> Efficiency of software orgs is extremely plastic. An effective 15 person team can outperform a 150 person team and this is normal.
"Software is eating the world", but most companies where software is either the product or a central part of the strategy (as opposed to a cost center) are still managed by people who either don't understand, or refuse to accept, that software is primarily _creative_ work, with a strong _collaborative_ component. In an attempt to reduce risk of an inherently risky creative endeavour, the management will over-hire and over-manage.
Biggest example is open-source: collaborative work done by random strangers on their own time and budget is competitive, and not rarely _way better_, than software produced by well-funded companies with competent people.
"Software is eating the world", but most companies where software is either the product or a central part of the strategy (as opposed to a cost center) are still managed by people who either don't understand, or refuse to accept, that software is primarily _creative_ work, with a strong _collaborative_ component. In an attempt to reduce risk of an inherently risky creative endeavour, the management will over-hire and over-manage.
Biggest example is open-source: collaborative work done by random strangers on their own time and budget is competitive, and not rarely _way better_, than software produced by well-funded companies with competent people.