cy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model

In this article I will provide examples of advisors used by well-known clients and examine the outcome in terms of achievement and breakdown. I will also summarize the model the consultancy firm used to get the results.

An example of success in consulting work was done by Eagle Technology Consultants who were approved by the Coca-Cola Foundation to increase their profit margin in their business. Also, an example where the involvement of a consultant speeding up the process of achieving results will be discussed. This is similar to a slow chemical reaction taking place between two elements, and to speed up the process a catalytic element is introduced to finish the process quickly.

Among the many reasons a firm seeks the services of a consultant, the following are perhaps the most important. The first one is the search for suitable information in order to ensure that the best possible decisions are taken in each case. Another one is to resolve a particular or general problem that the firm may be faced with. Also, the firm may seek an independent opinion concerning a previously undertaken course of action. Others include simply being able to ask for an expert's opinion or confirmation when the cost involved prohibits such an expert's being a permanent member of staff and when the client wishes to maintain or increase his or her position, as well as when some structural adjustments become necessary because of a changing or new political panorama.

When taking on the services of a consultant, clients analyse the cost of the project, the benefits that may result from it and the quality of the work performed, as well as the possibility of integrating the consultant's advice within the firm's activity. Even though dissatisfaction with or rejection of consultants may arise, it does not necessarily mean that their work had no impact on the client's firm nor that no change was derived from it. Rather, this could stem from the fact that all too often consulting is an overlooked part of a businessman's training. All in all, if the consulting process is to produce - or foster - any change in the organisation, the focus should be on the training of its members. Schein states that emphasis should be placed on helping others - managers and employees - to learn to help themselves; to help them to understand what is happening in and around the firm.

The term "consulting" allows for many possible interpretations. Usually it conveys the idea that the consultant contributes with input to a management system which is not always rational. The consultant, however, is not a magician who discovers what the client does not know. Consulting is a planned intervention in a firm whose aim is to identify existing problems and to introduce the most suitable ways of resolving them. The consulting firm must set the emphasis in helping clients to help themselves, and not on solving their problems nor on giving them expert advice. Thus, consulting consists of a group of activities carried out to help clients to detect and understand those events of the consulting process that occur in their environment, and to exert some influence over them. By this, it is meant that consultants help clients to understand what is happening around them and teach them to learn, so that their understanding is improved and adjustments can be made so as to allow them to reach the required objectives.

Wilkinson defines the task of management consultancy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model a

der to ensure that the best possible decisions are taken in each case. Another one is to resolve a particular or general problem that the firm may be faced with. Also, the firm may seek an independent opinion concerning a previously undertaken course of action. Others include simply being able to ask for an expert's opinion or confirmation when the cost involved prohibits such an expert's being a permanent member of staff and when the client wishes to maintain or increase his or her position, as well as when some structural adjustments become necessary because of a changing or new political panorama.

When taking on the services of a consultant, clients analyse the cost of the project, the benefits that may result from it and the quality of the work performed, as well as the possibility of integrating the consultant's advice within the firm's activity. Even though dissatisfaction with or rejection of consultants may arise, it does not necessarily mean that their work had no impact on the client's firm nor that no change was derived from it. Rather, this could stem from the fact that all too often consulting is an overlooked part of a businessman's training. All in all, if the consulting process is to produce - or foster - any change in the organisation, the focus should be on the training of its members. Schein states that emphasis should be placed on helping others - managers and employees - to learn to help themselves; to help them to understand what is happening in and around the firm.

The term "consulting" allows for many possible interpretations. Usually it conveys the idea that the consultant contributes with input to a management system which is not always rational. The consultant, however, is not a magician who discovers what the client does not know. Consulting is a planned intervention in a firm whose aim is to identify existing problems and to introduce the most suitable ways of resolving them. The consulting firm must set the emphasis in helping clients to help themselves, and not on solving their problems nor on giving them expert advice. Thus, consulting consists of a group of activities carried out to help clients to detect and understand those events of the consulting process that occur in their environment, and to exert some influence over them. By this, it is meant that consultants help clients to understand what is happening around them and teach them to learn, so that their understanding is improved and adjustments can be made so as to allow them to reach the required objectives.

Wilkinson defines the task of management consultancy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model

ven though dissatisfaction with or rejection of consultants may arise, it does not necessarily mean that their work had no impact on the client's firm nor that no change was derived from it. Rather, this could stem from the fact that all too often consulting is an overlooked part of a businessman's training. All in all, if the consulting process is to produce - or foster - any change in the organisation, the focus should be on the training of its members. Schein states that emphasis should be placed on helping others - managers and employees - to learn to help themselves; to help them to understand what is happening in and around the firm.

The term "consulting" allows for many possible interpretations. Usually it conveys the idea that the consultant contributes with input to a management system which is not always rational. The consultant, however, is not a magician who discovers what the client does not know. Consulting is a planned intervention in a firm whose aim is to identify existing problems and to introduce the most suitable ways of resolving them. The consulting firm must set the emphasis in helping clients to help themselves, and not on solving their problems nor on giving them expert advice. Thus, consulting consists of a group of activities carried out to help clients to detect and understand those events of the consulting process that occur in their environment, and to exert some influence over them. By this, it is meant that consultants help clients to understand what is happening around them and teach them to learn, so that their understanding is improved and adjustments can be made so as to allow them to reach the required objectives.

Wilkinson defines the task of management consultancy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model

ot a magician who discovers what the client does not know. Consulting is a planned intervention in a firm whose aim is to identify existing problems and to introduce the most suitable ways of resolving them. The consulting firm must set the emphasis in helping clients to help themselves, and not on solving their problems nor on giving them expert advice. Thus, consulting consists of a group of activities carried out to help clients to detect and understand those events of the consulting process that occur in their environment, and to exert some influence over them. By this, it is meant that consultants help clients to understand what is happening around them and teach them to learn, so that their understanding is improved and adjustments can be made so as to allow them to reach the required objectives.

Wilkinson defines the task of management consultancy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model

cy as "An independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested, in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in organisations through the sound application of substantive and process skills."

In my consultancy work, the consultant always uses some ideas based on a model system. An experienced and a professional consultant would choose certain models to meet the requirements of the client and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the models. There are four models which are popular in the consulting industry - the doctor model, detective model, salesperson model and the travel agent. I will define the four models and relate it to Eagle Technology Consultants work.

The doctor model is the most popular model used by many consultants, and is based around a medical analogy. The assumption here is that the client is suffering from some sort of an illness that needs to be cured. Consultants who use this model presume that either the client or the organisation is need of some sort of treatment. Therefore the consultant will start by trying to find out what the problem or the illness is, and then look for a medication or a solution. The detective model is based upon the principle that something is wrong, therefore they need to find the person or people that are responsible so that it can be changed or removed. When this model is used it is assumed that there is an implication of a criminal conspiracy, and that is why the problems have occurred. If this does happen, then there is a tendency to have some sort of a cultural surrounding the consultancy work which is associated with the blame. An example could be where an accident has happened within the workforce and the client wants to know why it has happened, and how to resolve it. This model looks at the clues that are associated with the breaking of the law.

The salesperson model brings upon the assumption that the consultant has a product or service which will be appropriate to the client, and will be of benefit to the organisation. With this model comes a problem of where the client gets the assumption that the consultant has a bag full of tricks ready to produce the right product to solve the issues. Therefore you will not see many consultants using this model.