defrag

The word "consolidation" crops up a lot these days - e.g "consolidation of the retail sector". It's a buzz-word.

What does it mean ? Perhaps, a consolidated economy is like a defragmented computer hard-drive which is faster than a heavily fragmented one. The economists at GLA Economics welcome "consolidation in the grocery sector" for "enabling improved productivity and lower prices to consumers". The word consolidation crops up 8 times in a short report called "Retail in London" issued by GLA Economics. The GLA economists think consolidation is generally a good thing for London's retail sector but acknowledge the decline of small shop business in the face of competition from the larger, more powerful and efficient retailers.

OK: consolidation means fewer players and a core of very sussed traders taking the lions share of business. Does the visual representing a fragmented hard-drive look nicer than the one of a defrag'd drive ?