Consulting to management / Larry E. Greiner, Robert O. Metzger.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Greiner, Larry E.

Contributor:

Metzger, Robert O.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Business consultants.

Physical Description:

xiii, 368 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, 1982.

Contents:

Part I The Consulting Profession 1

1 What Is Management Consulting? 3

Definitions by Other Consultants 4

Our Definition 7

Why Hire Consultants? 8

More Than a Definition 9

Scope of Services 9

Types of Firms 12

Quest for Professionalism 14

The Challenge Before Us 16

2 Consultants: Types and Roles 18

Generalist versus Specialist Consulting 19

Process versus Content Consulting 20

Diagnostic versus Implementation Consulting 22

Customer versus Packaged Solutions 23

Internal versus External Consultants 24

Large versus Small Consulting Firms 25

Choosing the Right Client 26

3 What Makes an Effective Consultant? 28

Diagnostic Ability 29

Solution Skills 30

Knowledge 30

Communication Skills 30

Marketing and Selling 32

Managerial Ability 33

Personality Characteristics 34

Skill Acquisition 35

Part II The Marketing of Consultant Services 39

4 Approaches to Marketing: How To Gain a Client 41

A Reluctant Marketplace 41

The Marketing Imperative 42

Indirect Marketing 43

Pitfalls to Indirect Marketing 45

Direct Marketing 45

Cold Calls 46

Who Is the Initial "Client"? 47

Interviewing Prospective Clients 48

Pitfalls to Direct Marketing 49

Mapping the Marketplace 50

Knowing the Competition 51

Your Image in the Marketplace 53

Referrals versus Advertising 54

Exhibit 4-1. "Cold Call" Letter 56

5 Proposals and Pricing: The Mechanics 58

Written Proposals 58

Presentation Format 60

Oral Proposals and Presentations 60

Pricing Proposals 61

Key Cost Factors 62

Time Calculation 63

Pricing Government and Technical Contracts 64

Payment Methods 65

The Percentage Contract 65

Retainer Contracts 66

Assuring Prompt Payment 67

Exhibit 5-1. Proposal Letter 68

Exhibit 5-2. Project Planning Notes To Develop Proposal Fees 72

Exhibit 5-3. Technical Proposal with Fees Altered 81

Part III Models and Methods for Consulting 89

6 Strategic Planning Studies 91

Purpose and Benefits from Strategic Planning 92

Consultant Skills Required 93

Elements of Strategic Analysis 93

Frameworks for Analysis 99

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Inside/Out Approach 100

Outside/In Approaches 101

Strengths and Weaknesses of Outside/In Approaches 105

Our Experience and Advice 105

Follow-up 108

Replanning 109

Exhibit 6-1. Consultant Notes Following Up a Board Policy Retreat 111

Exhibit 6-2. Consultant Notes Following Up a Management Planning Retreat 117

7 Marketing Assignments 127

Types of Marketing Consultants 128

Symptoms of Marketing Problems 129

The Marketing Audit 130

Data-Gathering Techniques 132

Common Client Mistakes 134

False Marketing Issues 136

Exhibit 7-1. Guide to Marketing Audit 139

Exhibit 7-2. Detailed Marketing Analysis 147

8 Financial Analyses and Studies 163

Key Issues for Analysis 164

Profit Sources 165

Allocation of Resources 166

Risk Issues 166

Financial Competence 167

Numbers Generate Useful Questions 169

Where To Find the "Numbers" 170

Displaying Numbers 172

What To Do with the Data 175

The Generalist Is Not a Specialist 177

Exhibit 8-1. Sample Financial Analysis 179

9 Organization and Systems Studies 188

Common Issues 189

Schools of Organization Theory 190

Alternative Structures 192

The Design Process 196

Systems Planning 198

Information and Control Systems 200

Final Caveat 202

