Rob-at-BusinessPundit.com has an interesting perspective on the growing importance of connections–who you know–in American business. Although I resist the idea we succeed based on who we know, I do agree that the overwhelming sea of choices is forcing us to use our connections to make more decisions.

From the post on fading meritocracy:

We have simply chosen new measures of merit. Whereas work ethic, skill, and intellect used to get you a long way, in today’s increasingly interconnected world it’s who you know that gets you where you want to go. Our prosperity has given us so much stuff and so many activities that time has become our most valued asset. And one way to manage time is to use the familiar, the people and places and things you know, rather than conducting a fresh search each time you need something.