People Are the New Capital

Most companies today pay more attention to the cost of a screw than they do to the value of their most highly-educated employees. They are fighting the international manufacturing battles of the past, instead of focusing on the true future of competitive differentiation and profit—the skillful deployment of consultants, domain experts and trainers, or the professional services economy.

| July 09, 2010


By Ed Marshall

Most companies today pay more attention to the cost of a screw than they do to the value of their most highly-educated employees. They are fighting the international manufacturing battles of the past, instead of focusing on the true future of competitive differentiation and profit—the skillful deployment of consultants, domain experts and trainers, or the professional services economy.

Disciplines such as manufacturing resource planning (MRP) brought technology-enforced discipline to factories and shop floors in the 1980s and 1990s. Obsessing about the flow of nuts and bolts, optimizing inventory levels, and calculating fulfillment costs down to the penny may not sound exciting, but it led directly to massive efficiency gains and the ability to source raw materials and finished goods from anywhere in the world, with predictable costs and delivery times.

To continue reading, become an ALM digital reader

Benefits include:

  • Complimentary access to Consulting Magazine Online and digital edition
  • Bi-monthly digital newsletter delivered to your inbox
  • 1 free article* every 30 days to Consulting Magazine's sister publications
  • Exclusive discounts on events and publications produced by ALM

You Might Like

Bain & Company Forms Partnership with Ashling Partners

Bain & Company Forms Partnership with Ashling Partners

Partnership to provide leading automation consulting and implementation capabilities to meet automation boom Bain & Company has announced a strategic…

Terms of UsePrivacy Policy

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.