The first “bad” answer to the question, “Why are you doing what your doing OR why did you make that choice OR why are you going to do what you are doing?” was “because that’s the way it’s always been done”.  The next is:

…because “so-and-so” is doing it (or does it that way).

And you can fill “so-and-so” with whatever fits be it a person or organization.  The problem with this answer is just because so-and-so does it that way doesn’t mean it’ll work for you in your situation.  Here’s some reasons why:

• so-and-so is usually always in a different context than you.  What may work in their context may not work in your context.
• so-and-so who was successful had a reason why they were successful because they answered the “Why?” question rightly. Trying to shortcut the process by copying will leave you hanging when so-and-so fails (if what they did just happens to work in your context)
• you (or you’re organization) are not s0-and-so – what works for them may not work for you.

Of course, I’m not saying that you can’t learn from so-and-so!  Just make sure that isn’t the reason WHY you are doing what you are doing (or making the choice you’re making).  If that’s you’re reason then really you’re just shifting the question – now you have to ask, “Why is so-and-so doing it that way?”