I did some software development as a consultant a few years ago - and was both the oldest (in age) and newest (to the group). I found that the younger members of the team were often more interested in what might give job security than in what might be best for the client.
I had many suggestions for better ways of doing things, but was usually ignored by the "let's get it done faster" mentality (I'm not using proper quotes because not all news readers reproduce them correctly). I was able to leave a "paper trail" by putting my comments in the code and seeing more than half of those suggestions implemented in later revisions - but at added cost to the client.
I was "too expensive" (by the hour, although I produced more than twice as much *working* code in the same time as any of the others), so my contract was not renewed (the team leader was trying to keep a full-time member of the group - who wasn't all that productive - employed). Two years later, they both had left the company while under investigation for questionable use of client funds. I can only wonder if the client went elsewhere or if that company found competent people to replace the ones that left...
The funds involved were our tax dollars, as the client was the US Government - twice the reason to be angry...
John