I think it's more of a game-theoretic "principal-agent-problem avoiding" solution. If system X.Y.Z is having a problem, the way to allow the most degrees of freedom in the way it gets fixed (and therefore, usually, the way to get it fixed most efficiently) is to put pressure on component X. X will put pressure on X.Y, who will in turn put pressure on X.Y.Z. But if the system can also be fixed by, say, getting X to find a new X.Y, that's good too!

An example of this: auto insurance. When you get in an accident and want money, you don't sue the other guy; you sue your own insurance company, who sues the other guy's insurance company, who in turn sues them. If, somewhere during that propagation, an alternative is found (e.g. the two insurance companies agree that it was a no-fault collision under arbitration and settle for some amount), then you end up achieving the same effect while putting less stress on the system as a whole.