Bakers sell bread, confectioners sell cakes and management consultants sell ideas. The goods in each case have a shelf life that is limited. Stale ideas are no more saleable than stale cream puffs.

This being so, consultants must continually refresh their stock, finding new ideas to form the basis for client engagements and maintain the reputation of the firm. This process is known within the consulting industry as “thought leadership”. But it is new product development and marketing by any other name.