- •In praise of the fourth edition
- •CONTENTS
- •FOREWORD
- •The concept of consulting
- •Purpose of the book
- •Terminology
- •Plan of the book
- •ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
- •1.1 What is consulting?
- •Box 1.1 On giving and receiving advice
- •1.2 Why are consultants used? Five generic purposes
- •Figure 1.1 Generic consulting purposes
- •Box 1.2 Define the purpose, not the problem
- •1.3 How are consultants used? Ten principal ways
- •Box 1.3 Should consultants justify management decisions?
- •1.4 The consulting process
- •Figure 1.2 Phases of the consulting process
- •1.5 Evolving concepts and scope of management consulting
- •2 THE CONSULTING INDUSTRY
- •2.1 A historical perspective
- •2.2 The current consulting scene
- •2.3 Range of services provided
- •2.4 Generalist and specialist services
- •2.5 Main types of consulting organization
- •2.6 Internal consultants
- •2.7 Management consulting and other professions
- •Figure 2.1 Professional service infrastructure
- •2.8 Management consulting, training and research
- •Box 2.1 Factors differentiating research and consulting
- •3.1 Defining expectations and roles
- •Box 3.1 What it feels like to be a buyer
- •3.2 The client and the consultant systems
- •Box 3.2 Various categories of clients within a client system
- •Box 3.3 Attributes of trusted advisers
- •3.4 Behavioural roles of the consultant
- •Box 3.4 Why process consultation must be a part of every consultation
- •3.5 Further refinement of the role concept
- •3.6 Methods of influencing the client system
- •3.7 Counselling and coaching as tools of consulting
- •Box 3.5 The ICF on coaching and consulting
- •4 CONSULTING AND CHANGE
- •4.1 Understanding the nature of change
- •Figure 4.1 Time span and level of difficulty involved for various levels of change
- •Box 4.1 Which change comes first?
- •Box 4.2 Reasons for resistance to change
- •4.2 How organizations approach change
- •Box 4.3 What is addressed in planning change?
- •Box 4.4 Ten overlapping management styles, from no participation to complete participation
- •4.3 Gaining support for change
- •4.4 Managing conflict
- •Box 4.5 How to manage conflict
- •4.5 Structural arrangements and interventions for assisting change
- •5 CONSULTING AND CULTURE
- •5.1 Understanding and respecting culture
- •Box 5.1 What do we mean by culture?
- •5.2 Levels of culture
- •Box 5.2 Cultural factors affecting management
- •Box 5.3 Japanese culture and management consulting
- •Box 5.4 Cultural values and norms in organizations
- •5.3 Facing culture in consulting assignments
- •Box 5.5 Characteristics of “high-tech” company cultures
- •6.1 Is management consulting a profession?
- •6.2 The professional approach
- •Box 6.1 The power of the professional adviser
- •Box 6.2 Is there conflict of interest? Test your value system.
- •Box 6.3 On audit and consulting
- •6.3 Professional associations and codes of conduct
- •6.4 Certification and licensing
- •Box 6.4 International model for consultant certification (CMC)
- •6.5 Legal liability and professional responsibility
- •7 ENTRY
- •7.1 Initial contacts
- •Box 7.1 What a buyer looks for
- •7.2 Preliminary problem diagnosis
- •Figure 7.1 The consultant’s approach to a management survey
- •Box 7.2 Information materials for preliminary surveys
- •7.3 Terms of reference
- •Box 7.3 Terms of reference – checklist
- •7.4 Assignment strategy and plan
- •Box 7.4 Concepts and terms used in international technical cooperation projects
- •7.5 Proposal to the client
- •7.6 The consulting contract
- •Box 7.5 Confidential information on the client organization
- •Box 7.6 What to cover in a contract – checklist
- •8 DIAGNOSIS
- •8.1 Conceptual framework of diagnosis
- •8.2 Diagnosing purposes and problems
- •Box 8.1 The focus purpose – an example
- •Box 8.2 Issues in problem identification
- •8.3 Defining necessary facts
- •8.4 Sources and ways of obtaining facts
- •Box 8.3 Principles of effective interviewing
- •8.5 Data analysis
- •Box 8.4 Cultural factors in data-gathering – some examples
- •Box 8.5 Difficulties and pitfalls of causal analysis
- •Figure 8.1 Force-field analysis
- •Figure 8.2 Various bases for comparison
- •8.6 Feedback to the client
- •9 ACTION PLANNING
- •9.1 Searching for possible solutions
- •Box 9.1 Checklist of preliminary considerations
- •Box 9.2 Variables for developing new forms of transport
- •9.2 Developing and evaluating alternatives
- •Box 9.3 Searching for an ideal solution – three checklists
- •9.3 Presenting action proposals to the client
- •10 IMPLEMENTATION
- •10.1 The consultant’s role in implementation
- •10.2 Planning and monitoring implementation
- •10.3 Training and developing client staff
- •10.4 Some tactical guidelines for introducing changes in work methods
- •Figure 10.1 Comparison of the effects on eventual performance when using individualized versus conformed initial approaches
- •Figure 10.2 Comparison of spaced practice with a continuous or massed practice approach in terms of performance
- •Figure 10.3 Generalized illustration of the high points in attention level of a captive audience
- •10.5 Maintenance and control of the new practice
- •11.1 Time for withdrawal
- •11.2 Evaluation
- •11.3 Follow-up
- •11.4 Final reporting
- •12.1 Nature and scope of consulting in corporate strategy and general management
- •12.2 Corporate strategy
- •12.3 Processes, systems and structures
- •12.4 Corporate culture and management style
- •12.5 Corporate governance
- •13.1 The developing role of information technology
- •13.2 Scope and special features of IT consulting
- •13.3 An overall model of information systems consulting
- •Figure 13.1 A model of IT consulting
- •Figure 13.2 An IT systems portfolio
- •13.4 Quality of information systems
- •13.5 The providers of IT consulting services
- •Box 13.1 Choosing an IT consultant
- •13.6 Managing an IT consulting project
- •13.7 IT consulting to small businesses
- •13.8 Future perspectives
- •14.1 Creating value
- •14.2 The basic tools
- •14.3 Working capital and liquidity management
- •14.4 Capital structure and the financial markets
- •14.5 Mergers and acquisitions
- •14.6 Finance and operations: capital investment analysis
- •14.7 Accounting systems and budgetary control
- •14.8 Financial management under inflation
- •15.1 The marketing strategy level
- •15.2 Marketing operations
- •15.3 Consulting in commercial enterprises
- •15.4 International marketing
- •15.5 Physical distribution
- •15.6 Public relations
- •16 CONSULTING IN E-BUSINESS
- •16.1 The scope of e-business consulting
- •Figure 16.1 Classification of the connected relationship
- •Box 16.1 British Telecom entering new markets
- •Box 16.2 Pricing models
- •Box 16.3 EasyRentaCar.com breaks the industry rules
- •Box 16.4 The ThomasCook.com story
- •16.4 Dot.com organizations
- •16.5 Internet research
- •17.1 Developing an operations strategy
- •Box 17.1 Performance criteria of operations
- •Box 17.2 Major types of manufacturing choice
- •17.2 The product perspective
- •Box 17.3 Central themes in ineffective and effective development projects
- •17.3 The process perspective
- •17.4 The human aspects of operations
- •18.1 The changing nature of the personnel function
- •18.2 Policies, practices and the human resource audit
- •Box 18.1 The human resource audit (data for the past 12 months)
- •18.3 Human resource planning
- •18.4 Recruitment and selection
- •18.5 Motivation and remuneration
- •18.6 Human resource development
- •18.7 Labour–management relations
- •18.8 New areas and issues
- •Box 18.2 Current issues in Japanese human resource management
- •Box 18.3 Current issues in European HR management
- •19.1 Managing in the knowledge economy
- •Figure 19.1 Knowledge: a key resource of the post-industrial area
- •19.2 Knowledge-based value creation
- •Figure 19.2 The competence ladder
- •Figure 19.3 Four modes of knowledge transformation
- •Figure 19.4 Components of intellectual capital
- •Figure 19.5 What is your strategy to manage knowledge?
