Реферат: Business Plan Essay Research Paper Nicholas BelcherBusiness
Consulting is a disorganized industry, with participants ranging from major
international name brand consultants to tens of thousands of individuals. One
of Progressive’s challenges will be establishing itself as a “real”
consulting company, positioned as a relatively risk free corporate purchase.
4. 2. 1 Industry Participants
The consulting “industry” is pulverized and disorganized, thousands of
smaller consulting organizations and individual consultants for every one of
the few dozen well-known companies.
At the highest level are the few well established major names in management
consulting. Most of these are organized as partnerships established in major
markets around the world, linked together by interconnecting directors and
sharing the name and corporate wisdom. Some evolved from accounting companies
(e.g. Arthur Anderson, Touch? Ross) and some from management consulting
(McKinsey, Bain). These companies charge very high rates for consulting, and
maintain relatively high overhead structures and fulfillment structures based
on partners selling and junior associates fulfilling. At the intermediate
level are some function specific or market specific consultants, such as the
market research firms (IEDC, Dataquest) or channel development firms
(ChannelCorp, Channel Strategies, ChannelMark).
Some kinds of consulting is little more than contract expertise provided by
somebody looking for a job and offering consulting services as a stop-gap
measure while looking.
4. 2. 2 Distribution Patterns
Consulting is sold and purchased mainly on a word-of-mouth basis, with
relationships and previous experience being by far the most important factor.
The major name-brand houses have locations in major cities and major markets,
and executive-level managers or partners develop new business through
industry associations, business associations, and chambers of commerce and
industry, etc., even in some cases social associations such as country clubs.