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week_1_powerpoint_mgt598.pptxOrganization and Consulting Approach
Organization and Consulting Approach
Quantell Donigan
MGT/598
5/1/17
Instructor: Rachelle Disbennett-Lee
Consulting Project
it is a multi-week, month or years long collaborative process between a client and a team of consultants (consultingguru.com).
A consulting project is to solve key issues and problems faced by an entity, organization, or business. The consulting project is intended to be created for the client to have an external expert opinion. Typically, breakthrough or pivotal decisions are the ones that need an expert advice. They are matters of operational and strategic importance.
A consulting project could be a long-term partnership. It may involve long term strategic planning and target. As well, it could be an immediate setting up of goals. In the business, examples include cost reduction, mergers or acquisitions, or corporate restructuring. Aside from in-depth and external analysis of the problem, the consulting team offers an assessment and recommendations on the implications related to the organization’s plan and implementation. As well, a consulting team gives the client with key information, risk assessments, and strategic insights. Overall, a consulting team is essential to the development of the organization. They conduct analysis of the environment in which the organization or business is part of.
Stages of Execution
Problem Definition
Hypothesis
Data Gathering
Data Analysis
Presentation
in any research, there is a process involved. In a consulting project, it includes study and analysis (consultingguru.com).
Defining the Problem: one of the most critical stages in a project’s life cycle is defining the problem that needs to be solved. An erroneous definition, or misalignment of expectations during the early stages of a project may lead to months of futile work
Hypothesis: At the outset of a project a consulting team will attempt to form a hypothesis regarding the cause and effect of the problem statement. The initial hypothesis will be expanded to include key questions that need to be answered and analyzed.
Data Gathering and Research: During the project’s early stages, the consultant’s primary objective will be to familiarize themselves with the client and senior management team. Extensive interviews with senior management will help define the key strategic problems that need to be addressed.
Data Analysis: It takes many forms and is often completed by multiple members of a consulting team. Most common however is the development of an analytical model using software such as Microsoft Excel, Access, in addition to other statistical analysis programs.
Presenting Findings: Upon completing the data gathering and analysis exercise a final presentation will be composed summarizing the efforts, results, implications, and recommendations
Consultant
Consultant – an experienced professional who provides expert knowledge for a fee. He or she works in an advisory capacity only and is usually not accountable for the outcome of a consulting exercise (intentionalachievements.com).
Consultants are paid to share their expertise and knowledge to help businesses attain goals and solve problems. Businesses often hire consultants to supplement their staff and save the costs of hiring a full-time employee. As a person new to the company or organization, consultants view the situation from a fresh perspective. Because a consultant isn't beholden to any particular corporate culture, co-worker scrutiny or morale, consultants can act as the catalyst for change.
While there are no degree requirements for a consultant, they do need to have vast knowledge and experience in a particular field. In addition to expertise, a consultant should have a track record of past accomplishments. Individuals with higher levels of education and experience will generally receive greater compensation for their services. Thus, consultants play a key role in the organization. As a person with knowledge, experience, and skills, they can dictate the outcome of the organization.
Comparison: Internal and External Consultants
Internal Consultant – is someone considered to be an official, often ongoing member of the organization (managementhelp.org).
External Consultant – is someone considered not to be an official, ongoing member of the organization (managementhelp.org).
As to external consultant, the relationship of the consultant to the organization is determined usually by a project’s contract or Letter of Agreement. He or she is paid on the basis of a particular project having certain desired results and deliverables from the consultant. Payroll taxes are not withheld from the person’s paycheck – the person pays their own payroll taxes.
As to internal consultant, The relationship of the consultant to the organization is determined usually by a job description and various personnel policies. He or she is paid on the basis on their ongoing role in the organization. Payroll taxes are withheld from the person’s paychecks.
In sum, an internal consultant is, at first glance, just like an external consultant: a professional that is hired to solve an organizational problem and implement the solutions in order to improve the performance of an organization. Both types of consultants can work within all possible management and organizational areas – from strategic planning to mergers and acquisitions, finance, organization efficiency, process improvement and technology (consultancy.uk).
Consulting Project Organization
Royal DSM Company – a multinational company with about 25,000 employees and operates in 50 countries. This is the organization chosen by the student for consulting project (dsm.com).
Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. By connecting its unique competences in life sciences and materials sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders simultaneously.
DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials.
DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about $10 billion with approximately 25,000 employees. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. In general, the company is focused on three fields – health, nutrition and materials. The company uses technology and products to provide solutions to brighten the lives of people today and generations to come.
Since the 1990s, during which the company was fully privatized, DSM transformed itself again, selling almost all of its commodity chemicals activities and becoming a global science-based company delivering innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance.
Relationship with the Client
External consultant will be the hypothetical work of the student to Royal DSM Company.
As an external consultant, the student must offer conduct analysis and offer solutions.
