History Main / IncompetenceInc

* In ''Series/TheOfficeUK'' we have Wernham Hogg, where workplace sexism, slovenly middle-management, long lunches at the pub, branch mergers and redundancies are the order of the day, and people are hired despite not being qualified for the jobs they've applied for, and in one case hired in spite of a hiring freeze which was implemented as a precursor to mass redundancies.

* The company that ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' works at, generally nameless aside from one-off joke strips that don't hold beyond that strip (or episode, for the [[WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}} TV show]], with [[MeaningfulName "Path-E-Tech Management"]] being most notable). Apparently the company gets bought and sold by larger companies so often that even the employees aren't sure who they're "working" for most of the time. This has been zig-zagged with EvilInc depending on the joke. In one strip, the PointyHairedBoss points to a chart showing that "'Incompetence' has become our most important product," and Alice is amazed it won out over "Lying to Customers."

* ''Datamation'' had an irregular series of articles in the 1960s about Kludge Komputer Korporation, a computer manufacturer which led its industry in delivering fundamentally flawed products and deliberately inefficient services (that is, when it delivered them at all).

** The ISIS name itself was eventually phased out, in the later seasons that followed, although the former agents were forced to work as a drug cartel, contracted (and eventually fired) by the CIA, and set up a private investigative agency, with about the same amount of success as their work in espionage.

* ''Videogame/TheOuterWorlds'' shows what happens when exceptionally incompetent corporations happen to be [[OneNationUnderCopyright the governing entity of a space colony]]. Not only are most towns encountered either [[DyingTown dangerously close to dying out]] or just plain abandoned due to cost-cutting practices and putting profits over human life, severe resource mismanagement has led to [[spoiler:the colony facing a starvation crisis, with the Board's primary solution being to put the majority into cryostasis while the richest citizens continue living off the remaining resources]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':

** Nuka-Cola is the most popular brand of drink in the US, with vending machines on every street corner. The drink is so ubiquitous that bottle caps form the cornerstone of the franchise's economy. They are also ''startlingly'' idiotic in a way that is hard to [[HanlonsRazor differentiate from active malice.]] Their factories were dangerous even before 200 years of abandonment and nuclear war took their toll, and their drinks were loaded with potentially toxic chemicals. For example, one internal memo featured in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 76}}'' states that while creating Nuka-Cola Quantum's signature glow, the company tested two variants of a radioactive isotope, Strontium-85, and Strontium-90. The company chose to use Sr-85, as it was cheaper to synthesize. Note that Sr-90 is a byproduct of nuclear fallout, and Sr-85 is harmless and often used in medical tracer fluids. Note again that Nuka-Cola weren't concerned about the health hazards... only that it was ''CHEAPER TO PRODUCE.'' And that's just Quantum, the other drinks such as Project: Walrus which contained methamphetamines don't even bear thinking about.
** Vault-Tec is also impressively idiotic for somebody in such a vital position as long-term underground bunker construction. On the one hand, the Vaults were never actually meant to save anyone, and so the failure of many of them was all part of the plan; however, their intent to rebuild humanity as the Enclave quickly went awry, as did their efforts to send the inhabitants of their special Vaults into space for a new life among the stars. To date, none of their attempts have ever had the slightest bit of success, thanks to the Enclave being continuously bogged down in waging pointless wars of annihilation against humanity in one form or another. Most prominently, the head of the Whitesprings Bunker ended up being more interested in eradicating communism than actually trying to rebuild post-apocalypse, resulting in a massive civil war that got everyone in the bunker killed. For good measure, the guy originally placed in charge of the Vault program, [[VideoGame/Fallout3 Dr Stanislaus Braun]], was a PsychopathicManchild who became progressively less interested in actually doing his job until he effectively retired to live in a virtual reality playground - with the residents of his Vault as toys. The fourth game also shows that their corporate culture mostly consisted of psychopaths with an obsession with pointlessly cruel social experiments and are frustrated at anyone who tries to do otherwise, even when it results in a more functional vault or profitable products.

* ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'': The Paradise Police Department is so underfunded that a ''hobo'' is used for disarming bombs instead of a robot. The workers are also too preoccupied with their own interests to actually conduct any work, having committed just as many felonies as their targets. The chief's solution for stopping a monster invasion (and other things) is to ''sing "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic''. [[spoiler:They eventually get fired for their incompetence and create a new brand named "Party Dudes". Even then, they are so bad that their only target audience is ''child molesters''.]]

** In the field, agents let petty bickering and sheer, unfiltered idiocy get in the way of their jobs, and multiple villains have gotten away because of this incompetence.

* ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'': The Paradise Police Department is so underfunded that a ''hobo'' is used for disarming bombs instead of a robot. The workers are also too preoccupied with their own interests to actually conduct any work, having committed just as many felonies as their targets. The chief's solution to stopping a monster invasion (and other things) is to ''sing "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic''. [[spoiler:They eventually get fired for their incompetence and create a new brand named "Party Dudes". Even then, they are so bad that their only target audience is ''child molesters''.]]

* OCP in the ''Franchise/RoboCop'' films is what happens when a corporation takes the mindset of American car companies of the time, and then transfers it to law enforcement. Nearly all their products are CoolButInefficient at best, and they sink millions of dollars into flashy technologies that don't actually work while leaving the actual police understaffed and underequipped. The titular character is their only unqualified success that we see, and even that seems to have been [[SuperPrototype a total fluke]], as their many, many {{Disastrous Demonstration}}s can attest to. By the [[Film/RoboCop3 third film]], they've fallen into such dire straits that they've been bought out by a Japanese MegaCorp.

* Despite their seemingly good intentions, [[PeaceandLoveIncorporated is what the]] [[MegaCorp Hero Association]] from ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'' really is: a company run by [[PointyHairedBoss incompetent executives]] who are also either vain, stupid, corrupted or just douchebags and heroes [[SociopathicHero who don't actually]] [[PunchClockHero act like ones]] and are just there for fame or paycheck. [[KnightInSourArmor A few other heroes]] and [[ReasonableAuthorityfigure couple of executives]] try to actually help out, but they have to contend with the aforementioned [[PunchClockHero heroes]] who are rather more of a hindrance to everyone. The villains and monsters' jobs would be much easier if they simply sit back and watch the heroes fight amongst themselves. It's however rather zig-zagged in heroes' instance, since [[HiddenDepths many of them are still]] [[HiddenHeartOfGold deep down good people]] who risk their lives to save civillians, especially in the Monster assocation arc. And for all the Hero Association's faults, in the third saga where [[spoiler:the Neo Heroes are introduced, it's showcased that the HA is far more capable in handling threats than the Neo Heroes, who despite gaining much better reception in a short amount of time, is actually even more corrupted and incompetent.]]

* Despite their seemingly good intentions, [[PeaceandLoveIncorporated is what the]] [[MegaCorp Hero Association]] from ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'' really is: a company run by [[PointyHairedBoss incompetent executives]] who are also either vain, stupid, corrupted or just douchebags and heroes [[SociopathicHero who don't actually]] [[PunchClockHero act like ones]] and are just there for fame or paycheck. [[KnightInSourArmor A few other heroes]] and [[ReasonableAuthorityfigure couple of executives]] try to actually help out, but they have to contend with the aforementioned [[PunchClockHero heroes]] who are rather more of a hindrance to everyone. The villains and monsters' jobs would be much easier if they simply sit back and watch the heroes fight amongst themselves. It's however rather zig-zagged in heroes' instance, since [[HiddenDepths many of them are still]] [[HiddenHeartOfGold deep down good people]], who risks their lives to save civillians, especially in Monster assocation arc. And for all Hero Association faults, in the third saga where [[spoiler:Neo Heroes are introduced, it's showcased that HA are far more capable in handling threats than Neo Heroes, who despite gaining much better reception in short amount of time, they are even more corrupted and incompetent.]]

* Despite their seemingly good intentions, [[PeaceandLoveIncorporated is what the]] [[MegaCorp Hero Association]] from ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'' really is: a company run by [[PointyHairedBoss incompetent executives]] who are also either vain, stupid, corrupted or just douchebags and heroes [[SociopathicHero who don't actually]] [[PunchClockHero act like ones]] and are just there for fame or paycheck. [[KnightInSourArmor A few other heroes]] and [[ReasonableAuthorityfigure couple of executives]] try to actually help out, but they have to contend with the aforementioned [[PunchClockHero heroes]] who are rather more of a hindrance to everyone. The villains and monsters' jobs would be much easier if they simply sit back and watch the heroes fight amongst themselves. It's however a rather zig-zagged in heroes instance, since [[HiddenDepths many of them are still]] [[HiddenHeartOfGold deep down good people]], who risks their lives to save civillians, especially in Monster assocation arc. And for all Hero Association faults, in the third saga where [[spoiler:Neo Heroes are introduced, it's showcased that HA are far more capable in handling threats than Neo Heroes, who despite gaining much better reception in short amount of time, they are even more corrupted and incompetent.]]

