Single word preferable in business context to replace “for the sake of it”

Question

Single word preferable in business circle to replace

for the sake of it

again preferably which is commonly used so that every one (in the business circle) knows the meaning.

Explanation: It is seeming now that this business development department is established (opened) for the sake of it. It does not have the resources to actually run a show neither it has been given any significance in the company's work protocols. It just meddles with actual operations by bringing some sham business opportunities instead of a real projects which may actually realize in future and it actually wastes everyone's time and money diverting as the resources towards working on these pretentious assignments.

Usage: The ______ (for the sake of it) business development department has become a lame cost center just slurping company's funds without giving any real output.

Answer 1

Gratuitously

Full Definitions of gratuitous

1 adj unnecessary and unwarranted

Synonyms: needless, uncalled-for, unnecessary, unneeded, not necessary

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/gratuitous

Answer 2

For show:

[Merriam-Webster]

1 : intended to be seen but not used or bought We're not supposed to eat the fruit on the table.
// It's just for show.
2 disapproving : done in order to gain the approval or favor of others
// He says he enjoys classical music, but it's only for show.

It's normally an idiom. If you're going to drop it into the sentence you provided, you would want to hyphenate it because you'd be using it adjectivally.

But it would sound more natural if your sentence were rephrased so it were used in the same manner as the examples from the dictionary.

Dropping some of the rhetoric (which I think you only included for context), you might say:

The business development department started off with good intentions, but now it's only for show.

Answer 3

To imply that the department serves no real purpose, you can say it is nonfunctional.

The nonfunctional business development department has become a lame cost center just slurping company's funds without giving any real output.

ODO:

nonfunctional
ADJECTIVE
1 Not having any particular purpose or function.

‘A non-functional fireplace is the focus of the room, and it shouldn't be.’