Leaders of many companies — in industries ranging from contract manufacturing, and software services to consulting and health care — tell us the same thing: “We want to move up the value chain.” This seems to make a great deal of sense: Moving to higher- and higher-value work (from the customer’s perspective) makes it possible to command a higher margin. Moreover, customers often see this higher-value work as more “strategic,” which allows its provider to move from being a commodity supplier to a trusted advisor.