Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Management consulting refers to the area of intervention, which is assistance to entrepreneurs, managers and other decision-makers in business management and the public sector. The study will cover the area of management consulting and the primary focus of this study is companies presently doing business as Management Consulting firms with a global presence. The study excludes software vendors and management consulting firms that specialise only in implementing computer software systems like Oracle, SAP, etcetera. There are a great number of firms offering management consulting among other services like auditing for example. Prominent among these are the major accounting firms namely Ernst and Young, Deloitte Consulting, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and Arthur Andersen. They form part of this study. Marketing has become a more critical need than ever and it has become an important and influential factor in building and maintaining a profitable enterprise. The marketing of a product and or service is very important and the question can be posed whether management consulting firms have clear marketing strategies and tactics, or whether they stumbled onto their success in attracting clients per chance. The purpose of this study is to identify existing marketing strategies and tactics being used by management consulting firms. The objective is to determine the nature of the compilation of a structured framework for an effective standardised marketing strategy plan. The problem statement is the following: "How can marketing strategies and tactics for management consulting firms be used as an effective marketing tool to attract business for the consulting firm?" The greatest problem concerning this study is the fact that minimal research and literature has been directly compiled on thé topic. It was therefore a study on opinions, viewpoints, books in general on the topic of marketing as well as the daily media was researched to determine and evaluate possible existing marketing strategies and tactics. Since the field of marketing strategies and tactics for management consulting services and firms is relatively new, the exploratory research approach was used. Chapter 1 deals with the purpose, objective, problem statement and research methodology. Chapter 2 involves a literature study to define the term and scope of management consulting, and an overview of the management consulting process is given. Chapters 3 identifies and evaluates the existing marketing strategies and tactics of management consulting firms. Chapter 4 explores differentiation based on service and skills as well as industry specialisation. The question that needs to be answered is whether management consulting firms should be specialists or generalists. Chapter 5 addresses pricing. The different approaches to costing and fee setting are discussed. The study is completed in chapter 6 with conclusions and recommendations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bestuurs konsultasie verwys na die area van intervensie waar hulp aan entrepreneurs, bestuurders en ander besluitnemers in die private en publieke sektor verleen word. Hiedie studie dek die area van bestuurs konsultasie en die primêre fokus van die studie is firmas wat tans konsultasie firmas bedryf met 'n internasionale teenwoordigheid. Hierdie navorsings verslag fokus op die bemarkings taktiek en strategieë van bestuurs konsultasie firmas. Die studie sluit sagteware firmas en bestuurs konsultasie firmas uit wat uitsluitlik spesialiseer in die implementering en instandhouding van rekenaar sagteware. Voorbeelde van sulke firmas is Oracle en SAP. Daar is 'n groot aantal firmas wat bestuurs konsultasie saam met ander dienste soos byvoorbeeld ouditering aanbied. Prominent onder hierdie groep is Ernst and Young, Deloitte Consulting, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and Arthur Andersen. Hulle vorm deel van hierdie studie. Bemarking van die diens word al hoe meer belangriker as ooit en dit is 'n kritiese faktor om 'n winsgewende firma te bedryf. Die bemarking van 'n produk of diens is baie belangrik en die vraag kan gevra word of bestuurs konsultasie firmas uitgewerkte bemarking strategieë en taktiek het om kliënte te werf, en of hulle per toeval daarin slaag om besigheid te kry. Die doel van hierdie studie is om bestaande bemarkingstrategieë en-taktiek wat deur bestuurskonsultasie firmas gebruik word, te evalueer. Die doelwit is om die aard van die gestruktureerde raamwerk vir 'n effektiewe gestandardiseerde bemarkingsplan te bepaal. Die probleem stelling is as volg: "Hoe kan bemarkings taktiek en strategieë vir bestuurskonsultasie firmas gebruik word as 'n effektiewe bemarkingsmiddel ten einde besigheid vir die konsultasie firma te lok?" 