- •19.3 Developing a knowledge organization
- •Figure 19.6 Implementation paths for knowledge management
- •Box 19.1 The Siemens Business Services knowledge management framework
- •20.1 Shifts in productivity concepts, factors and conditions
- •Figure 20.1 An integrated model of productivity factors
- •Figure 20.2 A results-oriented human resource development cycle
- •20.2 Productivity and performance measurement
- •Figure 20.3 The contribution of productivity to profits
- •20.3 Approaches and strategies to improve productivity
- •Figure 20.4 Kaizen building-blocks
- •Box 20.1 Green productivity practices
- •Figure 20.5 Nokia’s corporate fitness rating
- •Box 20.2 Benchmarking process
- •20.4 Designing and implementing productivity and performance improvement programmes
- •Figure 20.6 The performance improvement planning process
- •Figure 20.7 The “royal road” of productivity improvement
- •20.5 Tools and techniques for productivity improvement
- •Box 20.3 Some simple productivity tools
- •Box 20.4 Multipurpose productivity techniques
- •Box 20.5 Tools used by most successful companies
- •21.1 Understanding TQM
- •21.2 Cost of quality – quality is free
- •Figure 21.1 Typical quality cost reduction
- •Box 21.1 Cost items of non-conformance associated with internal and external failures
- •Box 21.2 The cost items of conformance
- •21.3 Principles and building-blocks of TQM
- •Figure 21.2 TQM business structures
- •21.4 Implementing TQM
- •Box 21.3 The road to TQM
- •Figure 21.3 TQM process blocks
- •21.5 Principal TQM tools
- •Box 21.4 Tools for simple tasks in quality improvement
- •Figure 21.4 Quality tools according to quality improvement steps
- •Box 21.5 Powerful tools for company-wide TQM
- •21.6 ISO 9000 as a vehicle to TQM
- •21.7 Pitfalls and problems of TQM
- •21.8 Impact on management
- •21.9 Consulting competencies for TQM
- •22.1 What is organizational transformation?
- •22.2 Preparing for transformation
- •Figure 22.1 The change-resistant organization
- •22.3 Strategies and processes of transformation
- •Figure 22.2 Linkage between transformation types and organizational conditions
- •Figure 22.3 Relationships between business performance and types of transformation
- •Box 22.1 Eight stages for transforming an organization
- •22.4 Company turnarounds
- •Box 22.2 Implementing a turnaround plan
- •22.5 Downsizing
- •22.6 Business process re-engineering (BPR)
- •22.7 Outsourcing and insourcing
- •22.8 Joint ventures for transformation
- •22.9 Mergers and acquisitions
- •Box 22.3 Restructuring through acquisitions: the case of Cisco Systems
- •22.10 Networking arrangements
- •22.11 Transforming organizational structures
- •22.12 Ownership restructuring
- •22.13 Privatization
- •22.14 Pitfalls and errors to avoid in transformation
- •23.1 The social dimension of business
- •23.2 Current concepts and trends
- •Box 23.1 International guidelines on socially responsible business
- •23.3 Consulting services
- •Box 23.2 Typology of corporate citizenship consulting
- •23.4 A strategic approach to corporate responsibility
- •Figure 23.1 The total responsibility management system
- •23.5 Consulting in specific functions and areas of business
- •23.6 Future perspectives
- •24.1 Characteristics of small enterprises
- •24.2 The role and profile of the consultant
- •24.4 Areas of special concern
- •24.5 An enabling environment
- •24.6 Innovations in small-business consulting
- •25.1 What is different about micro-enterprises?
- •Box 25.1 Consulting in the informal sector – a mini case study
- •25.3 The special skills of micro-enterprise consultants
- •Box 25.2 Private consulting services for micro-enterprises
- •26.1 The evolving role of government
- •Box 26.1 Reinventing government
- •26.2 Understanding the public sector environment
- •Figure 26.1 The public sector decision-making process
- •Box 26.2 The consultant–client relationship in support of decision-making
- •Box 26.3 “Shoulds” and “should nots” in consulting to government
- •26.3 Working with public sector clients throughout the consulting cycle
- •26.4 The service providers
- •26.5 Some current challenges
- •27.1 The management challenge of the professions
- •27.2 Managing a professional service
- •Box 27.1 Challenges in people management
- •27.3 Managing a professional business
- •Box 27.2 Leverage and profitability
- •Box 27.3 Hunters and farmers
- •27.4 Achieving excellence professionally and in business
- •28.1 The strategic approach
- •28.2 The scope of client services
- •Box 28.1 Could consultants live without fads?
