Handling the problem re: time spent improving code quality vs. creating features

This resonates with me. I sometimes think that one of the frequent causes of dissatisfaction with immediate or higher management is simply because we don't understand the actual problem they are trying to solve.

It can be frustrating when a command from on-high arrives without the context surrounding it. A "solution" is explained, and coding required, but the problem is not explained, and too-often mis-imagined.

The reverse is true - management should present the actual problem to engineers, and solicit suggestions, instead of just presenting the solution.

That can be difficult to do if the problem is not engineering though - the problem may be low sales, at which point customer services may have more useful input than programmers dreaming up new features.