There is an opinion that the more manager resembles high functioning sociopath the more efficient he is. He may even look friendly and provide benefits for the employees but that would be not because of empathy but because of calculated decision. Personally I think there is some truth to this opinion and I don't believe in the "benevolent" corporations, especially big ones.
I don't believe in "benevolent" corporations either, but that doesn't excuse managers from being cold-fish personalities that border on sociopathic or machiavellian.
In fact, even the meanest largest corporations have excellent managers peppered throughout the organization that watch out for their people and genuinely care for them even though the corp as a whole might be a greedy SOB-- I'm thinking places like Comcast and Oracle here. ymmv.