'n Groot probleem is dat minimale navorsing en literatuur aangaande die onderwerp opgestel is. Dit gaan dus 'n studie wees van opinies, standpunte, asook boeke in die algemeen oor die onderwerp bemarking. Die daaglikse media gaan ook nagevors word om die moontlikheid van bemarkingstartegiëe en taktiek te bepaal. Aangesien die veld van bemarkingtaktiek en -strategiëe vir bestuurskonsultasie firmas redelik nuut is, gaan die eksploratiewe navorsings metode gebruik word. Hoofstuk 1 behandel die doel, doelwit, probleemstelling en navorsingsmetodologie. Hoofstuk 2 dek 'n literatuurstudie aangaande die aard en omvang van bestuurs konsultasie, asook 'n oorsig van die bestuurs konsultasie proses. Hoofstuk 3 identifiseer en evalueer die bestaande bemarkingstrategiëe en taktiek van bestuurs konsultasie firmas. Hoofstuk 4 ondersoek differensiasie gebaseer op diens en bevoegdhede sowel as industrie spesialisasie. Die vraag wat beantwoord moet word is of bestuurs konsultasie firmas slegs in een veld moet spesialiseer en of hulle 'n meerdoellige fokus moet hê. Hoofstuk 5 spreek prys aan. Die verskillende benaderings tot prys en koste word bespreek. Die studie word afgesluit in hoofstuk 6 met 'n samevatting en aanbevelings.

The objective of this research was to investigate the application of the ontopsychological business consulting model in Brazilian organizations and the perception of the results obtained by it diagnosis. The work structure presents first the historical and conceptual aspects of business consulting, and then reported a few models of it, devoting more attention to the ontopsychological model. With a qualitative and exploratory approach, this study concentrates it analysis on the cases of three companies with 100% Brazilian capital, through semi-structured interviews. The series of interviews was built through three main axes: initial approach, process and results. The sample was selected by convenience, totaled 14 subjects: five consultants, who use this model in their jobs, and nine entrepreneurs of the three companies surveyed. The collected data were classified by content analysis into five categories that emerged from both theoretical discussions and interviews. Among the results shown in the companies studied, we highlight the economic, the individual, the management and the business dynamics gains arising from the application of this model. Moreover, it was found that it is a model which attention is directed to the personality of the main leadership and how it materializes in the organization, enhancing interdisciplinary discussion in the administrative area. / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar a aplicação do modelo de consultoria empresarial ontopsicológico em organizações brasileiras e a percepção dos resultados obtidos em virtude de seu diagnóstico. Inicialmente foram apresentados aspectos históricos e conceituais sobre consultoria empresarial. Em seguida relataram-se alguns modelos de consultoria, dedicando maior atenção ao modelo ontopsicológico. Com caráter qualitativo-exploratório, foram estudados os casos de três empresas com capital 100% brasileiro através de entrevistas semiestruturadas. O roteiro das entrevistas foi construído por meio de três grandes eixos: abordagem inicial, processo e resultados. A amostra, selecionada por conveniência, totalizou 14 sujeitos, sendo cinco consultores que utilizam este modelo em sua atuação profissional e nove empresários da alta gestão das três empresas pesquisadas. Os dados coletados foram classificados através da análise de conteúdo em cinco categorias que emergiram tanto das discussões teóricas como das entrevistas. Entre os resultados evidenciados nas empresas estudadas, destacam-se os ganhos econômicos, individuais, de gestão e de dinâmica empresarial decorrentes da aplicação deste modelo. Além disso, verificou-se que é um modelo cuja atenção está direcionada para a personalidade da principal liderança e como esta se materializa na organização, reforçando a discussão interdisciplinar na área administrativa.