10 Human Resource and Compensation Studies 203

The Compensation System 204

Designing Base Pay 204

Fringe Benefits 208

Incentives 208

Performance Appraisal 209

Career Development 210

Executive Search 211

Organization Development 212

Techniques Are Not Systems Solutions 215

Exhibit 10-1. Sample Covering Letter for an Industry Compensation Survey 217

11 Data-Gathering Methods: The Art of Inquiry 218

Data and Their Multipurposes 219

The Interview 220

Questionnaires 223

Observations 225

Routine Data 227

Exhibit 11-1. Random Sampling from Typical Questionnaire 230

Part IV Stages in Consulting 249

12 Defining Client Needs: How To Enter a Foreign Culture 251

Need for Sensitivity 252

Arranging the Introduction 252

Meeting the Power Structure 254

Learning the Culture 255

Probing the Problem 256

Reevaluating the Proposal 257

Exhibit 12-1. Sample Memo Introducing Consultants to a Company 260

13 Diagnosing the Issues: How To Unravel the Problem 261

Looking Before Leaping 262

Simplifying Complexity 263

Establishing Validity 265

Recognizing Readiness 266

Collecting Solutions 267

14 Implementing Change: How To Sell Your Recommendations 269

Theories of Change 270

Strategies for Change 272

Tactics of Change 274

Finalizing the Recommendations 276

Reducing Resistance to Change 277

Intervention Styles 280

Exhibit 14-1. Sample Reorganization Implementation Plan 283

15 How To Sell More Work

or Leave Gracefully 287

Your Unique Position 287

The Implementation Sale 288

The Add-on Systems Sale 289

The New Issues Sale 289

The Progress Letter Sale 290

Closing the Follow-on Sale 290

Letting Go 291

Dependency Problems 291

One Bad Idea Out of Fifty 292

The "Rip-off" Feeling 293

Saying Goodby 293

Maintaining Cordial Contacts 293

Exhibit 15-1. Sample Work-In-Progress Letter 295

16 The Uniqueness of Each Client 299

Major Business Corporations 300

Industry Differences 300

Privately Held Companies 301

The Family Business 302

State, Local, and Federal Government 303

Nonprofit Organizations 304

Special Clientele 305

The Cultural Imperative 305

Uniqueness as a Value 306

Part V Reflections on Consulting 309

17 Resolving Ethical Issues: You Can't Avoid Them 311

Which Head To Hunt? 312

Biting the Hand That Feeds You 313

Case of the Amorous Consultant 313

Whose Profit Is It? 314

Should Everyone Have a Price? 314

Getting Your Loyalties Straight 315

The Truth Always Hurts 315

The Scientific Spy 316

A Shadow of Doubt 316

Cutting the Profit Pie 317

Pirating in a Pinch 317

Wagging or Biting Your Tongue 318

Opportunity Knocks Twice 318

To Ph.D. or Not To Be 319

Exhibit 17-1. ACME Standards of Professional Conduct and Practice 321

18 Stepping Back: How To Stay Sane and Avoid Burnout 326

Fatigue and Staying Fit 327

Responsibility and Maintaining Perspective 328

Obsolescence and Keeping Up 330

And Now for the Good News 331

19 Managing Your Own Firm: Clues to Success 333

Selecting the Right Partner 334

Legalities, Bookkeeping, and Office Space 335

Choosing a Name 336

To Grow or Not To Grow 336

Profitability: The Art of Leverage 337

Job Titles and Responsibilities 338

Financial Controls 341

Recruiting, Training, and Career Development 342

Compensation 344

Performance Appraisal 345

Office Manager and Staff Support 347

Organization and Planning 349

Managing the Work Load 351

Exhibit 19-1. Sample Cash Flow Forecast 354

Exhibit 19-2. Sample Time and Expense Reports 355

Exhibit 19-3. Sample Billing Worksheet 357

Exhibit 19-4. Sample Work Planning Sheet 358

Exhibit 19-5. Example of a Status Report 359.

Notes:

Includes bibliographies and index.

ISBN:

0131691287

OCLC:

185058324