You are streaching my memory.  In one of my college courses the concept that whenever an organization reaches a critical size the stated purpose of the organization becomes subordinate to organizational maintenance.  It then went on to describe some of the symptoms which indicate the size has been reached.   It was one of those insights that just stuck in my mind because I could see some of it around me at the Phone Co.  I thought the author was Alvin Toffler but thats wrong.  I'm going to keep searching and I'll let you know.