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Fiona CzerniawskaThe recent announcement that PwC is acquiring Diamond Consultants isn't – and is – a surprise.
In the race to close the gap that Deloitte is perceived to have opened up between itself and the consulting practices of the other Big Four firms, technology is critical. Whether you like it or not, much consulting is driven directly or indirectly...
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Edward HaighWhen we carry out the research for our briefing notes, we usually ask consulting firms what – in their opinion – the main causes of underperforming consulting projects are. Having written 18 briefing notes so far we’re starting to see a few issues cropping up consistently, so we thought we’d share them with you. You won’t...
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Edward HaighSpeaking to a senior executive within the pharmaceutical industry about the value consultants deliver recently, I was struck by one particular comment: ‘Everyone knows that half of consulting works and that the other half doesn’t’, he said. ‘The trouble is, you never know which half you’re going to get.’
Bearing...
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Edward HaighA very good friend of mine recently admitted to a rather strange affliction. She calls it shopping bulimia, and it manifests itself as a desire to buy items (particularly shoes) and then return them. The idea is that she gets to enjoy all the pleasures of retail therapy without the lasting guilt of having spent her money. For those of us of a saner...
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Fiona CzerniawskaWhat on earth does the consulting industry have in common with the golden age of Hollywood? Quite a lot, I think.
Today’s big consulting firms are the equivalent of the studios which dominated the film industry. Back in the 1930s, MGM and the other giants of the era owned everything, from the script and the stars (the latter had to sign exclusive...
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Fiona CzerniawskaIt is tempting for large consulting firms to think they are immune from competition from independent consultants. The idea that a firm such as McKinsey might be threatened by a freelancer seems as laughable as a cartoon elephant standing on a chair above a tiny mouse.
But the truth is that competition has a domino effect – two domino effects,...
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