É inegável a importância das micro e pequenas empresas para a geração de riqueza destinada à nação brasileira. As micro e pequenas empresas brasileiras são responsáveis por uma parcela expressiva do PIB nacional e dos empregos formais no país. Porém, estudos demonstram que uma grande parte destas empresas são encerradas em um período curto de operação, não passando pela fase de crescimento e maturidade, por causa, basicamente, de falhas em sua gestão. A organização objeto desta pesquisa, da qual o pesquisador é sócio, passou pela transação de micro para pequena empresa durante o processo de pesquisa dessa dissertação e enfrenta o desafio de crescer. Desta forma, surgiu a questão desta pesquisa: \"Como tratar os fatores limitantes e impulsionadores de crescimento de uma consultoria e assessoria empresarial?\". E o seu objetivo foi de propor uma sistematização das iniciativas que iriam suplantar as limitações identificadas e que possibilitariam o crescimento da consultoria e assessoria empresarial. Inicialmente levantaram-se as causas observadas das restrições ao crescimento desta organização, elaboradas entre o pesquisador e sua equipe, são elas: recursos limitados, baixo nível de padronização e posicionamento sem clareza. Quanto ao método de pesquisa escolhido utilizou-se de pesquisa bibliográfica para atender ao objetivo secundário de identificar os fatores limitantes e impulsionadores de crescimento na bibliografia, assim como soluções para o crescimento. Dentre o referencial teórico se utilizou dos seguintes temas: as particularidades da pequena empresa e o seu ciclo de crescimento, as características empreendedoras, melhores práticas de crescimento observadas nas pequenas e médias empresas, especificidades da prestação de serviço em consultoria e estratégia e posicionamento. A fim de pesquisar melhores práticas para crescimento existentes em consultorias ou assessorias empresariais realizaram-se 6 entrevistas semiestruturadas com proprietários de empresas prestadoras de serviço e correlatas ao segmento da organização estudada que passaram por um processo de crescimento. Da teoria e das entrevistas foram elencados 9 limitadores do crescimento empresarial. Das entrevistas elencaram-se 23 impulsionadores de crescimento e estes foram relacionados aos limitadores, gerando uma matriz relacional. Por fim, para elaborar uma sistematização das iniciativas que iriam suplantar as limitações identificadas e que possibilitariam o crescimento da consultoria e assessoria empresarial foi utilizado o método de pesquisa-ação. Através dos limitadores e impulsionadores identificados, além dos exemplos práticos citados pelos entrevistados, o pesquisador listou 17 iniciativas que compuseram um plano de intervenção, ou seja, uma sistematização. Ao longo da pesquisa, 5 das 17 iniciativas foram implantadas na organização estudada e os resultados observados. A média do faturamento bruto mensal da organização dobrou entre o período anterior ao início da pesquisa e o período posterior ao início da pesquisa, denotando uma correlação positiva às implantações de algumas iniciativas do plano de intervenção, não se limitando apenas às interferências destas variáveis. As limitações constatadas para esta pesquisa foram a falta de tempo (por se tratar de um mestrado) de aplicar o plano de intervenção na íntegra e também uma pesquisa quantitativa para validar este plano. Como contribuição desta pesquisa, espera-se que empresários ou aspirantes, que passam por situações semelhantes às enfrentadas pelo pesquisador, possam utilizar-se das evidências práticas deste material aplicando-o em suas próprias organizações. / The importance of micro and small companies for the generation of wealth destined for the Brazilian nation is undeniable. Brazilian micro and small enterprises are responsible for a significant share of national GDP and formal jobs in the country. However, studies show that a large part of these companies are shut down in a short period of operation, do not cross the growth and maturity phase, basically due to failures in their management. The organization object of this research, of which the researcher is a partner, went through the transaction from micro to small company during the research process of this dissertation and faces the challenge of growing. In this way, the question of this research appeared: \"How to deal with the limiting factors and growth promoters of a business consulting and advisory?