- •28.3 The client base
- •28.4 Growth and expansion
- •28.5 Going international
- •28.6 Profile and image of the firm
- •Box 28.2 Five prototypes of consulting firms
- •28.7 Strategic management in practice
- •Box 28.3 Strategic audit of a consulting firm: checklist of questions
- •Box 28.4 What do we want to know about competitors?
- •Box 28.5 Environmental factors affecting strategy
- •29.1 The marketing approach in consulting
- •Box 29.1 Marketing of consulting: seven fundamental principles
- •29.2 A client’s perspective
- •29.3 Techniques for marketing the consulting firm
- •Box 29.2 Criteria for selecting consultants
- •Box 29.3 Branding – the new myth of marketing?
- •29.4 Techniques for marketing consulting assignments
- •29.5 Marketing to existing clients
- •Box 29.4 The cost of marketing efforts: an example
- •29.6 Managing the marketing process
- •Box 29.5 Information about clients
- •30 COSTS AND FEES
- •30.1 Income-generating activities
- •Table 30.1 Chargeable time
- •30.2 Costing chargeable services
- •30.3 Marketing-policy considerations
- •30.4 Principal fee-setting methods
- •30.5 Fair play in fee-setting and billing
- •30.6 Towards value billing
- •30.7 Costing and pricing an assignment
- •30.8 Billing clients and collecting fees
- •Box 30.1 Information to be provided in a bill
- •31 ASSIGNMENT MANAGEMENT
- •31.1 Structuring and scheduling an assignment
- •31.2 Preparing for an assignment
- •Box 31.1 Checklist of points for briefing
- •31.3 Managing assignment execution
- •31.4 Controlling costs and budgets
- •31.5 Assignment records and reports
- •Figure 31.1 Notification of assignment
- •Box 31.2 Assignment reference report – a checklist
- •31.6 Closing an assignment
- •32.1 What is quality management in consulting?
- •Box 32.1 Primary stakeholders’ needs
- •Box 32.2 Responsibility for quality
- •32.2 Key elements of a quality assurance programme
- •Box 32.3 Introducing a quality assurance programme
- •Box 32.4 Assuring quality during assignments
- •32.3 Quality certification
- •32.4 Sustaining quality
- •33.1 Operating workplan and budget
- •Box 33.1 Ways of improving efficiency and raising profits
- •Table 33.2 Typical structure of expenses and income
- •33.2 Performance monitoring
- •Box 33.2 Monthly controls: a checklist
- •Figure 33.1 Expanded profit model for consulting firms
- •33.3 Bookkeeping and accounting
- •34.1 Drivers for knowledge management in consulting
- •34.2 Factors inherent in the consulting process
- •34.3 A knowledge management programme
- •34.4 Sharing knowledge with clients
- •Box 34.1 Checklist for applying knowledge management in a small or medium-sized consulting firm
- •35.1 Legal forms of business
- •35.2 Management and operations structure
- •Figure 35.1 Possible organizational structure of a consulting company
- •Figure 35.2 Professional core of a consulting unit
- •35.3 IT support and outsourcing
- •35.4 Office facilities
- •36.1 Personal characteristics of consultants
- •36.2 Recruitment and selection
- •Box 36.1 Qualities of a consultant
- •36.3 Career development
- •Box 36.2 Career structure in a consulting firm
- •36.4 Compensation policies and practices
- •Box 36.3 Criteria for partners’ compensation
- •Box 36.4 Ideas for improving compensation policies
- •37.1 What should consultants learn?
- •Box 37.1 Areas of consultant knowledge and skills
- •37.2 Training of new consultants
- •Figure 37.1 Consultant development matrix
- •37.3 Training methods
- •Box 37.2 Training in process consulting
- •37.4 Further training and development of consultants
- •37.5 Motivation for consultant development
- •37.6 Learning options available to sole practitioners
- •38 PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
- •38.1 Your market
- •Box 38.1 Change in the consulting business
- •38.2 Your profession
- •38.3 Your self-development
- •38.4 Conclusion
- •APPENDICES
- •4 TERMS OF A CONSULTING CONTRACT
- •5 CONSULTING AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
- •7 WRITING REPORTS
- •SUBJECT INDEX
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
THE CLIENT’S TEN COMMANDMENTS
(CHOOSING AND USING CONSULTANTS)
If you are a user of management consulting services, or a potential user, this appendix is for you. The Ten Commandments summarize, in telegraphic form, the critical points of which you need to be aware. If you are a consultant, the Ten Commandments can help you to understand better your client’s approach and main concerns. Remember: consulting produces good results if consultants are competent in serving clients and clients in using consultants.
1.Learn about consulting and consultants
2.Define your problem and look for opportunities
3.Define your purpose
4.Choose the right consultant
5.Develop a joint programme
6.Cooperate actively with your consultant
7.Involve the consultant in implementation
8.Monitor progress
9.Evaluate the results and the consultant
10.Beware of dependence on consultants
Now, let us look at the meaning of each Commandment.
1.Learn about consulting and consultants
Management consulting is a young, dynamic and rapidly developing profession. It has changed considerably with the advent of the Internet and e-business. You can be sure that you will find a consultant for any business or management problem you face. But who are these consultants? How do they work? Are they really as good as one often hears? You want to get replies to these questions. Don’t wait until the last moment before recruiting a consultant. Find out about consulting and consultants, and try to become a well-informed client who knows the management and business consulting scene.
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●This book can give you a lot of information. It describes how consultants operate, market their services, charge for services and assure quality. Of course, there are other publications and sources of information on consulting. A great amount of relevant information is available through the Web (see Appendix 3).
●There are publications specifically on choosing and using consultants. The ILO has published a companion volume to this book under the title How to select and use consultants: A client’s guide. Brief guides to selecting consultants are available from many consultants’ associations.
●Reading a book or retrieving information from Web sites is not enough. Speak with business friends, screen management and business periodicals, attend meetings of management or consultants’associations and ask for information, be alert to news on developments in consulting and other professional services to management.
●Criticizing consultants is very fashionable. Make sure that you are informed about such criticism and the flaws that do occur in consulting (and other professional services), but don’t judge the value of consulting on the basis of sensational press articles or books.
●It is essential to know who is who. Try to collect information on consultants (firms and individuals) who may interest you. What is their speciality and approach? For whom have they worked? How do they share know-how with clients? What is their reputation? Are their fees within your reach?
