The global economy and availability of many new competing products today have created the impetus to innovate more than ever. Clusters of certain work are building around the globe. China has become the hub of manufacturing, much of low-technology work and some hi-technology. For the service and manufacturing work that remains in the US and other advanced countries, competitors can adopt new ideas and techniques that are becoming widely available to out-compete another. Therefore, you have to generate newer and better ideas of useful products that will give you an edge in the market place