Using management consulting services effectively.[check] This checklist is for prospective users of consultants and suggests some of the questions they should ask themselves before approaching a consultant to undertake an assignment. There is little doubt that calling on the service of a management consultant can often prove to be a valuable investment provided: * you allow enough time for the whole exercise * the problem area has been carefully defined * you know what you want the consultant to do, having identified all the necessary steps for the task in hand * care is exercised in selecting the right consultant * you measure progress towards a solution. Definition "Management consulting Noun 1. management consulting - a service industry that provides advice to those in charge of running a business service industry - an industry that provides services rather than tangible objects is an advisory service contracted for and provided to organizations by specially trained and qualified persons who assist, in an objective and independent manner, the client organization to identify management problems, analyze such problems, recommend solutions to these problems, and help, when requested, in the implementation of solutions." Consulting to management by Larry E Greiner and Robert O Metzger, Prentice Hall Prentice Hall is a leading educational publisher. It is an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc., based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6-12 and higher education market. History In 1913, law professor Dr. 1983 Advantages of using consultants * Expertise. Since consultants are immersed im·merse tr.v. im·mersed, im·mers·ing, im·mers·es 1. To cover completely in a liquid; submerge. 2. To baptize by submerging in water. 3. in their specialism, they are well-placed to advise on the state of the art. It may be impossible for an organisation to tap such expertise in any other way. * Short-term projects. It may be more cost-effective for a company to buy in skills as and when they are needed. * Extra resources. Help can be required for an overstretched o·ver·stretch v. o·ver·stretched, o·ver·stretch·ing, o·ver·stretch·es v.tr. 1. To stretch excessively; overstrain. 2. To stretch or extend over. v.intr. management team or to pursue a project that would otherwise not be completed. * Independent viewpoint. An outsider Outsider often refers to one identified as on the periphery of social norms, one living or working apart from mainstream society, or one observing a group from the outside, as used in:
Disadvantages of using consultants * They may be expensive. The Management Consultancy Information Service (see Useful addresses) publishes regular surveys which give a guide to fee rates. * The end result may be unsatisfactory although steps in the following action checklist will help you to guard against this. * The work may be left to junior consultancy staff once the assignment starts or personnel may change during the project. * There may be resentment Resentment is an emotion of anger felt as a result of a real or imagined wrong done. Etymologically from "ressentir", French re-, intensive prefix, and sentir "to feel"; from the latin "sentire". The English word has become synonymous with anger and bitterness. from staff at the employment of consultants. Action checklist 1. Involve senior management from the beginning Gain their approval for the decision to use consultants and keep them informed during the selection process. This will help ensure that your choice of consultant will be accepted at the top level. 2. Gain an awareness of the number and scope of management consulting firms List of Management Consulting Firms 1. McKinsey & Company 2. Marakon Associates 3. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) 4. A.T. Kearney 5. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) 6. Monitor Group 7. Bain & Company 8. Roland Berger Some offer a wide range of services, whilst there are others which specialise Verb 1. specialise - devote oneself to a special area of work; "She specializes in honey bees"; "This baker specializes in French bread" specialize in particular industries, certain areas of business activity or smaller or larger organisations. 3. Prepare a short list of possible consultants There are a number of directories and registers available for identifying consultants but recommendation is also commonly used. Make sure you obtain references from previous clients to establish a consultant's track record. 4. Ask for a preliminary survey from consultants on your short list This should be free, although in certain circumstances CIRCUMSTANCES, evidence. The particulars which accompany a fact. 2. The facts proved are either possible or impossible, ordinary and probable, or extraordinary and improbable, recent or ancient; they may have happened near us, or afar off; they are public or a nominal charge may be made. It should enable you to establish the extent to which the consultant can help you, the likely benefits, and the duration of the job. It should also help you to study the consultant's approach to the problem and to your organisation. Ask for a written report of the survey. 