> One unfortunate aspect of the customer is always right is that the customer may often be very wrong.
In other words, "the customer is always right" leads to absurdity even if interpreted generously, so maybe it's actually a bad principle.
Anyway, your optimistic view of the project in OP still does not describe an efficient use of 60M. Lots of us find that morally repugnant, and are not convinced to accept it by interpretations like the one you put forward. When people want to good work instead of bad work, we would prefer that be rewarded, not punished as it was in OP's story.
In other words, "the customer is always right" leads to absurdity even if interpreted generously, so maybe it's actually a bad principle.
Anyway, your optimistic view of the project in OP still does not describe an efficient use of 60M. Lots of us find that morally repugnant, and are not convinced to accept it by interpretations like the one you put forward. When people want to good work instead of bad work, we would prefer that be rewarded, not punished as it was in OP's story.