Management consulting : delivering an effective project / Louise Wickham, Jeremy Wilcock.

By:

Wickham, Louise

Contributor(s):

Wilcock, Jeremy

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: Harlow : Pearson, 2012.Edition: 4th edDescription: 1 v. : ill. ; 25 cmISBN:

9780273768746 (pbk.)
0273768743 (pbk.)

Subject(s):

Business consultants

DDC classification:

658.462 WIC

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Standard Loan	Clonmel Library Main Collection	658.462 WIC (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		39002100504381

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Management consulting remains a popular career choice but undertaking a consulting project for the first time can seem a daunting prospect for any student or new professional.

This book, now in its fourth edition, aims specifically to guide you through the process of management consultancy, while also providing tips and techniques for the more seasoned practitioner. The authors and contributors, who all have been consultants, deliver this from their accumulated knowledge and insights.

Anybody studying management consulting or undertaking a consulting project will benefit from the ideas contained inside this book.

Previous ed.: 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

Preface (p. xvi)
Acknowledgements (p. xviii)
Part 1 Management consulting in context and how it adds value (p. 1)
1 The nature of management consulting and how it adds value (p. 3)
Learning outcomes (p. 3)
1.1 What a management consultant does (p. 4)
1.2 Consulting and management roles (p. 5)
1.3 The client-consultant interaction (p. 10)
1.4 The responsibilities of the management consultant (p. 13)
1.5 Types of client (p. 15)
1.6 Modes of consulting (p. 16)
1.7 The decision to use a consultant (p. 17)
1.8 Why do businesses fail? (p. 18)
1.9 Provision of information (p. 21)
1.10 Provision of specialist expertise (p. 22)
1.11 Provision of a new perspective (p. 22)
1.12 Provision of support for internal arguments (p. 23)
1.13 Provision of support for gaining a critical resource (p. 24)
1.14 Facilitating organisational change (p. 25)
Team discussion points (p. 26)
Summary of key ideas (p. 26)
Key reading (p. 27)
Further reading (p. 27)
Case exercise; Go Global (p. 29)
2 Consulting: the wider context and consulting process (p. 31)
Learning outcomes (p. 31)
2.1 Management consulting: strategic processes of a business (p. 32)
2.2 'Hard' side consulting: operational processes of a business (p. 37)
2.3 'Soft' side consulting: human processes of a business (p. 41)
2.4 Consulting to the non-profit and public sectors (p. 43)
2.5 Overview of the consulting process (p. 44)
2.6 Initial contact and initiating the project (p. 45)
2.7 Preliminary analysis of the issues and defining objectives (p. 47)
2.8 Pitching the project: the formal proposal and project charter (p. 48)
2.9 Project progression and follow-up (p. 49)
Team discussion points (p. 51)
Summary of key ideas (p. 52)
Key reading (p. 53)
Further reading (p. 53)
Case exercise: Southern Food Services (p. 53)
3 The skills of the consultant and the project proposal (p. 55)
Learning outcomes (p. 55)
3.1 The effective consultant's skill profile (p. 56)
3.2 Project management skills (p. 57)
3.3 Analysis skills (p. 58)
3.4 Relationship-building skills (p. 61)
3.5 The consulting selling process (p. 63)
3.6 The function of the project proposal (p. 69)
3.7 What to include in the proposal and an example (p. 70)
Team discussion points (p. 74)
Summary of key ideas (p. 74)
Key reading (p. 75)
Further reading (p. 76)
Case exercise: Golden Star (p. 76)
4 Consulting across borders and cultures (p. 77)
Learning outcomes (p. 77)
4.1 Factors encouraging international operation (p. 78)
4.2 Researching and selecting overseas markets (p. 80)