5. Study the consultancy proposals submitted These should have the following common features: * an understanding of the situation or need * a programme of work * an indication of the consultant's management style and approach * a timetable to accomplish the work * details of staff involved, including relevant qualifications and experience * the resources required, such as time, information and equipment * estimates of fees and costs * a summary of the results and benefits to be achieved from the project. 6. Explain to all concerned why a consultant is being employed All relevant staff must be fully briefed on why a consultant has been appointed, when he or she will arrive, and the co-operation that is required. Appoint someone as the main contact with the consultant. 7. Ask for regular reports on the progress of the assignment Measure actual progress against the agreed objectives of the assignment. Ensure that your requirements are not being shrouded shroud n. 1. A cloth used to wrap a body for burial; a winding sheet. 2. Something that conceals, protects, or screens: under a shroud of fog. 3. a. by consultant preferences. 8. Have a debriefing de·brief·ing n. 1. The act or process of debriefing or of being debriefed. 2. The information imparted during the process of being debriefed. Noun 1. session before the end of the consultancy Make sure the consultant summarises the findings and conclusions of the project either in a report or in a presentation. Ensure there are no misunderstandings or errors. 9. Assess consultant effectiveness Check that the new development and procedures proposed are being implemented and properly applied, and that they are not being undermined by old methods and concepts. Discuss with staff concerned any particular difficulties which arise during implementation. Regularly examine the results being achieved and insist on follow-up visits from the consultant at appropriate intervals after completion of the project. Dos and don'ts for using management consultants Do Invest time in the whole process. Have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. Prepare a checklist of requirements as a basis for reducing your short list to the final selection. Ensure effective communication and co-ordination between consultant and staff. Don't Assume that you necessarily need to bring in an outsider. Accept friendly recommendations without investigating past performance. Presume pre·sume v. pre·sumed, pre·sum·ing, pre·sumes v.tr. 1. To take for granted as being true in the absence of proof to the contrary: We presumed she was innocent. that staff will readily accept an outside expert. Lose sight of your most important objectives. Become overly reliant on a consultant. Useful reading Management consulting in practice : award winning international case studies Fiona Czerniawska and Paul May London, Kogan Page, 2004 Management consulting : a guide to the profession, 4th ed, Milan Kubr ed International Labour Office Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. , Switzerland, 2002 Intelligent client : managing your management consultant, Fiona Czerniawska Management Consultancies Association London, Hodder and Stoughton, 2002 High impact consulting : how clients and consultants can work together to achieve extraordinary results Robert H Schaffer San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden Calif, Jossey Bass, 2002 Management consultancy a handbook of best practice, 2nd ed, Philip Sadler ed Sadler may refer to:
London, Kogan Page, 2001 Useful addresses Institute of Management Consultancy The Institute of Management Consultancy (IMC) is a Professional Body for Management consultants in the United Kingdom. In January 2005 it merged with the Chartered Management Institute. The IMC operates as a separate division with the CMI. 3rd Floor, 17-18 Hayward's Place, London EC1R 0EQ Tel: 020 7242 2140 www.imc.co.uk British Consultants Bureau 1 Westminster Palace Westminster Palace or Houses of Parliament, in Westminster, London. The present enormous structure, of Neo-Gothic design, was built (1840–60) by Sir Charles Barry to replace an aggregation of ancient buildings almost completely destroyed Gardens, Artillery artillery, originally meant any large weaponry (including such ancient engines of war as catapults and battering rams) or war material, but later applied only to heavy firearms as opposed to small arms. Row, London SW1P 1RJ Tel: 020 7222 3651 www.bccb.org.uk Management Consultancies Association, 49 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX Tel: 020 7321 3990 www.mca.org.uk All Business Links will provide help for those considering using a consultancy. Thought starters * Can you define clearly the problem or issue that needs to be tackled? * Are you sure the expertise needed is not available internally? * Have you worked with a consultant before? What was the outcome? |
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