After de-layering in this way, a company may be left with just a top level of senior managers, front-line managers and employees with direct contact with the public.

But he was reading at a sixth-grade level and felt embarrassed in front of the women. He had to hide his books from his friends, who would tease him when he studied.

On the third front – the struggle for attention and resources – the situation looks far more optimistic, especially at the international level.