Managers promote the idea that their employees are their biggest source of competitive advantage, the consultants write.
The deal represents the latest attempt by the accounting industry to try to address competitive pressures facing consultants and to allay regulators' concerns about the integrity of corporate audits.
In the battle for market share, single-serve systems are helping coffee remain competitive, Judith Ganes-Chase, a consultant to the coffee industry, said.
But consolidation hasn't hurt advertisers: Inventories of ad space and commercial time have increased 16% since 1997, according to media consultant Competitive Media Reporting.
Additionally, according to schools and top consulting firms, salaries among management consultants remain competitive with each other, across firms.
The second contract, the Controller said, was negotiated by his predecessor, Mario A. Procaccino, after competitive bidding by 19 consultants on Sept. 15, 1969.
The measure authorizes the county to hire the necessary contractors and consultants without competitive bids, citing "the exigency of the health needs in the community".
Finally, having spent 25 years as a top-ranked equestrian on the national horse show circuit, Nancy serves as a performance consultant to competitive athletes and professional artists.
"I had no idea I was at risk for heart disease before taking this test," says Lanse Hyde, a 58-year-old business consultant and competitive distance runner living in Nashville who last April had his blood analyzed by Atherotech, one of a handful of labs doing advanced testing.
These consultants enjoyed a competitive advantage over larger, more established consulting firms that were completing large projects using older technology for big business.