* OCP in the ''Franchise/RoboCop'' films is what happens when a corporation takes the mindset of American car companies of the time, and then transfers it to law enforcement. Pretty much all their products are CoolButInefficient at best, and they sink millions of dollars into flashy technologies that don't actually work while leaving the actual police understaffed and underequipped. The titular character is their only unqualified success that we see, and even that seems to have been [[SuperPrototype a total fluke]], as their many, many {{Disastrous Demonstration}}s can attest to. By the [[Film/RoboCop3 third film]], they've fallen into such dire straits that they've been bought out by a Japanese MegaCorp.

* ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'': The Paradise Police Department is so underfunded that a ''hobo'' is used for disarming bombs instead of a robot. The workers are also too preoccupied with their own interests to actually conduct any work, having committed just as many felonies as their targets. The chief's solution to stopping a monster invasion (and other things) is to ''sing "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic''. [[spoiler:They eventually get fired for their incompetence and create a new brand named "Party Dudes". Even then, they are so bad that their only target audience is ''pedophiles''.]]

** Atlas in the first game, though events in it lead to it becoming entirely defunct in the second game. While it does make good-quality firearms like the Atlas Chimera Revolver™ and Kyros' Spear™, its soldiers are competent, and it can effectively build colonies on planets, its management is idiotic. How much? A five-year-old admiral is put in charge thanks to "Goddamn Nepotism," it's full of cheerful and pointless ComedicSociopathy, and the propaganda department is full of [[CardCarryingVillain card-carrying villainy]]. They get better in ''Videogame/{{Borderlands 3}}'' courtesy of [[spoiler: Rhys]].

* ''VideoGame/HiFiRush'': Vandelay Technologies is so internally dysfunctional it's a wonder they even managed to ship anything. Their robot employees are frequently abused and constantly fear for their safety and their jobs, the campus is a ''nightmare'' to get around (and sometimes impossible without Chai's specific abilities), the head of Research and Development is a MadScientist who's constantly at odds with the financier because he'd rather blow his budget on things that look cool rather than make anything useful, the head of Production is a violent heel, Security is falling apart so much that it takes '''Chai''' to fix it just to get to the head of Security, and overall things are a mess. [[spoiler:Much of this can be traced to the CEO, Kale Vandelay, being far too prideful and lazy to rein any of the heads in and manage the company, even going as far as to create an AI capable of brainwashing people just so he wouldn't have to keep track of the latest marketing trends]].

* ''VideoGame/HiFiRush'': Vandelay Technologies is so internally dysfunctional it's a wonder they even managed to ship anything. Their robot employees are frequently abused and constantly fear for their safety and their jobs, the campus is a ''nightmare'' to get around (and sometimes impossible without Chai's specific abilities), the head of Research and Development is a MadScientist who's constantly at odds with the financier because he'd rather blow his budget on things that look cool rather than make anything useful, the head of Production is a violent heel, Security is falling apart so much that it takes '''Chai''' to fix it just to get to the head of Security, and overall things are a mess.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': [=AnyoCorp=], run by the eponymous Nef Anyo is held aloft only by Anyo's superficial charisma, his ability to constantly scam investors, and the tireless work of the competent few who work under him. The company's directions are beholden almost entirely by Anyo's whims, which are almost always petty and misguided. The guy basically has a monopoly on terraforming Venus and has come close to flushing the operation SEVERAL times thanks to, but not limited to, sentient superheavy weapons platforms going rogue, randomly assigning collective punishments to his workers, and forcing a CENTURIES OLD terraforming tower into action when it was blatantly not ready. Oh, and he's also a crippling gambling addict, frequently pissing away credits and assets. It's a miracle he's still in business, and players have been calling for a boss-fight to finally kill the bastard for quite some time now--in the meantime, at least, the Tenno have the opportunity to work with [[LaResistance Vox Solaris]], the resident paramilitary resistance movement seeking to hamstring, sabotage, and cause as much general mayhem to Anyo's operations as they can in order to ensure Anyo ''can't'' push the indentured worker population around, lest the Corpus Board of directors get tired of Anyo's shenanigans and kill him ''themselves.''.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'': Venture Industries was once an R&D juggernaut with countless superscience innovations and a ton of prestige, but after Jonas Venture died and passed the reins to Rusty, it went completely to seed. It's so understaffed that the idea of anyone besides Rusty, his kids, and his bodyguard working at the company is treated as a surprise, and it pretty much entirely survives off Rusty's personal efforts at fulfilling government contracts (which often fail) and selling off its old assets, most of which are decades old. The Venture Compound is in such a poor state that entire sections of it have been shut down indefinitely, including the underground transit network, which is occupied by a cult. When the military came by to check on what projects were coming out, Rusty had to resort to painting his private jet black in an attempt to pass it off as a new stealth bomber. Its collapse at the end of the fifth season due to a fire burning down the compound was almost a MercyKill, though it did allow Rusty to jump ship to his late brother's company and promptly start running that one into the ground as well.

