21.   All three companies have contracted with HR Strategies Inc., a human-resources consulting firm in Detroit, to screen candidates.

22.   Bruce Walker, president of Source Strategies Inc. an Alamo City consulting firm agreed.

23.   But some who track both traditional and Internet consulting firms say the new-economy businesses have the upper hand.

24.   But such independence carries a huge downside, notes Michael F. Carter, senior vice president of the Hay Group, a Philadelphia consulting firm.

25.   Cambridge consulting firm Arthur D. Little, whose shares are not publicly traded, also requires workers to hold shares until they leave the company.

26.   Candace Corlett, a partner in consulting firm WSL Strategic Retail, said consumer acceptance is helping fuel the trend.

27.   Chief executive Gresham Brebach and chief operating officer Ronald Bohlin left Renaissance months before it announced a deal to be acquired by fellow technology consulting firm The Registry.

28.   Christopher Kane of consulting firm KPMG Peat Marwick said with Medicare and Medicaid clamping down on costs, the private sector is feeling the pressure of price increases.

29.   Chip Block, president of Applied Interactive Media, a New York circulation consulting firm, suggested that the Amazon.com model was not applicable to magazine subscription sales.

30.   CompuServe still needs to make substantial investments to compete, said analyst Peter Krasilovsky, of Arlen Communications, a Bethesda, Maryland, consulting firm.