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The Consulting Process, Evolving Concepts and Scope

The document discusses the phases of the consulting process, including entry, diagnosis, action planning, implementation, and termination. It also examines some dilemmas in the nature and purpose of management consulting, such as consultants having no authority over client decisions. Additionally, the document explores evolving concepts around management consulting that see consultants playing more active roles like assistants and service providers. Finally, it outlines how the scope of management consulting has expanded from a narrow focus on management functions to broader business consulting due to increasing complexity, market changes, and competitive pressures.

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Hasbullah Ashari
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99 views

The Consulting Process, Evolving Concepts and Scope

The document discusses the phases of the consulting process, including entry, diagnosis, action planning, implementation, and termination. It also examines some dilemmas in the nature and purpose of management consulting, such as consultants having no authority over client decisions. Additionally, the document explores evolving concepts around management consulting that see consultants playing more active roles like assistants and service providers. Finally, it outlines how the scope of management consulting has expanded from a narrow focus on management functions to broader business consulting due to increasing complexity, market changes, and competitive pressures.

Uploaded by

Hasbullah Ashari
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 4

The Consulting Process, Evolving Concepts and


Scope

Department of Management and Humanities


Management Consulting Module Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia.
9
Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting
1. Entry
The Phases of Consulting - First contacts with clients
- Preliminary problem

Process: diagnosis
- Assignment proposals to
client
- Consulting contract
5. Termination 2. Diagnosis
 During typical consulting - Purpose analysis
intervention, consultant & client - Evaluation
- Problem analysis
undertake a set of activities, known - Final report
- Fact finding
as “the consulting process”, - Settling commitments
- Fact analysis &
required for achieving the desired - Plans for follow-up
synthesis
purposes & changes - Withdrawal
- Feedback to client

 The process has a clear beginning


(the relationship is established &
work starts) and end (consultant
departs). 4. Implementation 3. Action Planning
- Assisting with - Developing solution
implementation - Evaluating alternatives
- Adjusting proposals - Proposals to client
- Training - Planning for implementation
2
Sources:
https://www.slideshare.net/joeomahoney/management-consultancy-proposals 3
Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting

Some dilemmas in the nature and purpose of management consulting:


 Consultants are advisers  Assignment may be too short
 Advisers have no authority to make decisions  Understaffed to produce tangible results
about client’s business  Client may be unwilling to follow advice
 Influence has limits given
 Staff may not collaborate
 Staff resistance & inertia may be too strong
 Consultant may be unavailable for follow-up
and debugging

Even soundest advice alone cannot provide absolute assurance that there
will be tangible, measureable, and sustainable results

4
Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting

Evolving Concepts and Scope of Management Consulting:


There is therefore a growing tendency to use consultants for more than providing
advice;
Consultants are increasingly viewed as
Assistants
Helpers
Service providers
Service brokers
Who work with clients on various issues for as long as necessary to make sure
that tangible and measurable results are achieved.

5
Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting
Scope of Management Consulting:

 Traditionally the scope of the services offered by management consultants was


confined to functions, subjects and problems regarded as part of management

 Over recent decades, due to the following factors:


 Growing complexity & sophistication of doing business in national & international
environments
 Market deregulation & liberalization
 New opportunities for innovative consulting
 Growing demand for integrated & “one-stop” professional services
 Competitive pressure from other professions
 Advancement of IT & their rapid penetration into management & business processes

6
Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting

Scope of Management Consulting:

 … the scope of management consulting (which was narrowly & rigidly


defined) has expanded to business consulting (wider concept & service
portfolio) or …
 … consulting to management / consulting to business / organizational
consulting (more open concepts permitting service portfolio to be easily
adjusted as opportunities & demand change)

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