I think it is a common theme where the people in control both want "things to improve" while simultaneously hating any change that might threaten the backward-ass way they like to run things. The more the place is in need of change, usually, the stronger they resist.

My story isn't as extreme, but at one place I worked the owners just burned through amazing managers, always butting head in stuff they barely understood. Ultimately we ended up with someone who didn't like confrontation and who would let the owners do as they wished, which sort of defeated the purpose of this new role.