Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Role Of Business Management Consulting Companies In The Economy

By Eula Nichols


In order to improve in any business activity or any other activity for that matter, self examination and evaluation becomes that first priority. This is the means of understanding the current position; identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and screening the environment for threats and opportunities. Self evaluation is however not as easy as there are high chances of bias. It is this bias when it comes to self evaluation that calls for services of business management consulting companies.

Having existed for over a century now, business management consulting companies have become such an important aspect for firms that they can no longer be ignored. The first notable firm of this kind was established in 1886 by MIT professor Arthur D. Little. Management consultancy then experienced boom particularly after World War II when the American economy went into a growth path.

In order to achieve the process of consultancy, there are several approaches that can be used. These are often categorized into expert approach and facilitative approach. The expert approach is where the consulting firm target to give the client the expert opinion in regards to managing the firm depending on its market position. Through this approach, the client is required to take the advice with very little or if possible, no input from their side.

The consultant will spend much of their time meeting employees, managers, analyzing data and creating slides to come up with solutions. In fact, it is often said that the consultants will steal your watch only to tell you the time. This is in apparent reference in doing what should be done by the managers themselves. The main areas of management consultation include accounting/finance consultation, IT/technology consultation, strategy consultation, executive leadership and sales/marketing.

Whichever the area targeted however, there are two approaches that are normally used. These are expert approach and facilitative approach. In expert approach, the consultant does all the research, analysis and come up with expert opinion. The client role is to implement what the consultant thinks is best for them.

When it comes to facilitative approach however, the client and other stakeholders are more involved in the process. In fact, the consultants are more of facilitators, giving the guideline and expose the areas being left out in order to come up with the best solution. The best approach however is to blend the two and customize the same to suit the client needs which varies from one organization to the other.

The goal is basically to facilitate the client move from their current state of affairs to the next level which often requires reinventing and revamping the organization image, develop sound strategies and help when it comes to major decisions such as mergers, acquisition and takeovers. This requires the assessment of the environment to scan for opportunities and threats. In the same manner, the organization is analyzed so as to bring out the strengths and weaknesses so as to develop the overall plan.

The business management consulting companies must get to know every detail of the organizational process if they are to come with a working solution. The focus however is to isolate the challenges faced, design a plan to tackle, identify opportunities that lies ahead in the future come up with an overall plan that will see the firm succeed.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment