Consulting Times – October 2009

The topics in the October issue of Consulting Times include:

• Management consultant salary benchmarking report from Top-Consultant.com
• PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young post global revenues
• Accenture’s forecast for 2010 lower than expected
• Dell to acquire IT services provider Perot Systems
• Consulting recruiters ask: “What recovery?”
• Weeding out consultancy chancers and charlatans
• New consultancy aims to change procurement departments
• Shortlist for MCA Consultant of the Year Awards 2009
• HR consultants adapting their approach to take advantage of market opportunities in the economic downturn

To read about these and more, please visit Consulting Times.

Accenture wins contract from U.K.’s Department of Energy and Climate Change

Management consulting firm Accenture has won a contract to provide strategic support on smart grid roll out to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The UK Government has set high goals for the reduction of carbon emissions and deployment of smart grids will play a pivotal role in achieving these targets. Accenture was selected because it brings a lot of experience to the table. The consultancy has deployed smart grids and smart meters in cities in Europe, North America and Asia.

Smart grids help energy and utility organizations manage distributed sources of renewable energy (wind farms, biomass plants) in the most efficient way. By distributing power optimally, the grids also reduce wasted power generation and network losses.

Omar Abbosh, managing director of Accenture’s Resources operating group in the U.K. and Ireland, said, "The U.K. Government has some of the most ambitious emissions targets in the world and smart grids will be play a central in achieving them, by helping to reduce electricity consumption and by better managing intermittent renewable sources. Smart grids are a national priority but will be built locally. As such, city authorities will play a major part in making smart grids the basis for low carbon living, working and transport."

Accenture also provides support to the cities and utilities that use smart grids through its Intelligent City Network initiative, which helps organizations committed to building smart grids exchange experience and knowledge.



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New growth trends on the global consulting market

Global demand for consulting services will not return to 2008 levels before 2012, according to the annual study from Kennedy Consulting Research, titled "Global Consulting Marketplace: Key Trends, Profiles and Forecasts." Kennedy analysts say that the consulting market has irreversibly changed, predicting that it will most likely not witness the same double-digit growth in demand that it had in the past 30 years.

The remaining driving factors of market demand, according to Kennedy's report, will now sustain rather than grow the consulting market, and consultants' ability to pinpoint the right areas to which they will devote their resources will play a crucial role in how many clients they sign. Toward the end of the forecast period (2009-2012), these areas will increasingly be sustainability and business intelligence. Meanwhile, businesses looking to explore new opportunities or change production processes will need consulting services in China, Brazil, and other emerging markets.

Kelly Matthews, Associate Director of Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory and lead analyst for Global Consulting Marketplace, said, "Given the market contraction in 2009 which is only expected to flatline in 2010, well-positioned consultancies are smart to vie for clients with stimulus and/or bailout money. However, circumstances dictate that such rewards may be realized only in the short-term and consultants will face severe fee pressures due to unprecedented competition."


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Government spending on consultants on a sharp rise

The Home Office spent £140 million on external consultants in 2008/09 despite having thousands of experts on staff. This is a 46 percent increase over the previous year.

The consulting firms that benefited the most were PA Consulting (£24.5 million), Deloitte (£21 million) and Ernst and Young (£13.8 million).

PA Consulting was contracted to work on the national identity scheme and the Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP). Deloitte and Ernst & Young also won contracts for the national identity scheme, a project that has since suffered a climb down.

The government has been criticized for spending so much money on external advisors. “Whenever anyone questions the large salaries paid out to Home Office staff we are told it is because they are the best people for the job,” said Mark Wallace, the campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance. “If that is the case why on earth are we paying an army of consultants to tell them how to do their job properly? Whitehall must drastically rein in spending on consultants if it is ever going to control its costs, especially at a time of recession.”

A Home Office representative responded: "The Home Office spend with consultancy firms is comparable with other large scale and complex service delivery organisations. All Home Office contracts are subject to a competitive process.”

Consulting Times – August 2009

The August issue of Consulting Times has been posted. This month's topics include:

• Consulting tips: How to sell the sizzle
• Big businesses commit to cutting flights
• European outsourcing market still sluggish
• Management consultants as ethical agents of change in the financial sector
• Capgemini half-year results in line with consulting firm's targets
• The real importance of work/life balance for consulting firms
• MCA warns: many financial services firms poorly equipped to respond to new regulation
• Consulting tips: How to sell an initial study
• Can consultants look beyond growth?

To read about these and other popular topics in the consulting industry, please visit http://www.consulting-times.com.

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Consulting Times – July 2009 issue

The latest issue of Consulting Times has been posted. The July topics include:

• The consulting candidate reality check – what does it take to secure a consulting job in today's market?
• Nominations for MCA Consultant of the Year 2009
• The Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt merger
• Consulting market report: contraction slows down
• New ways to engage decision-makers
• MCA: Risk management in the downturn
• Consulting industry bodies lead discussion on best practice
• Tips for consultants: How to get your own way by giving in
• Cost-cutting opportunities that don't involve redundancies
• KPMG's latest National Business Confidence Survey

You can read about these and more at Consulting-Times.com.

PA Consulting survey: businesses considering multi-sourcing

A new survey conducted by PA Consulting indicates that most businesses are looking at multi-sourcing as one of the possible ways out of the current crisis.

Industry analysts estimate that businesses will increasingly restructure their outsourcing fuctions over the next three to five years and consider multi-sourcing for its diversified risk and cost-efficiency. However, experts also warn that multi-sourcing can hurt a business if the professionals in charge overlook its challenges.

As PA Consulting's latest survey shows, almost 75 percent of businesses are considering multi-sourcing in the current economic crisis. "We advise caution," says Graham Beck, a senior sourcing advisor at the company. "Businesses and professionals do not realise that multi-sourcing requires special capabilities."

Jonathan Cooper-Bagnall, a member of PA’s management group, warns: "If organisations fail to manage single sourcing efficiently, there are serious questions to be asked about their evolution to complex outsourcing model."

Compliance with the legislation and security issues are some of the things that companies must take into account. While outsourcing is a good way to cut expenses and it allows businesses to hire expert services, they must fully understand the legal issues, risks and service level agreements involved in order to manage outsourcing properly.

"There are far greater security and compliance requirements today," warns Lesica. "Outsourcing and offshoring now require security assessment, audits and implementation of stringent and comprehensive security measures."

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