I was forced today

[ForgedCrank]

78. Thanks for

the follow-up. You do raise valid points, but I don't think that can apply to every scene.
In my personal opinion, I think it depends on the conditions and structure at any given company. In my work, I deal with a lot of other companies rather than products so to speak, and I've seen both in various blends of chaos.
For example, in a controlled environment, lets say an accounting dept of 10 people and a manager. Yes, the manager should already know. You can tell who is producing and who isn't because you should know their job as well as they do. But when things get more generalized and a company is trying to keep the management fat trimmed as lean as possible, roles start overlapping and those managers are often at the mercy of "Rick who has been doing that specialty whatever for 37 years". The manager doesn't know Ricks job, and the company isn't going to hire an expert in said specialty to manage one guy. Even worse, sometimes, Rick IS the manager (over himself). But in other cases, the same manager might have a few dozen different hats he has to wear. I feel bad for these guys most times because they are basically herding cats all day and at the mercy of their employees, primarily the ones who don't want to work; and if that is the above mentioned Rick, there are serious problems for the company.
So yea, it can go both ways I think. Most of the issues that arise can be solved by the company itself, but in small and mid business, the margins aren't always there for them to be able to do that.
Anyway, my 2 cents worth.