If not cash- then what?

Andrew Yang points out that money won’t always purchase what you want to buy. Despite outspending her competitor handsomely, Harris lost.

You see this in social services too. Money can be poured into some of the most deserving causes: care centers, autism learning, culturally specific food without comparative results.

In fact, the less the objective is tied to a cash response, the more likely the cash flow will be highjacked by fraudsters.

So what is the factor which better represents a price paid for results?