Management Consultants and management consulting firms have a tendency to formulate their own successful approach based on fundamental principals of business equally known to everybody. It is rather simple to observer and evaluate those consultants that abide by their company guidelines rather than basing their evaluation on individual needs of an organization.
That is where the smaller management consulting firms take a lead in innovation and creativity. Without being to centralistic it is important to emphasize that large organizations including large management consulting firms are prone to establish standard operating procedures or protocol which is rather rigid and inflexible. Certainly there are exceptions which include very large companies that are able to be flexible and adaptable. Yet the nature and fundamental basics of leadership dictates that a strict protocol is necessary to manage a large organization.
Hence, as a general rule it is rather important to evaluate management consulting firms and their respective performance preliminarily based on their organizational size. At first glance it sounds to simplistic but it is not. Smaller organizations including management consulting firms are inherently forced to compete with larger organizations that have several layers of research and development, layered organizational management, as well as an inherent bureaucracy that is established to abide by chain of command and create efficiency, yet actually achieve the opposite. Logically as well as practically this is not as suitable approach for smaller organizations. Just imagine a 20 to 50 man operation that would establish long decision making procedures that would delay actions as well as reduce productivity.
It is true to argue that small organizations including smaller management consulting firms encounter their own unique challenges such as limitations on resources including human capital as well as financial means. Yet those challenges are not very likely to limit successful operations on behalf of client because of the availability of simple solution that may include third party resources.
It is important to point out that most of the above statements are of theoretical and philosophical nature. There are certainly many exceptions that might render those statements void. However, in terms of general assumptions it is not only logical but also viable to assume that because of limitations of resources, smaller organizations including management consulting firms are forced to become more effective, efficient and flexible in order to assure their own survival.
Brought to you by: World Consulting Group — Your premier management consulting firm.
The post Small or Large first appeared on World Consulting Group.