The decline in the role of manufacturing over the last four decades has caused our economy to be

A) less vulnerable to inventory cycles.
B) more vulnerable to inventory cycles.
C) has not affected the vulnerability to inventory cycles.
D) caused an increase in frictional unemployment.

The decline in the role of manufacturing has led to an economy that is less dependent on physical inventory, thus making it less vulnerable to inventory cycles. This is because service-oriented and digital economies are less affected by the fluctuations in inventory levels that typically impact manufacturing sectors.