Private companies that behaves like government organisations.

Now I have had some nightmare experiences with government organisations. They are quick to get work done and then quite conveniently forget the fact that there is something called payment. A job which was subcontracted to us for Export Development Board is yet to be settled one year and nine months after. And there is no one to take responsibility for it. After this experience I discourage government clients to work with me and thankfully I don't have to depend on them for profits. However you don't expect multinational companies to behave like this. But it seems not the case. I have a friend who is a free lance creative. She was complaining to me the other day how clients are quick to want assignments done over night and then is completely the opposite when it comes to payment. A case in point was a small job which had been done for a telco; let's call them Sintel. The bargained down value of the job was 6500 bucks. The job was done 3 months back but she is still chasing the payment. The person who commissioned the job has conveniently washed her hands off and wants my friend to follow up with the accounts division. They got her to hand deliver the invoice twice and after so long it is still being processed. As a typically disorganized creative type as well as a single mom who is also working virtually 12-18 hours a day she has not been consistent in her following up. But I would expect a multinational owned company of this nature to have systems and processes in place to take care of a simple payment of such low value. I also believe that all the systems in the world are useless unless you have a motivated workforce as well. And it seems that this company has a team of people who don't know the meaning of respect (for someone elses work and time) and responsibility.
And it is really sad that someone like my friend has to face the repercussions for their actions.