The example you used here is between an organization that is centralized which is Google and Microsoft, and these two are selling products to people, so in a case like this there has to be a competition and both will be trying to do something better as a way to get better than the other team so they can sell out their project. But since Bitcoin is decentralized, who exactly are you competing with?
Efficency in a free world is usually created through competition. If there is no government agency taking charge like in a communist state, than the customer has to choose the best product for his needs. If something is too expensive or in a bad design than the company will likely go broke. The same holds true for currencies. If a government is spending too much money without earning enough through taxes, the investors are going to avoid it. Competiton in the government bond market makes sure there is no excess spending.