The Asset-Lite Approach.(Brief Article)

From Meltdown: Asia's Boom, Bust, and Beyond, by Mark L. Clifford and Pete Engardio, Prentice-Hall Press, Paramus, N.J., 2000.

The next wave of direct investment [in Asia] is likely to be more selective. As the world economy continues to integrate, it makes less sense to spend lavishly to build factories of the future and to establish a physical presence in a range of businesses across Asia. Instead, management consultants say their corporate clients will seek maximum global revenues from their brands, intellectual property and human talent by tying up as little money as possible. They will make smaller strategic bets by taking over or teaming up with local players …