Friction: The Untapped Force That Can Be Your Most Powerful Advantage Red tape and over-complicated licenses have contributed to China's GDP exceeding India's by $82 trillion over the span of just three decades. If you're a business leader, these statistics should give you nightmares. According to science-based marketing and business expert Roger Dooley, they illustrate the real and growing threat of "friction", which he defines as the unnecessary expenditure of time, effort, or money in performing a task.