For example, I should expect a goose to avoid things that are damaging to it, such as flying directly behind another goose. I should also expect a goose to do things that favor its survival, such as flying behind and to one side of another goose. Further, I should expect most geese and other complex organisms to be indifferent to things that are neither damaging to them nor favor their survival. As I said, I can't prove it yet. But I'm working on it, with the help of some very capable brains.
People are very complex organisms.
They also have a strong instinct for self-preservation. When we observe a company that experiences smashing success, we see the behavior of a system within which successful, local optimization is rampant. When we observe a company that exhibits numbing mediocrity, again, we see the behavior of a system within which successful, local optimization is rampant. Whenever we observe any company, we can conclude with confidence that in that company there exists wide-spread, successful local optimization. There is a difference.