The field of management consultancy research has grown rapidly in recent years. Fuelled by the drivers of complexity and uncertainty, a growing number of organizations – both profit and third sector alike – are looking at management consultancy to assist in their aims for development and change. Consultants have become a common feature in organizational change initiatives, involved in both providing advice and in implementing ideas and solutions. However, despite this growing recognition and influence, management consultancy is still often misunderstood or criticized for its lack of theoretical underpinning. The book seeks to address these issues by offering applied theoretical insights from academics that both teach and practice management consultancy. Written by recognized experts in their field, the contributors combine original insights with authoritative analysis. Uniquely, this book identifies emerging themes with critical discourse and provides rich empirical case study evidence to show the reader how management consultancy projects are implemented. Real-world international consultancy projects are featured as written up cases featuring organizations from multi-national corporations to the public sector. Written for graduate level managers or those who have practical leadership experience, this book will enable readers to apply management consultancy models beyond a classroom context

The field of management consultancy research has grown rapidly in recent years. Fuelled by the drivers of complexity and uncertainty, a growing number of organizations – both profit and third sector alike – are looking at management consultancy to assist in their aims for development and change. Consultants have become a common feature in organizational change initiatives, involved in both providing advice and in implementing ideas and solutions. However, despite this growing recognition and influence, management consultancy is still often misunderstood or criticized for its lack of theoretical underpinning. The book seeks to address these issues by offering applied theoretical insights from academics that both teach and practice management consultancy. Written by recognized experts in their field, the contributors combine original insights with authoritative analysis. Uniquely, this book identifies emerging themes with critical discourse and provides rich empirical case study evidence to show the reader how management consultancy projects are implemented. Real-world international consultancy projects are featured as written up cases featuring organizations from multi-national corporations to the public sector. Written for graduate level managers or those who have practical leadership experience, this book will enable readers to apply management consultancy models beyond a classroom context

Management consultants are typically seen as key mediators in the flow of management ideas. And yet little is known about exactly what happens when they work together with clients, behind closed doors in consulting projects. Do they really innovate or simply legitimate existing knowledge? This book presents research from a three year long 'fly-on-the-wall study' of consulting projects and challenges our taken for granted view of consultancy. It draws on and integrates theories of knowledge and social boundaries to reveal a picture of complex and shifting insider-outsider relationships. Here, the outsider or expert status of consultants in relation to their clients cannot be assumed in their day-to-day project interactions. Different actors, roles, and types of knowledge are involved in an interactive and dynamic process where various boundaries are constructed, reinforced, negotiated and transformed. The chapters selectively explore these dynamics, revealing the importance of boundary complexity, the role of humour and challenge in often tense relationships, and the importance of shared knowledge domains such as sector knowledge. This in-depth analysis of inter-organizational project teams also covers a wide range of consultancy contexts, drawing on cases studies which include: * a US-based strategy firm and a multinational client, * the public and private sectors, * a sole practitioner consultant, * IT implementation in financial services. The book is important for all those with an interest in management consultancy, project working and management knowledge as well as in innovation/change, inter-organisational relations, boundaries and professional services. The authors include some of the leading research experts on management consultancy as well as a former management consultant and current expert in management learning.

'Management Consultancy' provides a comprehensive introduction to the consulting industry. The text begins with the presentation of a theoretical underpinning, before outlining how to carry out management consultancy and providing guidance on entering the industry.