2.Define your problem and look for opportunities
The purpose of consulting is to help clients to solve their management and business problems. If you have no problem, you do not need a consultant. Therefore you should be convinced that your organization has a problem that warrants a consulting assignment.
●Define your problem as precisely as possible. What is or could go wrong? What do you want to improve? Why do you need a consultant? Are you sure that you and your own people cannot solve the problem?
●Look for new opportunities. Rather than correcting past shortcomings and errors, a consultant may help you to develop new business, tackle new markets, exploit new technologies, mobilize new resources and increase your competitive edge.
●If the idea of using a consultant comes from members of your staff who seek your approval, ask them to be explicit and precise in defining the problem and the reasons. Do not accept superficial and vague justification.
●Keep the definition of your problem open. The consultant will in any case make his or her own diagnosis, and may show that your original definition was biased, narrow or incomplete. The final definition of the problem must be agreed by both the client and the consultant.
3.Define your purpose
The task of the consultancy will be to help in solving your problem, but you should look at your problem from a wider perspective. What will be the purpose of
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resolving the problem? What do you want to achieve? What will your organization gain? Where do you want to get to and what effort are you prepared to make?
Your purposes should be formulated as specific objectives of the consultancy: action (operational) objectives and learning objectives.
●Remember that consultants can intervene in various ways. Consider what you want from the consultant in planning and implementing changes in your organization. Information that you lack? Expert advice on your decisions? A new information system? An improved organizational climate? Increased production and sales? Higher profitability? Each of these choices will require a different intervention method and a different volume of consulting services. Your action objectives will reflect your choice.
●Your learning objectives are equally if not more important. It has been said many times that effective consulting helps clients to learn from their own and the consultant’s experience. Define what you want to learn and how you would like to learn during the assignment. This will be your learning objective.
●Write your objectives down, trying to be as precise as possible. Be flexible and be prepared to redefine these objectives after having spoken with your consultant or received his or her proposals, and even after the work has started. Your consultant may help to redefine your objectives in your own interest.
4.Choose the right consultant
To choose the right consultant is essential, but it is not an easy matter. It requires information, an effective selection procedure, skill in assessing consultants, and patience. Some risk is always involved, but a proper approach to selection will minimize this risk. Your aim is to get the right consultant for your organization and the kind of problem you have. You and the consultant will have to understand and trust each other, and enjoy working together. Remember: it is you who is choosing the consultant, not the consultant who is choosing you.
●Take the choice of a consultant very seriously. Never recruit “someone who just happens to be around” and is easily available, or who has just sent you a flattering letter or an elegant publicity brochure, unless you are sure that he or she is the ideal choice.
●Use shortlists of consultants, carefully screen candidates to be put on the shortlist, get information on their capabilities, clients and past assignments, check leads and references given to you by business associates, colleagues, consultants’ and management associations, friends, and any other source.
●Be cautious in using consultants who claim that they can do anything and are vague and evasive when asked about their approach, clients and work performed. A true professional would never pretend to be an expert in all fields.
●Try to apply a rigorous (though not rigid and bureaucratic) selection procedure, including rating, comparing and evaluating consultants’ proposals and qualifications. Make the choice as objective as possible to try to minimize the risk of errors. Improve the procedure on the basis of experience.
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●Never give a major assignment to an unknown consultant. If possible, test new consultants on small and short jobs. Do not pay an unknown consultant an advance for future work.
●Be sure that you choose not only the consulting firm, but also the individual consultants employed by the firm (who may not be the people who came to propose the assignment to you). The consultants have to have personalities and technical skills that match your organization.
●Make sure that the consultant of your choice is fully up to date, versed in IT developments, aware of existing legislative frameworks and business cultures, informed about key sources of information and expertise, connected with professional networks in consulting and other business services, and able to view your specific problems and concerns from a wider economic and social perspective.
●If your consultant is to be sponsored by a technical assistance project or fund, make sure that you have a final say in selection. The consultant will work for you, not for the sponsor, and the sponsor will hold you responsible for the outcome. A free consulting service may turn out to cost you a lot if you are not in charge.
●If a consultant has deserved and earned your trust, do not hesitate to use him or her again. Not only will selection be easier and less risky, but you may get new ideas, information, inspiration, counsel and help beyond your expectations and beyond the terms of any formal contract.
5.Develop a joint programme
The consultant you have chosen may be the best one, but he or she is not your employee, and his or her presence and intervention will create an unusual situation in your organization. Careful planning and preparation of the assignment are essential.
●Review the proposals received in detail with the consultant, ask questions, suggest improvements in the approach and the workplan.
●Clarify the consultant’s role and your own, the style of consulting to be used, and responsibilities for all phases of the assignment. Who will do what? How will you and your staff cooperate with the consultant? Are you sure that the consultant will not do work that your people can do (this can reduce cost and speed up execution)?
●Reach an agreement on the programme of work to be implemented, the timetable and deadlines to be observed, measurable and controllable results to be attained, reports to be submitted to you and control sessions to be held at critical points of the assignment.
●Settle the financial side clearly and unambiguously: the fee formula and level, the reimbursable expenses, the conditions, form and frequency of payments.
●Sign a contract with the consultant in a form that is customary in your business environment. Use a written contract and make sure that it complies fully with legislation. Confine the use of verbal agreements to small jobs and to consultants whom you know well and trust totally.
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6.Cooperate actively with your consultant
The modern concept of management consulting emphasizes the client’s active participation at all stages of the assignment. Both the consultant’s and the client’s best brains are needed to make the assignment a success. And you can only learn by working with the consultant, not by reading reports and reviewing the results of the consultant’s work. But your involvement will not happen automatically – a real effort is required, especially since a consulting assignment is an additional job to the normal work of your organization.
●Tell your staff about the consultant’s presence; introduce the consultant to everyone who should meet him or her.
●Make the right people available at the right time. You will gain nothing by assigning second-rate staff to work with a first-rate adviser.
●Provide readily all information related to the assignment and needed by the consultant (confidential information not required for the assignment does not have to be shared).
●Look for ways of improving the design of the assignment, increasing your participation and enhancing the consultant’s efficiency – he or she is working for you and the ultimate benefit will be yours.
●Cooperating in the assignment does not mean irritating the consultant, holding his hand, always looking over his shoulder, delaying decisions on his proposals and not letting him proceed with the job. If this is your attitude, do not use consultants.
