First off, opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one... here's mine
If you're a smaller organization that aspires to be a 'top tier' organization, you have to be willing and able to put out the effort to become competitive. Because you're not always there, you have to work twice as hard (probably harder) to get there as the folks that are already there.
Either you're not able (lack of resources) or you're not willing (lack of motivation). I'd tend to think it's more of the former and less of the later.
As the saying goes, usually, the rich just get richer.