** It is in constant financial hardship due to the field agents' and Malory's shameless embezzling of company money. This overspending has gone on for years, and it has been noted by the company's head accountant that, for fifteen quarters, the company has ended up in the red.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'': The spy agency, ISIS:

** At the beginning of season three, ISIS manages to turn a profit, briefly, [[spoiler:when Archer goes missing for three months]]; however, Ray probably burns through this when he uses company money to buy a yacht and charter a flight, [[spoiler:all in the name of rescuing Archer]]. In the field, agents let petty bickering and sheer, unfiltered idiocy get in the way of their jobs, and multiple villains have gotten away because of this incompetence.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'': The spy agency, ISIS, where the core characters work, is largely staffed with petty and lazy workers who focus more on their hedonistic lives during the work day than on actual work and is in constant financial hardship due to the field agents' and Malory's shameless embezzling of company money. This overspending has gone on for years, and it has been noted by the company's head accountant that, for fifteen quarters, the company has ended up in the red. At the beginning of season three, ISIS manages to turn a profit, briefly, [[spoiler:when Archer goes missing for three months]]; however, Ray probably burns through this when he uses company money to buy a yacht and charter a flight, [[spoiler:all in the name of rescuing Archer]]. In the field, agents let petty bickering and sheer, unfiltered idiocy get in the way of their jobs, and multiple villains have gotten away because of this incompetence. In the Season 4 episode "The Papal Chase", a cardinal hires ISIS to protect the Pope [[spoiler:''because he knows they will fail''. Ironically enough, it's one of the few missions where ISIS does succeed, and the cardinal is arrested]]. The agency was shut down when it was revealed it was never sanctioned by the US government, and Malory had to give up the property so she and the other agents could avoid the charges against them, including treason, for the aforementioned reason. Though the ISIS name itself was eventually phased out, in the later seasons that followed, the former agents were forced to work as a drug cartel, contracted (and eventually fired) by the CIA, and set up a private investigative agency, with about the same amount of success as their work in espionage.

** Woody is ethically questionable and runs the park badly.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Brickleberry}}'': Brickleberry is run badly by the ethically questionable Woody and staffed by: Connie, who is clumsy and prone to mood swings where she runs off crying and punching things; Denzel, who is literally good for nothing and only has the job because there's a chance he'll sue the park for racial discrimination; and Steve, who only achieves a level of satisfaction because of his peers' lack of any skill short of Ethel, who is great at her job as long as she doesn't drink. Malloy is the only one who comes close to true competence at anything, but he doesn't "work" for the park, nor does he care about nature, since he's a spoiled house bear who loves junk food, video games, and making people's lives a living hell. In "Squabbits", Woody mentions that they had 25 campers die in ''one month''.

* ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'': The Paradise Police Department is so underfunded that a ''hobo'' is used for disarming bombs instead of a robot. The workers are also too preoccupied with their own interests to actually conduct any work and have committed just as many felonies as their targets. The chief's solution to stopping a monster invasion (and other things) is to ''sing "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic''. [[spoiler:They eventually get fired for their incompetence and create a new brand named "Party Dudes". Even then, they are so bad that their only target audience is ''pedophiles''.]]

*** Jack is also a thing created by Cerberus that got loose and...

* The unnamed company Scott works at in ''Webcomic/BasicInstructions'' doesn't seem to actually do anything except hold [[http://basicinstructions.net/basic-instructions/2013/4/18/how-to-be-persuasive-rerun.html "please don't fire us" briefings]] and occasionally force its employees to work late or engage in humiliating mistrust-building exercises.

* Cerberus of ''Franchise/MassEffect'' is a NebulousEvilOrganisation that has a long history of highly unethical and amoral experiments that go horribly wrong, backfire and end with almost all parties involved killed and nothing useful gained, with the irony being that most of their casualties are humans. Among fans, [[FanFic/GloriousShotgunPrincess this is known]] [[Webcomic/ThreePanelSoul as the Cerberus Taco Cart Theorem]]. [[spoiler: The fact that they were all [[BrainwashedAndCrazy indoctrinated]] by the time of 3 didn't help anything, but they were screwing up ''long'' before they were confirmed indoctrinated.]]

* On a small scale, Paddy's Pub in ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' manages to stay afloat for one reason and one reason only: its co-owner, Frank Reynolds, has an ArbitrarilyLargeBankAccount from his years as a corporate raider. Aside from that, it's an iconic example of a dive bar, with every single employee being on a OneHourWorkWeek, a cleanliness situation so bad that the janitor deals with rats using a spiked bat, and most of the customers being forced to serve themselves. It's been labeled "the worst bar in Philadelphia" on at least one occasion.