7.Involve the consultant in implementation
A universal problem faced by consultants and clients alike is that too many assignments end before implementation. The report looks fine – but can it be implemented? Can the new scheme work? Are you able to make it work? Will the purpose be achieved? Certain consultants are only too happy to leave the client without implementing the proposals. The true professionals do care about implementation and are sorry if they cannot participate and learn from it.
Remember that modern consulting tends to be results-oriented and consultant remuneration more and more results-based. This is not possible if the consultant does not participate in implementation.
●Make it a principle that your consultant will be involved in implementation.
●Choose a degree and form of the consultant’s involvement that suit your organization. Several alternatives will be available in most cases.
●If cost is what worries you, choose a light involvement: you implement, but the consultant helps to debug the new scheme and is available if problems arise.
●In any event, avoid implementation by the consultant without the active participation of your staff.
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8.Monitor progress
There are many reasons why the course of a consulting assignment may deviate from the path originally agreed. Because it is your assignment, and you are keen to get results, it is in your interest to monitor progress closely and take corrective measures before it is too late.
●Your monitoring will reveal whether the consultant:
–understands your organization;
–is taking the right technical direction;
–is observing the timetable;
–is behaving as a real professional (with integrity, tact, commitment, efficiency);
–is providing inputs of the right quality and quantity;
–is sharing information and facilitating learning;
–is not facing unexpected obstacles;
–has no friction or conflict with your staff;
–is likely to accomplish the agreed objectives.
●Monitor your own performance:
–are you respecting your commitments?
–can you keep pace with the consultant?
–are your staff helping the consultant, ignoring him or her, or making difficulties?
●Pay special attention to the collaborative spirit in which the assignment should be taking place.
●Do not underestimate the financial aspects of delivery:
–is the consultant billing you regularly?
–are the bills clear and correct?
–are you paying without delay?
–will the assignment remain within agreed financial limits?
Conclusions from monitoring should be reviewed with the consultant and decisions promptly taken on needed adjustments. If the time frame of the assignment cannot be extended, slow and superficial monitoring may lead to situations where nothing can be improved any more.
9.Evaluate the results and the consultant
Many assignments end in a bizarre way. The consultant leaves the organization, a report is submitted and accepted, bills are paid and everyone seems to be happy. Yet the client cannot really say whether the assignment was worth while, or whether the benefits obtained justified the costs. No lessons are drawn for future assignments, or for the possibility of using the same consultant again.
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●It is in your interest to evaluate every assignment on the basis of facts and figures, not of superficial impressions and hearsay (“the consultant was a very nice and really helpful guy, everyone around here liked him”).
●Evaluate the results obtained. What has changed? Will the changes be lasting? How much will they cost us? What problems remain unsolved? What opportunities have been missed?
●Evaluate the consultant. Has she delivered as promised? What could we learn from her? Was working with her an exciting experience? Would we use her again?
●Write your evaluation down. The consultant may contact you again and other people in your organization will want to know how he or she performed when working with you. Such information should be available to your colleagues and successors.
●Evaluate your own approach. Have you done well in this assignment? What have you and your colleagues learned? Have you become more skilful in working with consultants? Are you making effective use of them? Where do you need to improve?
10. Beware of dependence on consultants
You and your staff may have appreciated and enjoyed the presence of a professional consultant in your organization. Yet the purpose of consulting reaches beyond making professional expertise available to your organization for dealing with current problems. Every assignment should increase your abilities and your independence in dealing with future problems. Dependence on consultants would be a symptom of a very unhealthy state of affairs.
●Do not delegate to consultants any decisions that are your responsibility and that you have to take.
●Do not get used to always having a consultant around to whom you hand over every complicated matter. Conversely, it may be useful to have a long-term relationship with a consultant who could be your special adviser, sounding-board, source of new ideas and contacts, or personal counsellor.
●Do not turn to consultants with the same task again: you and your staff should have learned how to tackle it.
●Develop internal consulting capabilities for dealing with issues for which an external expert is not necessary or which require an intimate inside knowledge of your organization.
●Do not put all your eggs in one basket – diversify your sources of external expertise. But stay in touch with consultants whose performance was excellent and who have earned your trust.
** *
The Ten Commandments are not intended to teach you how to use consultants, but they do stress critical points to bear in mind when choosing consultants and working with them. If you want to learn more about consulting, read about it and speak with people who have used consultants. Try to get objective and balanced
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information. And then try it out, first on a small assignment, but one dealing with a real problem.
When you and your organization become experts in working with consultants, you may find it useful to define your own policy for using management consultants and other professional services. The Ten Commandments provide some guidance on this, but you should establish a policy that reflects your unique needs and experience.
844
APPENDIX 2
ASSOCIATIONS OF MANAGEMENT
CONSULTANTS1
Argentina
Consejo Asesor de Empresas Consultoras Leando N. Alem 465, 4”g”
1003 Buenos Aires mz@lvd.com.ar
Australia
Institute of Management Consultants (IMCA)
Level 2 The Mansion 40 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 imc@imc.org.au
www.management-consultants.com.au
Austria
Fachverband Unternehmensberatung und Informationstechnologie
Wirtschaftskammer Österreich Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63 1045 Wien office@wkubdv.wk.or.at www.ubit.at