Management consulting remains a popular career choice but undertaking a consulting project for the first time can seem daunting for the student or new professional. This book, now in its fifth edition, aims specifically to guide students through the consultancy process, while also giving tips and techniques to the more seasoned practitioner. This is delivered from the accumulated knowledge and insight of the authors and contributors, who all have been consultants. This fifth edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect today’s dynamic business environment. The impact of new digital technologies on consulting and business in general, and the use of evidence, gained through studies on consulting, are considered. It provides a careful balance between theory and practice and is ideal for anyone who is undertaking a consulting project. Key features · A comprehensive introduction to the best practice in conducting a consulting project. · Key insights into how best to tackle the challenges that arise. · Case studies from across a wide range of industries at the end of each chapter and a long case study running throughout the book. · Help in choosing and developing a career in consultancy. · Extensive references and further reading to underpin a student’s knowledge. New to this edition · Further links to theories developed in other courses such as strategy and management. · In the Preface, several ‘pathways’ are provided for the different types of project a student may be required to undertake, taking into account their academic level and previous experience. · Throughout the chapters, the key ideas are highlighted to aid the reader in navigating the book. · New case exercises, based on real consulting projects, to put tools and techniques into practice, including a new long case study on a strategic review for a company. Louise Wickham is the Director of Wickham Consulting Services Ltd and a practising consultant specialising in strategy and marketing. She has over 30 years business experience, both within companies and as a consultant, working for a wide range of consumer-facing businesses and the not-for-profit sector. Jeremy Wilcock is the Business Engagement Manager at the Business School, University of Hull. He has 27 years industrial experience with a major multi-national where he worked on numerous internal consultancy projects. He has lectured regularly in strategic management and business analysis at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and has supervised student consulting projects.

This book provides a new perspective on innovation in consultancy firms. Focusing on how consultancy firms can innovate in the modern era, it exposes and discusses key drivers for innovation in the industry. These are broken down into 5 dimensions - or ‘Poles’ - relating to forms of capital (human capital, social capital, and three types of organizational capital) that consultancy firms can use in order to innovate, both for themselves and for their clients. Readers of this book will not only gain insight into the "innovative consultancy" from the perspective of each of these Poles. They will also discover how consultancy firms need to find the right way of connecting these Poles together in order to produce the desired innovation. Readers will learn about the dangers of misaligning the Poles, as well as implications of innovative consultancy for ethics, academic research in the field of consultancy, and for careers. In addition to the academic literature, the book draws from real-world examples, cases and practice insights from various parts of the world. This book will be of great use to those interested in pursuing a career in the consultancy industry, whether they are undergraduate and postgraduate Business & Management students, students not necessarily studying in Business Schools, or others seeking a career move into consultancy. It will also be valuable to seasoned consultants and managers of consultancy firms seeking new ideas on how to develop innovative capabilities in an increasingly competitive industry.

Whether you are preparing for a management consultancy career or only want to acquire widely applicable consultancy skills, you will need a clear and concise introduction to this area. This fully updated second edition text provides you with a practical, step-by-step guide to learn the proven successful methods and techniques of the world′s leading management consultancy firms. Detailed descriptions and real-life illustrations enable you to develop consultancy skills for structured problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Additionally, this text provides rich insights into the latest developments in the consultancy industry and their firms. It includes alumnus of a top management consultancy firm and is essential reading for aspiring consultants as well as anyone dealing with consultants in their career.

"Providing a balance between critical analysis and practical skills, Management Consultancy provides insights into industry trends, client engagements and consultancy careers, to ensure you have all the information and guidance you require to become a successful management consultant." --Book Jacket.

Organizations are increasingly investing in consulting capabilities to understand what changes they need to make to keep up the pace with the competition and future-proof their business. Consultancy, Organizational Development and Change is a guide for students and internal and external consultants needing to develop the necessary skills to consult in organizational settings where there is a great deal of complexity. It tackles the issues posing the greatest threat to the success of the change programme, including how to adapt to rapidly shifting needs, deal with the emotional and ethical issues that arise and ensure that the managers take full ownership for the change so that 'business as usual' is established. Complete with case studies from the 'Big Four' consultancy groups as well as boutique firms, Consultancy, Organizational Development and Change shows how to identify and execute interventions in a variety of organizational settings to deliver value. It provides guidance on how to develop a value proposition; define, write and present the business case for the proposed interventions; establish credibility and report on the results.