4.3 Market entry options (p. 82)
4.4 Export management issues (p. 84)
4.5 Culture (p. 87)
4.6 International marketing (p. 88)
4.7 Global marketing planning process (p. 90)
4.8 Managing the client-consultant relationship (p. 92)
Team discussion points (p. 93)
Summary of key ideas (p. 93)
Key reading (p. 94)
Further reading (p. 94)
Case exercise: Bill Chieftain (p. 95)
Robinson Mason case study: Part 1 (p. 96)
Part 2 Project evaluation and analysis (p. 99)
5 Defining the destination, developing a strategy and understanding change (p. 101)
Learning outcomes (p. 101)
5.1 Identification of opportunities and issues with the client organisation (p. 102)
5.2 Problem analysis, specification and quantification (p. 105)
5.3 Objective setting: defining the desired end-state (p. 108)
5.4 Understanding and reconciling consultant and client objectives (p. 113)
5.5 Developing a strategy for the destination (p. 117)
5.6 Understanding the client's defining characteristics (p. 119)
5.7 Developing the strategy for the journey (p. 122)
5.8 The need for change in the client organisation (p. 124)
Team discussion points (p. 125)
Summary of key ideas (p. 125)
Key reading (p. 126)
Further reading (p. 126)
Case exercise: Exconom (p. 127)
6 Evaluating client capabilities and business opportunities (p. 129)
Learning outcomes (p. 129)
6.1 Preliminary analysis techniques (p. 130)
6.2 Capabilities of businesses (p. 131)
6.3 Identification and evaluation of strategic options (p. 144)
6.4 Assessing opportunities (p. 148)
6.5 Planning for the future (p. 151)
Team discussion points (p. 154)
Summary of key ideas (p. 155)
Key reading (p. 155)
Further reading (p. 155)
Case exercise: DOS (p. 156)
7 Working with clients and teams: the 'soft' skills (p. 157)
Learning outcomes (p. 157)
7.1 Client needs, consultant's response (p. 158)
7.2 Key skills: influencing (p. 160)
7.3 Key skills: communication and rapport (p. 161)
7.4 Key skills: listening and questioning (p. 163)
7.5 Working with teams (p. 165)
7.6 Leading a team (p. 169)
7.7 Challenging constructively (p. 172)
7.8 Knowing yourself: psychometric tests (p. 176)
Team discussion points (p. 180)
Summary of key ideas (p. 180)
Key reading (p. 181)
Further reading (p. 181)
Case exercise: O'Reilly Design (p. 182)
Robinson Mason case study: Part 2 (p. 183)
Part 3 Undertaking the project (p. 185)
8 Working with the client (p. 187)
Learning outcomes (p. 187)
8.1 Consultant-client engagement for project implementation (p. 188)
8.2 Benchmarking project progression (p. 189)
8.3 Understanding the roles of client team members (p. 191)
8.4 Relationship with the client during the project (p. 191)
8.5 The desire for change by the client organisation (p. 193)
8.6 Change-enhancing interactions by the consultant (p. 196)
8.7 Overcoming resistance (p. 197)
8.8 Types of project shock (p. 199)
8.9 Responding to project shocks (p. 200)
Team discussion points (p. 202)
Summary of key ideas (p. 202)
Key reading (p. 203)
Further reading (p. 203)
Case exercise: Anglia Vending Services (p. 204)
9 Creative approaches for developing solutions (p. 205)
Learning outcomes (p. 205)
9.1 How to use analysis to develop solutions (p. 206)
9.2 Mind mapping (p. 210)
9.3 Brainstorming (p. 211)
9.4 Seven basic tools (p. 212)
9.5 Seven new management tools (p. 214)
9.6 Other analysis methods (p. 218)
Team discussion points (p. 220)
Summary of key ideas (p. 220)
Key reading (p. 220)
Further reading (p. 221)
Case exercise: Youth Travel Agency (p. 221)
10 Decision-making in the client context (p. 223)
Learning outcomes (p. 223)
10.1 Decision-making in organisations (p. 224)
10.2 Types of management decision-making roles (p. 226)
10.3 The decision-making unit (p. 227)
10.4 The dimensions of a decision (p. 228)
10.5 Decision-making style and influence (p. 229)
