Bob Noel wrote:

otoh - it might be a symptom of idiots in the management of the
large companies.

Don't we know it in my family. The company my father worked for had no
senior management person who wanted to invest in a sales and marketing
force to grow their business. Far easier and less risky to sell the
division they didn't care about, letting everyone go in the process
("You're welcome to apply to the new owners!")

Such a lazy way to fire older people, in favor of existing management
and cheap young labor.

Rob