cohorts become co-reliant even within massive, impersonal firms.
This "local human glue" inadvertently supports distant, uncaring executives. As the gap between worker and boss increases, work goals are met primarily because local teams bond to shield one another from callous, egomaniacal, top-down demands.
Monarchs or tyrants are rewarded, as their outrageous demands are continually fulfilled. Meanwhile, underlings are disposable because the leader feels no daily cost, no pain, as it is absorbed by the collective workers.
If the team is small enough, mutual reliance is increased, closing the gap. If not, it seems only collective action through financial and ego damage (press or law) or the self-sacrifice of entire team-groups are the only means to discipline; to pass pain upward.