I will make the claim that most large companies could run way more productively if 50% of middle management was let go, and their salary was used to hire people who do the front line work instead.

Yes some middle management is required. But a lot less than people think.

The most productive and profitable company I ever worked for was organised around teams. With no middle management between the teams and the CEO. Lucrative team bonuses was used to incentivise people to generate a profit for the company and collaborate to achieve it. It worked spectacularly.