Author's Note: Many leading financial advisors and a growing number of investors are accepting the fact that we have entered a new era ? one that may include below-average U.S. economic growth, high stock market volatility, and massive government involvement in key sectors of the economy.

Some investors are no longer enamored of long-term buy-and-hold stock market strategies; however, they may be receptive to innovative ideas that can deliver attractive returns over time while reducing market volatility and protecting purchasing power. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have come of age at the right time to meet such needs, and this two-part series is designed to help you evaluate new ETF concepts that can protect clients' assets while rekindling their investment appetites.

Lately, you don't hear much about (or from) the great investment managers. For the most part, they have gone underground or turned silent. This includes former stars of the mutual fund firmament, big-name hedge fund managers, and RIAs who watched over billion of dollars a short while ago.