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Association of Management
Consultants
98 Malibagh (DIT Road)
Dhaka 1219
1 All Web sites visited on 4 Apr. 2002.
Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh (IMCB)
c/o Survey Research Group of Bangladesh 396 New Eskaton Road
PO Box 7092
Dhaka 1000 hgas@nsu.agni.com
Belgium
Association belge des Conseils en Organisation et Gestion (ASCOBEL)
Place des Chasseurs ardennais 20 1030 Brussels ascobel@skynet.be www.ascobel.be
Brazil
Associação Brasileira de Consultores de Organização (ABCO)
Rua da Lapa 180
COB 20021 Rio de Janeiro
Instituto Brasileiro dos Consultores de Organização (IBCO)
Av. Paulista 326, 7th andar - cj.77 CEP 01310 São Paulo
Bulgaria
Bulgarian Association of Management Consulting Organisations (BAMCO)
1 Macedonia Square, 17th floor Sofia 1040
bamco@delin.org
www.delin.org/bamco
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Canada
Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CAMC)
BCE Place, 181 Bay Street Galleria, Box 835
Heritage Building, Suite 2R
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2T3 camc@camc.com www.camc.com
China
Dingdian Zi Xun You Xian Gong Si [Institute of Management Consultants
China]
PO Box 4033 JianguomenNei DaJie Beijing 100001 imc@263.net
Institute of Management Consultants Hong Kong
c/o The Poon Kam Kai Institute of Management
University of Hong Kong Town Centre 3/F Admiralty Centre
18 Harcourt Road Hong Kong info@imchk.com.hk www.imchk.com.hk
Management Consultancies Association of Hong Kong (MCAHK)
PO Box 47537, Morrison Hill Post Office mca@hkgcc.org.hk
www.mca.org.hk
Croatia
Croatian Management Consulting
Association (CROCA)
Draskoviceva 47a
10000 Zagreb
Cyprus
Cyprus Association of Business Consultants 30 Grivas Dhivenis Avenue
PO Box 1657
1511 Nicosia oeb@dial.cylink.com.cy
Institute of Management Consultancy Cyprus Cyprus Technology Foundation
Ionio Nison 1
1st fl., Akropoli, PO Box 20783 1663 Nicosia techinfo@industry.cy.net www.industry.cy.net
Czech Republic
Asociace pro poradenství v podnikání (APP) [Association for Consulting to Business] Veletrˆzní 21
17001 Praha 7 asocpor@iol.cz
Denmark
Danish Institute of Certified Management Consultants
Chr. Richardts Vej 3, PO Box 782 5230 Odense M
info@dicmc.dk
www.dicmc.dk
Dansk Management Råd (DMR) 14A, 2.sal, Amaliegade
1256 Copenhagen K info@danskmanagementraad.dk www.danskmanagementraad.dk
Finland
Liikkeenjohdon Konsultit (LJK)
[The Finnish Management Consultants] Eteläranta 10
00130 Helsinki ljk@ljk.fi www.ljk.fi
France
Syntec-Management
Chambre syndicale des Sociétés de Conseils (SYNTEC)
3 rue Léon Bonnat
75016 Paris www.syntec-management.com
846
Appendices
Office professionnel de Qualification des Conseils en Management
3 rue Léon Bonnat
75016 Paris
Germany
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater e.V. (BDU)
Zitelmannstrasse 22 53113 Bonn info@bdu.de www.bdu.de
Greece
Hellenic Association of Management Consulting Firms (SESMA)
Elikonos 13 Chalandri 15234 Athens sesma@hol.gr
Hungary
Association of Management Consultants in Hungary (VTMSZ)
11 Szt. István Krt.
1055 Budapest hetyey@mail.externet.hu
India
Institute of Management Consultants of India
Centre 1, 11th fl., Unit 2 World Trade Centre Cuffe Parade
Bombay 400 005 imci@vsnl.com
Indonesia
Ikatan Nasional Konsultan Indonesia
Jl. Bendungan Hilir Raya 29
Jakarta 10210
Ireland
Institute of Management Consultants Ireland Confederation House
84/86 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2
info@imci.ie
www.imci.ie
Association of Management Consulting
Organizations (AMCO)
Confederation House
84/86 Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2
Italy
Associazione professionale dei Consulenti di Direzione e Organizzazione (APCO)
Corso Venezia 49 20121 Milan info@apcoitalia.it www.apcoitalia.it
Associazione delle Societe di Consulenza Direzionale e Organizzazionale
(ASSOCONSULT) Piazza Velasca 6 20122 Milan info@assoconsult.org www.assoconsult.org
Japan
ZEN-NOH-REN
Kindai Building 6F 12-5 Kohimachi 3Chome Chiyoda-Ku
Tokyo 102-0083 imcj@zen-noh-ren.or.jp www.zen-noh-ren.or.jp
Jordan
Institute of Management Consultants of Jordan
9 Mogadishu Street - Um Uthaina PO Box 926550
Amman 11110 imc@go.com.jo www.imc.com.jo
Latvia
Latvian Association of Business Consultants (LBKA)
Akas Street 5-7 Riga 1011 lbka@lbka.lv www.lbka.lv
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Management consulting
Malaysia
Institute of Management Consultants
Malaysia
Level 1, Menara Sungei Way
Jalan Lagun Timur, Bandar Sunway
Petaling Jaya 46150
Mexico
Asociación Mexicana de Empresas de Consultoría (AMEC)
calz. Legaria 252 Mexico City 17, DF
Netherlands
Orde Van Organisatiekundigen en-Adviseurs (OOA)
PO Box 302
1170 AH Badhoevedorp ooa@wispa.nl
Raad Van Organisatie Adviesbureau (ROA) PO Box 85515
2508 CE The Hague roa@bikker.nl
Poland
Stowarzyszenie Doradcow Gospodarczych w Polsce (SDG)
[Association of Economic Consultants in Poland]
ul. Rakowiecka 36 02 532 Warsaw sdg@sdg.com.pl www.sdg.com.pl
Portugal
Associação Portuguesa de Projectistas e Consultores (APPC)
Av. Antonio Augusto Aguiar 126, 7th fl. 1050 Lisbon
info@appconsultores.pt
www.appconsultores.pt
Romania
Associata Consultantilor in Management din Romania (AMCOR)
7–9 Piata Amzei, Sc. C, ap. 6 70174 Bucharest svasta@mail.kappa.ro
New Zealand
Institute of Management Consultants New Zealand Inc.
