My own experience is that the documentation department is usually regarded as “they will handle it” and the programmers thus do what they want, when they want. To picture it: Imagine the programmers in a cigarette speed-boat drinking champagne, and the manual authors on water-skies 300 meters behind, in fear of what next 90-degree turn will result in. 
With modern tools and modular build for documentation and semi-automated localization it is not that difficult to make changes close to release. As there will be no(?) printed (ref.) manual, last minute changes are easy, and low-cost (compared to printed manuals).