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The National Consulting Index (NCI) determines the strength of a national management consulting sector relative to other countries. It was first created in 2017 following research and analysis conducted at the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI). This paper provides an update to the NCI project and estimates the size of the management consulting sectors for several countries around the world. The paper also offers qualitative insight from some countries about the trends and dynamics of their management consulting industries.
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The National Consulting Index 2023

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Management Consulting is one of the oldest and most well-established professional services across the world. Consultants have developed subject matter expertise and competency in a variety of areas such as General and Strategic Management, Financial Management, Marketing &amp; Distribution Management, e-Business, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Knowledge Management, Enterprise Performance Management, Business Transformation, Quality Management, and Information Technology. Information Technology as a discipline has evolved rapidly in the last three decades with software development paradigms and the advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. The space of AI &amp; ML technologies is rapidly evolving, impacting the way insights are arrived at, how decisions are taken, organization models, and organization structures. This article explores the challenges, new opportunities and potential changes to the ways of working for management consultants given the developments in AI, particularly with large language models.
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Management Consulting in the Artificial Intelligence – LLM Era

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Performance improvement interventions undertaken by management consultants, like many others, can experience difficulty in ensuring that the bulk of the effort put into the intervention translates into the desired change. While consultants themselves are limited in what they can control once their work is completed, there are nevertheless activities they can carry out or at least initiate to improve the chances of change being brought about. Goal setting, self-management and action planning have demonstrated positive effects, particularly where behavioural change is required. Similarly, based on a tested model of learning transfer, other activities relating to peer support, manager support and external coaching can be encouraged and set in train.
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Management Consulting’s Black Holes: A Question of Time and Space

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This paper explains the creation and purpose of the Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) award in the UK, outlines the preparation and initial launch of the accreditation, describes the growth to mid-2023 and discusses how continued growth is needed not just in volume of chartered practitioners, but in the diversity of the accredited community.
The paper describes the purpose and creation of the award, reviews growth and suggests where to focus next. The first part describes the two UK organisations who have been responsible for setting up and promoting the ChMC award – Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) – and how the ChMC award supports their respective organisational raison d’etre. The second part provides a timeline between 2017 and 2020, in the run-up to the global pandemic. The third part describes the promotion of ChMC and the setting of pace coming out of the pandemic. The fourth part reviews the channels and levers used to accelerate growth in the take-up of ChMC during late 2022 and early 2023; and reflects on how to balance growth in volume of uptake whilst maintaining an appropriately reflective blend of community diversity. The fifth part discusses the practical challenge of promoting an industry-wide standard in a hitherto-unregulated environment. The sixth part covers the case for a strengthened approach; and The seventh and final part covers closing comments and a possible approach to build on the success achieved by CMI/MCA to date, drawing on the CMI’s IC arm.
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The Creation of Chartered Management Consultant: A UK Gold Standard for Consulting Competence

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This essay explores the imminent impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the management consultancy sector over the next five years. After tracing the historical context of technological innovation and societal unease with disruption, we delve into the current landscape of management consultancy, emphasizing its evolution and present dynamics. Specialized themes in the consultancy market today, such as internal consulting and data-centric approaches, highlight the industry’s dynamism.
The core focus anticipates the implications of AI on management consultancy, with a shift towards AI-powered analytics and insights transforming consultants’ roles. Market segmentation deepens as specialized AI-driven consulting firms emerge, challenging traditional players. The competitive landscape witnesses the entry of tech giants, intensifying competition and prompting strategic shifts in consultancy models. A forward-looking perspective considers changes in pricing and cost structures, emphasizing ethical considerations in AI deployment.
In this transformative landscape, a blended future emerges, envisioning AI-driven quick insights complemented by human consultants offering context, creativity, and empathy. This condensed exploration provides a crucial foundation for academics, industry practitioners, and policymakers navigating the evolving interplay between AI and management consultancy.
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Artificial Intelligence’s Impact of the Management Consultancy Sector over the Next Five Years

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This paper explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the management consultancy sector over the next five years. Tracing the evolution of AI from its inception in 1956 to recent language and image capabilities, the study addresses the imminent challenges posed to consultancy by AI startups. Examining global legislative approaches, including the EU’s strict AI Act, the UK’s flexible stance, the self-regulatory approach in the US, and China’s targeted regulations, it unveils the legislative ambiguity for software developers. The essay anticipates transformative implications on consultancy firms, emphasizing the war for talent, potential shifts in business models, and the evolving role of consultants as agents of thought. As AI becomes integral, consultancy firms are urged to adapt, incorporating AI into their models while navigating ethical and legal considerations. The paper underscores that while AI will automate mundane tasks, strategic decision-making remains a strength of consultancy firms, ensuring continued relevance in the evolving landscape.
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The Transformative Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Management Consultancy Sector

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 7 (2024): Issue 1 (February 2024)

Volume 6 (2023): Issue 2 (June 2023)

Volume 6 (2023): Issue 1 (February 2023)

Volume 5 (2022): Issue 2 (May 2022)

Volume 5 (2022): Issue 1 (January 2022)

Volume 4 (2021): Issue 2 (June 2021)

Volume 4 (2021): Issue 1 (January 2021)

Volume 3 (2020): Issue 1 (June 2020)

Volume 2 (2019): Issue 2 (December 2019)

Volume 2 (2019): Issue 1 (June 2019)

Volume 1 (2018): Issue 2 (December 2018)

Volume 1 (2018): Issue 1 (June 2018)

Management Consulting Journal

 The Management Consulting Journal (MCJ) focuses on the practice of management consulting and the management consulting sector. It publishes two volumes a year. It welcomes submissions from academics and practitioners. In addition to carrying full academic papers, it also includes ‘consulting shorts’, which are briefer reports and thought leadership pieces on contemporary consulting issues. It is an international journal drawing on research and insight from around the world, and is linked with the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes’ values and aims around standards and professionalism in the sector.  The aims of the journal are to:    Highlight and debate issues pertinent to the management consulting sector and management consulting practice.  Focus on issues and research outputs which have implication for management consulting practice and of value to consultants, those running consulting firms and organisations linked with sector policy.  Promote the understanding of and knowledge exchange around the management consulting sector and the practice of management consulting, with links to the research and education communities.   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 