Strategic Consulting

Whether you are a business leader, internal business partner or external consultant, there are six key strategy missions that you will need to undertake as you deal with the re-positioning and growth issues that all businesses face at one stage or another during their life-cycle: assessing the environment defining a strategic positioning choosing a growth strategy expanding internationally combining strategy, and innovation or (re)designing the business model Meschi and Chereau bridge the gaps between academic theory and real world practice, between strategic analysis and strategic management, and between planning and doing, by providing you with six essential mission briefings to help you deliver the best possible outcome. Each briefing is structured the same way, beginning with an outline of the consulting mission and its content before examining the theoretical background, before setting out a complete and practical methodology to complete the mission along with all the tools you will need along the way.

New topics covered in this edition include: e-business consulting; consulting in knowledge management; total quality management; corporate governance; social role and responsibility of business; company transformation and renewal; and public administration.

The industry of management consulting is vast and extremely diverse. The scope of expertise and provisions encompassed by this designation is vast. The distinction between the work of the most expensive strategy agencies and that of a project management consultant is of such magnitude that the two may fail to identify one another as practitioners of the same field. Certain publications aim to discuss particular aspects of this industry. They frequently describe a variety of consulting instruments and methods. Knowing the most effective tools and techniques does not automatically transform one into an effective consultant, as their applicability is contingent upon specific circumstances. Regarding the provision of services to the client, national management consultancy institutes and professional associations, which are entrusted with and encouraged to uphold the utmost level of accountability, should prioritise accountability for the performance of management consultants in numerous respects. The consulting approaches and methodologies utilised for a wide range of management and business problems, organisations, and environments are detailed in this book. A vast array of consulting approaches, techniques, methods, modalities, and styles exist. This variety is among the most stimulating aspects of management consulting. This implies that even clients who possess highly specific issues and personalities can typically locate a consultant who is a good match for their organisation and persona. On the contrary, consulting also demonstrates specific shared principles and methodologies. Certain ones are indispensable and are employed by an overwhelming majority of consultants.

Effective governance is now more important than ever to ensure that universities preserve the autonomy fundamental to the vital role they play in our society. These exciting institutions are at the forefront of research and teaching and are expected to be drivers and facilitators of social and technological change, innovation, commercialization, and knowledge transfer. As educators and recipients of significant public funds, they are the focus of public opinion and close financial scrutiny, and must work to comply with ever-changing government policy and increasing regulation. This book is for those who want to learn more about and to participate in university governance. The governance context for universities is unique, and playing a positive and effective role in university governance requires understanding this exceptionality: important concepts, the complex stakeholder context, decision-making structures, and the allocation of responsibilities within the university sector. An Introduction to University Governance is a resource to support current and prospective university governance professionals and those serving on university boards and academic governing bodies, and will be of interest to members of government, consultants, lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, and others who work closely with universities. It is intended to be an accessible rather than an academic book, written to encourage more effective university governance with more engaged participants within the over-150 universities in Canada.

This book provides a thorough examination of a variety of specialties within the broad range of management consulting. A book of such scope and depth could only be written by a large number of experts, each from one of the many specialties related to management consulting. Together, all 27 contributors take the reader through an industry that is currently undergoing significant change. While covering all the major practice areas of consulting, the book also offers new insights into change processes and addresses compelling management issues now facing consulting firms.

People who strive to set things in motion within corporations and organizations, be it as managers or consultants, encounter stubborn resistance. Even though new strategies have been adopted, the desired changes do not materialize. A reorganization that was intended to finally produce clarity, creates only a new round of confusion. Wolfgang Schnelle, co-founder of the consulting firm Metaplan, learned from four decades of experience in the field that it pays to think of organizations and strategy within the context of opinions, interests, and power and trust relationships. His approach draws on organizational sociology and helps to shed light on the diverse realities of the players involved. If anything is to be accomplished, these realities must be moved toward convergence. Organizational and strategy consultants using a discursive approach think of themselves as leaders of processes that create shared understanding. This approach allows them to spot resistance early and overcome it through argumentation and discourse. New and often surprising opportunities for action emerge. The new concepts can then be implemented faster, because thought processes have taken place in the minds of those who will subsequently perform the actions.

Get the insight you need with the 15th edition of the;Vault Guide to the Top 50 Management and Strategy Consulting Firms, newly updated for 2014.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: This dissertation deals with reforms in the German system of higher education and investigates, whether these processes could be facilitated by management consultants. The main focus is placed on design faculties. The investigation of the subject is based on a case study approach. The starting point within this three-part work is an introduction into the system of higher education in Germany by providing information on the political, legal and financial background, the structure and types and present challenges. The second part moves the investigation towards the design faculties. An analysis of design practice and education reveals both the situation design faculties find themselves in and initial reform attempts. How the policy of reform could be followed through successfully is answered in part three by presenting relevant consulting activities and projects in the field of higher education. Opportunities and limitations, which can be expected from an involvement of management consultants round off this part. German higher education seemed to be in a continuous cycle of crises and is still seen as having need of reforms in the face of future challenges. As statistical data reveal institutions had and still have to cope with a decrease in federal funding and with an increase of students. In the face of future challenges such as internationalisation and globalisation they need to position themselves effectively by keeping in mind their strengths. The new General Act on Higher Education encourages this step by granting higher education institutions more autonomy. In turn these are expected to evolve into target-oriented entrepreneurial institutions. This requires a fundamental reform such as described in two current concepts for future higher education institutions: The Unchained University and Guide for the Knowledge Based Society. In the second part design faculties are looked at in more detail and also aspects of design practice and education are examined based on statistical data. The overall picture shows that major changes occurred in the area of design. This is reflected in the high unemployment rate. Also, expectations from the industry are way beyond the capabilities of a design student, who has studied for four years. This has consequences for design education. In this context higher education conferences are mentioned which addressed the current need for reforms. A fundamental change in the way that design is [...]