Spark out of interest will assets do more than just +1 rifle skill and help with doing missions ? It would be cool if when you got access to certain assets the would unlock more stuff ( like even more assets, new companies and more mission types ect...) or even advance technology as a whole in the game.
Example : DeepCell - a computer virus asset - once gained you have the power to completely crash the stock market for everything - you will need to use several operatives break into the main servers and unleash this virus to bring everyone back on the same playing field - this asset when used will push all current assets into negative values, all corporations will lose all of their power which was built up and most of their cash causing every corporation to have to start again.