And what if you can make the company a lot of money by selling crack to kids? Or embezzling money from your customers' bank accounts? Or by cheating on your tax?

As a CEO it is your responsiblity to do what is best for the company _within the law_.

CEOs and companies can establish their own priorities. That may be profit or revenue, but it could be any number of other things like deliberately choosing "green" options even though it increases their costs and reduces their profit margin. Or even paying talent what they deserve. That isn't (by most standards) "best for the company", but it's the choice of those running the company, and in the long run may prove out to be the better choice. Quarterly thinking kills companies, and they deserve it for their short-sightedness.

And cutting wages and forcing people to stay, that might save money, but it's hardly "best" for the company. I've left two jobs because management thought that was a good idea. I was poor (a low, 4-digit bank balance poor) the first time, and I have no regrets. I'd do it again if put in the same position. Screw incompetent management.

You may be right. I apologise for any inaccuracies in my shoe-placing. It's as good as I can do when trying to empathize with psychopathic assholes.

Overkill to let him off. 'psychopathic' almost implies internally generated impulses beyond conscious control. I suspect 'asshole' sums it up nicely.

You seem to have missed the irony.

To paraphrase jobs:

:)

Employees are 'the company.' Screwing over your employees is not in the companies best, long term interests.