As an external consultant, I will look at the environment where the company exists. The threats and opportunities will be studies. Let us remember that economic recession has adverse effects to any company. However, the degree of impact varies. The measures which are outlined and prepared by the company plays a key role. In the middle of recession, the company can mitigate the problem. The fact that they operate in various countries around the world gave them flexibility. They focused on countries which are vulnerable while maximizing the opportunities in resilient economies. There are many indicators of economic recovery such as arrival of foreign investors, increase of employment opportunities, and stabilization of prices of goods in the market. In the company, the increase of investments and total number of sales serve as barometers for the company. As stated in their website, DSM and other affiliated companies has a net sale of about $10 billion per year (dsm.com).
Strategic Consultancy
Strategy consulting, often referred to as strategy consultancy, strategic advisory or boardroom consulting, is regarded by the majority of consultants as the most 'high-end' and prestigious segments within the professional services industry (consultancy.uk).
In a typical consulting project, it is important to rely on facts, statistics, figures, and data. Thus, data gathering is critical.
A strategy is defined as “a plan with the aim of realizing long term goals", and organizations regularly engage with strategy consultants to support them in developing and implementing business strategies. The strategy consulting domain focuses on supporting private sector clients with the development of corporate, organizational or functional strategies and helping public sector organizations and institutions with economic policy.
As an external consultant, I have the freedom to provide statements and solutions without considering the internal features of the organization. Meaning, my advice would be more objective and new. In providing analysis, the consultant considers the following: having the necessary skills to analyze; concurrently selecting data collection methods and appropriate analysis; drawing unbiased inference; inappropriate subgroup analysis; following acceptable norms for disciplines; determining statistical significance; lack of clearly defined and objective outcome measurements; providing honest and accurate analysis; manner of presenting data; environmental/contextual issues; data recording method; partitioning ‘text’ when analyzing qualitative data; training of staff conducting analyses; reliability and validity; and extent of analysis.
Activities in Consulting Project
Discovery
Situational Analysis
Planning
Measurement
Implementation
these are the common activities being performed by an external consultant in a project (britopian.com).
Discovery: in any consulting project, there needs to be a discovery phase. This is basically a time to gather as much intelligence about the organization. This will also involve interviews with key stakeholders, customers and partners to best understand the organizational culture, communication workflows, collaboration platforms and other relevant information that will help gather clarity about the business.
Situation Analysis: a situation analysis is a method used to analyze both the internal and external business climate of any organization to better understand the firm’s organizational and functional capabilities, customers and the general business landscape.
Planning: in the planning phase is where the real work will start. In some cases, this will include a set of recommendations, for example, shutting down certain social channels where the concept of “community” is non-existent, no internal community manager (owner), duplicated community or an unclear content strategy.
Implementation: much of the implementation phase will be dependent on the outcomes of the planning. Implementing and executing a more cohesive, meaningful and relevant content strategy would be an integral part of this phase.
Measurement: it is the most difficult and often neglected step in the consulting process is measurement. A parallel measurement framework must be established to measure the effectiveness of the content strategy.
How to retain clients?
These are the essentials (asme.org):
Understand your client's needs
Set expectations and layout deliverables
Never over-promise, over deliver instead
Tie service to the bottom line
Provide added value
Build relationships with several employees
No surprises
As to the first, it is critical that you understand your client's goals and deliver only those services that will help achieve those goals. Never oversell. The client will soon realize that the ancillary services you may offer aren't impacting the bottom line and may ultimately jeopardize your relationship.
As to the second, be sure that you clearly describe your services and how they will be delivered. It is critical that the consultant set expectations up front and the client understands exactly what and how you will provide your services.
As to the third, it is best to keep your deliverables realistic and deliver more than expected. Your client will appreciate your effort to go above and beyond.
As to the fourth, business is all about profitability, and like yourself, client wants to see his profits grow. That's why it is critical to document how your contribution is positively impacting the bottom line.
As to the fifth, always go out of your way to provide more value by going beyond your scope of service. Send a market report you ran across or an article that you know your client will be interested in, even if it pertains to your clients personal vs. business interests.
As to the sixth, build relationships with others who work with your client. They are more likely to encourage your client to keep your services and perhaps even request your services as well.
Lastly, it is vital to stay organized and focused on your plan. Let there be no surprises like missing a deadline or overrunning a budget.
References
5 Step Model to Social Business Consulting. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.britopian.com/2012/04/09/5-step-approach-to-social-business-consulting/
7 Ways to Retain Your Best Clients. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/consulting/7-ways-to-retain-your-best-clients
Consult | Intentional Achievements |. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://intentionalachievements.com/myportfolio/consult/
Consulting Project » Consulting Guru. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://consultingguru.com/strategy-consulting/consulting-project/
Foundations of Consulting — Part 5: Internal and External Consultants | Consulting and Organizational Development. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/blogs/consulting-skills/2013/03/06/foundations-of-consulting-part-5-internal-and-external-consultants/
Our Company | DSM. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dsm.com/corporate/about/our-company.html
Strategy Consulting | Consultancy.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.consultancy.uk/consulting-industry/strategy-consulting
