Gretchen Morgenson tries a different tack today. Instead of anecdote #3,872 about evil corporate executives, she makes the point that some companies are behaving better these days. Fair enough. It's good that she's reporting on progress. But her analysis is dreadfully simplistic, and to see why, look at how she celebrates Staples.

Staples, we are told (through her quote from a Staples PR person), is one of the good guys. The CEO flies coach, drives a cheap car, and parks in any old parking space--no executive parking spots. But does it work? I know I'm just one person, but Staples is the store I most dread visiting. The store on Broadway and 81st Street always seems to have many more checkout registers closed than open, forcing twenty people into two long lines. I've complained to the CEO about this and have received assurances from various regional manners the situation will improve, but it doesn't. There is a Staples somewhere near 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. When I visited, the lines were so bad that I found an OfficeMax nearby and went there. And one time I was downtown near the Seaport; I figured I would pop into Staples on Fulton Street to pick up some paper. Forget it: I walked in and found a dizzying store layout and endless lines.

Let's say Staples could find a CEO who would fix these problems but need to be paid more. He or she would demand flying business class and his or her own parking spot. I'd say go for it. The current CEO is failing the company's shareholders by subjecting customers to persistent frustration. If the company needs to pay $1 million more per year to increase profits by more than that, then that is what they should be compelled to do. Talent is expensive, but talent is what allows companies to grow and keep and create jobs.

I completely agree that many CEOs--and incompetent CEOs--are overpaid and are fair symbols of corporate excess. But simplistically celebrating a company for a little democratic culture does a disservice to shareholders and employees. Gretchen, of all people, should have known better.