Insititutional Stockholm Syndrome

Every so often after I had read absorbed yet another book on organizational theory, strategy, leadership, etc. I sit back to think and wonder if we as individuals are captives to existing knowledge. To stretch the concept even further are we slaves to other peoples ideas and philosophies? It is no surprise that the mission, vision and value statements of most organizations sound so similar. They all promise the same principles and purpose and yet we have among them the likes of WorldCom, Enron, etc. that are placed on a high pedestal just before they loose all credibility and employee and shareholder values.

We institutionalize words and concepts from the literature but don't internalize and embody them. It is only a matter of individual convenience. Said differently, "I cannot think for myself and since I have been bound by what I have read, heard and was told I believe it, empathize with it and will try to embody what ever best I can". Isn't it Stockholm syndrome when the captive starts to believe and empathize with the mission and vision of his or her captor?

Are we in an institutional Stockholm syndrome? Where have all the cowboys gone?