| Difference - Applying Social Sciences to Strategy | 
  
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 The U.S. economy has changed. Yesterday, it was an industrial manufacturing economy. Today, 55% of the nation's economy is service-based; the U.S. currency's value is pegged to creditors' faith in our ability to repay our debts instead of collateral like gold; and consumer sentiment is a leading indicator of economic growth. As a result, the most valuable asset of the economy is human capital - not the traditional commodity assets like factories, warehouses, or inventory. Consequently, operational efficiency is no longer a critical differentiator  | 
  
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       among 
        competitors because your industry is already doing it or can easily achieve 
        it with a half-century of experience to guide it. This knowledge has become 
        so commonplace that operational consultants must today compete on price, 
        not innovative thinking. 
         Read 
        more: "The 
        Business of Management Consulting"  | 
  
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