PO Box 6493 Wellesley Street Auckland
ron.evans@hawkeye.co.nz
Nigeria
Institute of Management Consultants Nigeria PO Box 9194
8th fl., NNDC Building (Ahmed Talib House) 18/19 Ahmadu Bello Way
Kaduna nimc@inet-global.com
Norway
Norges Bedriftsrådgiverforening (NBF) c/o Interforum Partners AS
Askerveien 61 1384 Asker catom@online.no
Russian Federation
Association of Consultants in Economics and Management (ACEM)
12 Petrovka
103756 Moscow acem@tsr.ru
Singapore
Institute of Management Consultants Singapore
20 Maxwell Road
09-08 Maxwell House Singapore 069113 secretariat@imcsingapore.com www.imcsin.org.sg
Slovakia
Slovenská asociácia pre poradenstvo v riadeniu (SAPR)
[Slovak Association for Management Consulting]
Mudroˆnova 47 81103 Bratislava
848
Slovenia
Association of Management Consultants of Slovenia (AMCOS)
Dimiceva 13 1504 Ljubljana infolink@gzs.si www.gzs.si
South Africa
Institute of Management Consultants South Africa
PO Box 798 Hurlingham Manor 2070 imcsa@global.co.za www.imcsa.org.za
Spain
Asociación Española de Empresas de Consultoría (AEC)
Orfila 5, Esc.1-4C 28010 Madrid aec@wanadoo.es www.consultoras.com
Instituto de Consultores de Organización y Dirección
Orfila 5, Esc. 1-4D 28010 Madrid
Sweden
Sveriges Managementkonsulenter (SAMC) Kungsgatan 48
11135 Stockholm anders.grufman@grufman.reje.se www.samc.se
Appendices
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Management Consulting Association Partizanski Odreni Bld. 2
Skopje 91000
Turkey
Management Consultancies Association of Turkey (MCAT)
YDD, Maslak-TEM Kavsagi Yeni Camlik Cd. No.1,4 Levent Istanbul 80660 myalnizoglu@arge.com
United Kingdom
Institute of Management Consultancy (IMC) 3rd Floor
17–18 Hayward’s Place London EC1R 0EQ consult@imc.co.uk www.imc.co.uk
Management Consultancies Association (MCA)
49 Whitehall London SW1A 2BX mca@mca.org.uk www.mca.org.uk
United States
Academy of Management Management Consulting Division www.uwf.edu/mcd
Switzerland |
American Institute of Certified Public |
Association suisse des Conseils en |
Accountants (AICPA) |
Organisation et Gestion (ASCO) |
Membership Section for Consulting |
Forchstrasse 428 |
Services |
Postfach 923 |
1211 Avenue of the Americas |
8702 Züllikon |
New York NY 10036-8775 |
office@asco.ch |
ssacks@aicpa.org |
www.asco.ch |
www.aicpa.org |
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Management consulting
Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF)
308 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1700 New York NY 10168 info@amcf.org
www.amcf.org
Institute of Management Consultants USA
Suite 800 2025 M Street
Washington DC 20036-3309 office@imcusa.org www.imcusa.org
National Bureau of Certified Consultants (NBCC)
2728 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103 nationalbureau@att.net www.national-bureau.com
Europe
European Federation of Management Consulting Associations (FEACO)
Avenue des Arts 3/4/5 1210 Brussels Belgium feaco@feaco.org www.feaco.org
European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
88 rue Gachard
1050 Brussels info@efmd.be www.efmd.be
Interregional
International Coach Federation (ICF) 1444 I Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005
United States icfoffice@coachfederation.org www.coachfederation.org
International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI)
858 Longview Road Burlingame, CA 94010-6974 United States icmci@icmci.org www.icmci.com
International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC)
BP 86, 1000 Lausanne 12 Switzerland fidic@fidic.org www.fidic.org
(regional and national associations of consulting engineers are listed at the FIDIC Web site)
850
APPENDIX 3
INFORMATION AND LEARNING SOURCES
FOR CONSULTANTS
This appendix lists selected information and learning sources of particular interest to consultants.1 It concentrates on basic and common issues of consulting, such as methodology and style, general trends, change management, the professional approach, firm management, selection and use of consultants, the consulting industry and related professions. It does not aim to cover specific business sectors or management functions and techniques.
1.Handbooks, guides and monographs
Consulting practice and methodology
Block, P.: Flawless consulting: A guide to getting your expertise used (San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 2nd ed., 2000).
Kawase, T.: Human centred problem solving (Tokyo, Asian Productivity Organization, 2001).
Nadler, G.; Hibino, S.: Breakthrough thinking: The seven principles of creative problem solving (Rocklin, CA, Prima Publishing, 1994).
Nadler, G.; Hibino, S.; Farrell J.: Creative solution finding: The triumph of full-spec- trum creativity over conventional thinking (Rocklin, CA, Prima Publishing, 1995).
Sadler, P. (ed.): Management consultancy: A handbook for best practice (London, Kogan Page, 1998).
Schein, E.: Process consultation revisited: Building the helping relationship
(Reading, MA, Addison-Wesley, 1999).
Weinberg, G.: The secrets of consulting: A guide to giving and getting advice successfully (New York, Dorset House, 1985).
Weiss, A.: The ultimate consultant: Powerful techniques for the successful practitioner (San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, 2001).
1 All Web sites visited on 4 Apr. 2002.
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Selection and use of consultants
Kennedy Information: A buyer’s guide to management consulting services, 2000 edition (Fitzwilliam, NH, Kennedy Information, 2000).
Kubr, M.: How to select and use consultants: A client’s guide, Management Development Series, No. 31 (Geneva, ILO, 1993).
Professional approach
Bellman, G. M.: Getting things done when you are not in charge (San Francisco, CA, Berrett-Koehler, 1992).
Bellman, G. M.: The consultant’s calling: Bringing what you are to what you do
(San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, 1990).
Dawson, R.: Developing knowledge-based client relationships: The future of professional services (Woburn, MA, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000).
Maister, D.: Managing the professional service firm (New York, The Free Press, 1993).
Maister, D.: True professionalism (New York, The Free Press, 1997).
Maister, D.; Green, C. H.; Galford, R.: The trusted advisor (New York, The Free Press, 2000).
McKenna, P.; Maister, D.: First among equals: How to manage a group of professionals (New York, The Free Press, 2002).
Change and culture
Beckhard, R.: Agent of change: My life, my practice (San Francisco, CA, JosseyBass, 1997).
Hamel, G.: Leading the revolution (Boston, MA, HBS Press, 2000).
Hofstede, G.: Culture and organizations: Software of the mind (London, HarperCollins, 1994).
Kotter, J.: Leading change (Boston, MA, HBS Press, 1996).
Senge, P. et al.: The dance of change: The challenges to sustaining momentum in learning organizations (New York, Doubleday, 1999).
Trompenaars, F.; Hampden-Turner, C.: Riding the waves of culture: Understanding cultural diversity in business (London, Nicholas Brealey, 2nd ed., 1997).
Human resources, training and development
Craig, R. L.: The ASTD training and development handbook: A guide to human resource development (New York, McGraw-Hill, 4th ed., 1996).
Pedler, M.; Burgoyne, J.; Boydell, T.: The learning company: A strategy for sustainable development (London, McGraw-Hill, 2nd ed., 1997).
852
Appendices
Prokopenko, J. (ed.): Management development: A guide for the profession
(Geneva, ILO, 1998).
