The problem is that a lot of "investors" actually aren't investors; they are traders or speculators. They demand immediate growth and are unwilling to allow the company to eat losses in order to invest in long term, ultimately more profitable R&D / projects.

>They demand immediate growth and are unwilling to allow the company to eat losses

Or...they are unwilling to allow the company to eat losses to pretend to invest in the long term, but are in reality on their way to failure (for example). Let's not act like companies, in general, have this figured out and know what's best. Lots of them fail.

If you want long term growth, you're free to invest that way. But don't impose your preferences on others, or assume their method is wrong. The only way speculators, or anyone, can buy shares is by someone else deciding to sell, uncoerced.