The problem with code quality is that there's so much AND-ing that most people give up on understanding this massively difficult problem that is as much social and industrial as it is technical.
One of the first things you learn about systems is that parallel dependencies (OR-gates) are better than serial dependencies (AND-gates). The first has redundancy, the second has multiple single points of failure. That's also true with regard to how people manage their careers. Naive people will "yes, sir" and put their eggs into one basket. More savvy people network across the company so that if things go bad where they are, they have options.
To have code quality, you need people who are good at writing code AND reasonable system designs AND competent understanding of the relevant data structures AND a culture (of the company or project) that values and protects code quality. All of these are relatively uncommon, the result being that quality code is damn rare.
This is a very pessimistic view, because it doesn't allow for any process that could possibly change the state of affairs.
The fact is that one person armed with clear understanding of quality code can be the seed of change. Even under siege from bad data structures and opaque processes, it is possible for a programmer to carve out a small niche, to normalize (at least in his mind) the system he's been given to modify, and apply his knowledge correctly.
If he can execute projects quickly and relatively error-free, this programmer will do well in any organization, and he will probably be given a team of his own, and that team will probably be a good one, and the codebase will continue to change slowly, organically.
If the programmer leaves, then the bad code will grow again. That is the nature of life!
In any event, I just want to emphasize that there is great value in understanding and doing good work, even if (perhaps especially if) the constraints you're working under don't encourage it. YOU are the seed of change.
Completely agree - code quality depends on code review and the belief you should not foist rubbish on others - and that is almost always down to culture and comms
One of the first things you learn about systems is that parallel dependencies (OR-gates) are better than serial dependencies (AND-gates). The first has redundancy, the second has multiple single points of failure. That's also true with regard to how people manage their careers. Naive people will "yes, sir" and put their eggs into one basket. More savvy people network across the company so that if things go bad where they are, they have options.
To have code quality, you need people who are good at writing code AND reasonable system designs AND competent understanding of the relevant data structures AND a culture (of the company or project) that values and protects code quality. All of these are relatively uncommon, the result being that quality code is damn rare.