Senge, P.: The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization
(New York, Doubleday, 1990).
Shaw, P.; Phillips, K.: A consultancy approach for trainers and developers
(Aldershot, Gower, 1998).
2.Consulting industry surveys and critiques
Czerniawska, F.: Management consultancy in the 21st century (Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1999).
E-business consulting: After the shakeout (Fitzwilliam, NH, Kennedy Information, 2001).
E-business realities and their implications for consultants (Fitzwilliam, NH, Kennedy Information, 2001).
E-consulting: Winning strategies for the new economy, a sector survey report by Fiona Czierniawska (Lafferty Publications, 2000; www.lafferty.com).
The global consulting marketplace: Key data, forecasts and trends, 2002 edition, and a number of other comprehensive studies of the consulting industry and its trends (Fitzwilliam, NH, Kennedy Information).
The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Management Consulting, 2001 Edition (Boston, MA, HBS Press, 2000).
Micklethwait, J.; Wooldridge, A.: The witch doctors: What the management gurus are saying, why it matters and how to make sense of it (London, Heinemann, 1996).
O’Shea, J.; Madigan, C.: Dangerous company: The consulting powerhouses and the businesses they save and ruin (London, Nicholas Brealey, 1997).
Pinault, L.: Consulting demons: Inside the unscrupulous world of global corporate consulting (New York, Harper Business, 2000).
Regional and country reports on consulting services; reports on consulting in Europe, United States, Japan and China (ALPHA Publications).
Shapiro, E.: Fad surfing in the boardroom: Reclaiming the courage to manage in the age of instant answers (Reading, MA, Addison-Wesley, 1995).
Survey of the European management consultancy market, regularly updated (FEACO).
Vault guide to the top 50 consulting firms (www.vault.com).
3.Periodicals and newsletters
Consultants’ Advisory (PMP Group); IT report for consultants and systems integrators.
Consultants News (Kennedy Information); monthly newsletter of the consulting industry.
Consulting Magazine (Kennedy Information); monthly magazine.
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Management consulting
Consulting: Le mensuel international du conseil (Groupe Mm); monthly trade bulletin (in French).
Consulting to Management; quarterly journal of the profession, former Journal of Management Consulting (www.C2M.com).
Global IT Consulting Report (Kennedy Information).
International Consultants’ Guide (PMP Group); guide for consultants, system integrators and analysts.
International Consultants’ News (PMP Group); international news report.
IT Consultant (Penton Technology Media); monthly professional magazine.
Management Berater (Management Berater Verlag); consulting journal (in German).
Management Consultancy (VNU Publications); monthly trade journal with focus on IT.
Management Consultants’News (PMP Group); monthly news report with focus on IT.
Management Consultant International (Kennedy Information).
The Marcus Letter; www.marcusletter.com; focus on marketing of professional services.
Professional Consultancy; magazine of the Institute of Management Consultancy, United Kingdom.
The Rodenhauser Report (Consulting Information Services); regular electronic briefing service, includes a weekly email column “Inside Consulting”.
What’s Working in Consulting (Kennedy Information); monthly guide providing practical tips and suggestions.
4.Directories of consultants
Consulting 2001: Le guide professionnel des sociétés de conseil (Groupe Mm).
The Directory of Management Consultants 2002 (Kennedy Information).
The European Directory of Management Consultants 1997/98 (FEACO).
5.Information services, agencies and Web sites
ALPHA Publications |
American Society for Training and |
www.alpha-publications.com |
Development (ASTD) |
(reports on major markets for |
1640 King Street, Box 1443 |
management consulting |
Alexandria, VA 22313-2043, |
services) |
United States |
|
www.astd.org |
www.amazon.com |
Asian Productivity Organization |
(booksellers and source of |
(APO) |
bibliographic information |
Hirakawacho 1 chome, |
on available and forthcoming |
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0093 Japan |
publications) |
www.apo-tokyo.org |
854
B2business.net
www.b2business.net
(network for e-business professionals)
Business 2.0 www.business2.com
(Internet magazine and Web site)
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD)
CIPD House, Camp Road
London SW19 4UX, United Kingdom www.cipd.co.uk
CIO www.cio.com
(e-business information links and research)
Consulting Information Services, LLC 191 Washington Street
Keene, NH 0341, USA www.consultinginfo.com
The Economist e-business forum www.ebusinessforum.com
Fast Company
www.fastcompany.com
Forrester Research
www.forrester.com
Gartner Group
www.gartner.com
Groupe Mm
31/35 rue Gambetta 92150 Suresnes, France
groupemm@groupemm.com
www.groupemm.com
Harvard Business Review
www.hbps.harvard.edu
www.hbr.org/explore
Appendices
IDC
www.idc.com, www.idg.com (information and research on IT and e- business)
Information Central on Management Consulting Worldwide www.mcni.com
Kennedy Information
One Kennedy Place Route 12 South
Fitzwilliam, NH 03447, United States www.kennedyinfo.com, and www.ConsultingCentral.com
Lafferty Publications
The Tower, Enterprise Centre Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland cuserv@lafferty.com www.lafferty.com
Management Berater Verlag Stuttgarter Strasse 18–24
60329 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
NOLO Law for All www.nolo.com
(information on legal aspects of business services)
Planète Conseil www.syntec-management.com
PracticeCoach www.practicecoach.com.ai (consultancy and training for professional firm management)
Prime Marketing Publications Ltd. (PMP Group)
Witton House, Lower Road Chorleywood, Herts WD3 5LB United Kingdom icn@pmp.co.uk
855
Management consulting
Prosavvy www.Prosavvy.com
(advice and assistance on selection of consultants)
Society for Human Resource Management
1800 Duke Street Alexandria VA 22314, United States shrm@shrm.org www.shrm.org
US Small Business Administration www.sbaonline.sba.gov
VNU Business Publications 32–34 Broadwick Street London W1A 2HG
United Kingdom marc_brenner@vnu.co.uk www.managementconsultancy.co.uk
www.WetFeet.com
(advice on careers in Internet consulting)
Most leading management and IT consulting firms also provide useful information through their Web sites.
6.Associations of consultants
Associations and institutes of management consultants are listed in Appendix 2. Most of these membership organizations provide information not only to members, but also to other consultants and the wider public. An overview of available information services and sources can be found at their respective Web pages, some of which also provide links to other sources.
856