Upper management has a general concept of what to do, but lacks specifics on how to accomplish the tasks. Their mantra is "work harder". If you have to work 12-15 hours a day (weekends included), then this is what is expected. They don't necessarily know how to work smarter--just harder. They don't take advantage of current technologies or efficient procedures--they just want you to work harder. In the long run, this is a recipe for burn out.