I've had interviews like that, where it becomes clear that execs who should be leaders are just trying to make, or save, a buck, lacking both strategic vision and understanding of operational detail, trying to make up for it by following passing trends while ignoring the unambiguous long-term trajectory of end-user demand. Their more entrepreneurial competitors soon outperform them and end up owning their business.
As you said, it's their loss.
It was very clear during my interview at Colt that the senior executives had no feel or affection for firearms or even a sense of history. Remember that goofy "Colt 2000" pistol? Lasted about 20 minutes on the market. Colt used to have a reputation for quality and precision and buying a Colt product used to mean that it would be a functioning weapon all of its lifetime and something that would retain its value (or more) throughout.
When Colt (and Winchester) went the non-gunowner executive MBA route, they lost everything.