10.6 Organisational orientation (p. 230)
10.7 Organisational culture (p. 231)
10.8 Strategy processes (p. 233)
10.9 Strategy development processes (p. 234)
10.10 External influences on organisational decision-making (p. 236)
10.11 The naturalistic decision-making approach (p. 237)
Team discussion points (p. 239)
Summary of key ideas (p. 239)
Key reading (p. 240)
Further reading (p. 240)
Case exercise: Dunwich Marine (p. 241)
11 Managing the project (p. 243)
Learning outcomes (p. 243)
11.1 Individual roles for team members (p. 244)
11.2 Setting a timetable and critical path analysis (p. 245)
11.3 Project budgeting (p. 247)
11.4 Organising meetings (p. 247)
11.5 Organising workshops (p. 250)
11.6 The importance of time management and effective time management (p. 251)
11.7 Time management systems and dealing with slippage (p. 253)
11.8 The function of the project log (p. 254)
11.9 What to include in the project log and suggested formats (p. 256)
Team discussion points (p. 258)
Summary of key ideas (p. 258)
Key reading (p. 259)
Further reading (p. 259)
Case exercise: Siam Lubricants (p. 259)
Robinson Mason case study: Part 3 (p. 261)
Part 4 Delivering the product to the client (p. 263)
12 Communication skills and presenting your ideas (p. 265)
Learning outcomes (p. 265)
12.1 The nature of business communication (p. 266)
12.2 Communication as a business tool (p. 267)
12.3 Verbal and non-verbal communication (p. 268)
12.4 Written and visual communication (p. 270)
12.5 Planning the communication (p. 271)
12.6 The consulting report (p. 274)
12.7 Formal presentations (p. 275)
12.8 Making a case, answering questions and meeting objections (p. 277)
Team discussion points (p. 279)
Summary of key ideas (p. 279)
Key reading (p. 280)
Further reading (p. 280)
Case exercise: Stanley Consumer Electronics (p. 280)
13 Learning from success (p. 283)
Learning outcomes (p. 283)
13.1 Transferring project ownership (p. 284)
13.2 Post-project summary and review (p. 284)
13.3 Follow-up projects and key client management (p. 285)
13.4 Using consulting projects as case studies (p. 286)
13.5 Recognising the successes (p. 287)
13.6 Success and transferable skills (p. 288)
13.7 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (p. 290)
13.8 Recording successes on your CV and relating them in job interviews (p. 290)
13.9 Learning from failure (p. 291)
Team discussion points (p. 292)
Summary of key ideas (p. 292)
Key reading (p. 293)
Further reading (p. 293)
Case exercise: Wessex Custom Design (p. 293)
Robinson Mason case study: Part 4 (p. 295)
14 Consulting as a career (p. 299)
Learning outcomes (p. 299)
14.1 The history of management consulting (p. 300)
14.2 The consulting industry today (p. 301)
14.3 Key players in the consulting world (p. 303)
14.4 Career structure in consulting firms (p. 305)
14.5 Becoming a consultant (p. 307)
14.6 The internal consultant (p. 308)
14.7 Some insiders' views (p. 310)
Team discussion points (p. 311)
Summary of key ideas (p. 312)
Key reading (p. 312)
Further reading (p. 312)
Case exercise: Stout Jones Hamilton Consulting (p. 313)
Appendix: Example of a consulting report: New strategic direction for W&G Cracking Pie Company (p. 315)
Index (p. 319)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Louise Wickham is the Director of Wickham Consulting Services Ltd and a practising consultant specialising in strategy and marketing. She has over 25 years business experience, both within companies and as a consultant, working for a wide range of consumer-facing businesses and was co-author of the 3rd edition.
Jeremy Wilcock is a Business Development 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 lectures regularly in strategic management and business analysis at undergraduate and postgraduate level, both at Hull and at the University of Gloucestershire.