Shared Non-Responsibility
As companies become bigger, the “shared non-responsibility” expands vastly — where no one in particular is fully responsible, because someone else is responsible for a portion.
CEO isn’t responsible, because they hired another C-level or VP. VP isn’t responsible, because they rely on a lead. Lead isn’t responsible, because they need something from a cross-functional lead. The cross-functional lead isn’t responsible, because they need something from their (cross-functional) VP. That VP is now 4-levels detached, and busy with other things.
Those 2 VPs can be in the same meeting, but assure each other that their teams are both working on it, so they can’t actually do anything.
They are all responsible individuals doing their best for the company, just not for that part. Every startup, after having hired enough people, goes to stagnate in that abyss.