[AnotherMarc]

I agree with the thoughts others have written about fear of losing the best employees. In addition, I think a lot of managers keep things secret because they hope to avoid difficult conversations. Also, if there is one person who you really don't want to share something with for whatever reason, it's tough to let everyone else in. Those things don't excuse a lack of transparency, but I think they contribute.

Regardless, absent of some extenuating factor related to performance, no way should you have been given no notice and no severance. I'm sure they would have taken it poorly had you (when things were going well) have given them no notice.

Good luck getting back into the game.