The ultimate guide for those using or planning to use business consultants ? and for consultants themselves In the last three decades of the 20th century the management consultancy industry grew at a cracking pace but increased scepticism about the value that consultants genuinely add, combined with the economic slowdown, has made life much tougher for the consulting industry. As firms have cut back on consulting services and begun to review the way they use consultants, consulting firms themsel...ves are looking at how they need to change. People are now talking about business consulting rather than management consulting.

Using real examples from a range of private sector firms, public sector organisations and from the consultants themselves, this book explores the new business consulting world and looks at every element of it with the aim of both helping firms make better use of consultants and showing consultants how they need to adapt and provide their clients a better service.

About the Author
Gilbert Toppin has had a succession of senior roles in the consulting industry, most recently as Chief Operating Officer for European Consulting at Deloitte, before setting up as an independent consultant.

Fiona Czerniawska specialises in researching and consulting on strategic issues in the consulting industry and is the Director of the UK Management Consultancies Association?s Think Tank, as well as the author of a number of books and publications on consulting.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement
How to use this guide
Part I Business Consulting today: Business consulting at the crossroads


The new business consulting ecosystem


Part II The Client World: The client market


Client organizations
Projects


Part III The Consulting World: The consulting industry


Consulting firms
Consultants


Part IV The Worlds Connect: Seven Themes f Interaction


Reputation
Isolation
Metamorphosis
Ralationship
Portfolio
Career
Life Cycle


Part V Routes to Success: The successful client


The successful consulting firm
The successful business consultant


Part VI A Blueprint for the Future: The likely evolution of business consulting