i've worked in industry for 20 years and managed lean manufacturing departments. i've been considering lean principles in applicaiton to market econmies, chiefly that it something dose not add value, it subtracts value. brokers of every sort are a necessary function of the market economy. it's my forming oppionion they only serve to suck value and add additional cost with many examples available.

i've not found any reasearch, but i think "flatening" is lean and lean should first eliminate all those who do not add value and only serve to creat price bubles. if i am right, and you are right, shouldn't the first sign be the ellimination of brokers?

i think this is the antithesis to neo-con idiology, functionaly, as well, so i suspect mighty resistance, even religious opposition to this idea.