Three layers of causality lie underneath every revenue leak: temporal causes, cultural susceptibilities, and proximate causes. The causes are like the causes of catching a cold. The temporal causes are why this or that virus has come to one's area or why this or that virus is so potent now. The cultural susceptibilities are why an individual is particularly vulnerable to a virus. The proximate causes are why he caught the cold now.

• Frequent mergers and acquisitions as part of industry consolidation and expansion 
• More rapid adoption of new technology 
• Accelerated pace of product development and marketing 
• Rapidly shifting competitive landscapes and business models

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• Silo mentality-individuals and corporate functions not thinking outside their own task 
• Cutting muscle-active cutting of resources necessary for revenue maximization 
• Defensiveness-problem denied because individuals fear blame 
• Competition from other priorities-revenue maximization seen as less "fun and sexy" than other initiatives 
• Exceptions complex-individuals whose jobs depend on processing exceptions from major systems 
• Control mindset-viewing revenue leakage as an audit issue, not a growth issue 
• Culture of extremes-being too risky or too risk-averse in revenue maximization

• People, including simple mistakes, interpretation errors, and inability to follow rushed or complicated instructions 
• Processes that are flawed, incomplete or impossible to follow 
• Technology, primarily in faulty interfaces between systems preventing the complete and accurate transfer of information