thebesh; prime example of that is in education; i have seen crap heads who are incompetant be promted to advisory roles in the LEA instead of firing them as its easier and gets them out of the role.
so basically you get promoted if your crap and then tell everyopne else how to be crap.
(i have to add this was one incident i saw of in a school in the midlands about 9 years ago; if the same policy is still in place or similiar decisions are being made i don't know)
we do in this country seem to reward failure - if your a pain in the arse kid you get special trips out, independent funding; one to one help, in some cases a laptop. if your a good student you pretty much get left to your own devises. go figure that one