\". Its objective was to propose a systematization of the initiatives that would overcome the limitations identified and that would enable the growth of business consulting and advisory services. Initially, it raised the observed causes of restrictions of growth of this organization, elaborated between the researcher and his team, it are: limited resources, low level of standardization and positioning without clarity. Regarding the chosen research method, a bibliographic search was used to meet the secondary objective of identifying the limiting factors and growth promoters in the bibliography, as well as solutions for growth. Among the theoretical references, the following themes were used: the particularities of the small company and its growth cycle, the entrepreneurial characteristics, the best practices of growth observed in small and medium enterprises, the specifics of the service rendering in consulting and strategy and positioning. In order to research best practices for growth existing in consultancies or business advisors, six semi-structured interviews with owners of service companies and correlated to the segment of the organization object of this research, which underwent a process of growth, were carried out. From the theory and the interviews were listed 9 limiters of business growth. Of the interviews, 23 growth promoters were listed and these were related to the limiters, generating a relational matrix. Finally, in order to elaborate a systematization of the initiatives that would overcome the identified limitations and that would allow the growth of the consulting and business consultancy, the action-research method was used. Through the identified limiters and drivers, in addition to the practical examples cited by the interviewees, the researcher listed 17 initiatives that comprised an intervention plan, that is, a systematization. Throughout the research, 5 of the 17 initiatives were implemented in the organization object of this research and the results observed. The average gross monthly turnover of the organization doubled between the period prior to the start of the survey and the period after the start of the survey, indicating a positive correlation to the implementation of some initiatives of the intervention plan, not limited to the interference of these variables. The limitations found for this research were the lack of time (because it is a master\'s degree) to apply the intervention plan in full and also a quantitative research to validate this plan. As a contribution of this research, it is expected that entrepreneurs or aspirants, who undergo similar situations to those faced by the researcher, can use the practical evidence of this material applying it in their own organizations.

Among the entire continent in the world, Africa is the one with plenty valuable resources and many business opportunities. But African themselves, don’t have enough cash to auto-finance their project or to exploit such resources. With the existing financial crisis in Europeans countries, the slowdown of economic into several part of the world and the higher probability of gain from return on investment opportunity in Africa, many European and Asian choose to go to Africa for their business development. Unlikely, the result in terms of economic and social growth is still negative for many African countries. Taking into consideration the fact that many foreign business enterprises which were attracted by Africa business opportunities went to bankrupt after invested a lot of money, and the necessary need of African countries economic development, we propose to launch a consulting firm to bring our modest contribution. Since we have well knowledge of Africa social, political and geographical structure, moreover our knowledge of Asian’s and European’s way of doing business, and our experience of developing and running successful foreign business entities in Africa, we decided to setup our organization. We believe that our organization will be very helpful and a benefic tool for both foreign investors and African countries. Our organization is a not-for-profit organization, which aims to help foreign investors who plan to go to Africa for business purpose, to avoid them to do wrong investments and lose their money and to help African countries to get into social and economic growth. To sustain our organization, will be charging African governments for each valuable investor will bring to them, our clients for consultancy services through personal contact and later on a dedicated Website click and pay services.

Aufgrund fehlender Industriestandards/-verhaltenskodizes sehen sich (potentielle) Kunden von Unternehmensberatungen Informationsasymmetrien und Unsicherheiten ausgesetzt. Die Vertrauensbeziehung zwischen Kunden und Unternehmensberatern ist die zentrale Voraussetzung für Kooperationen und Kundenvertrauen ist somit der größte Vermögenswert einer Beratung. Der Auf- und Ausbau von Kundenvertrauen hängt vor allem von der Vertrauenswürdigkeit der Berater ab. Mit Kompetenz und Integrität besitzt Vertrauenswürdigkeit im Allgemeinen zwei Dimensionen. Beratungen fokussieren mit ihren Prozessen und Tools vor allem die Kompetenz ihrer Berater. Es fehlen gleichsam professionelle Methoden, um auch die Integrität der Berater zu schulen. Hierfür sind die Beraterprozesse und –tools als Derivate der Betriebswirtschaftslehre nicht ausreichend effektiv, da sie Ideale und Werte nicht explizit berücksichtigen (können). Ethik bietet Beratern diese fehlende strukturierte Orientierung zum Umgang mit moralischen Dilemmata und hilft ihnen so, sich integer zu verhalten und damit ihre eigene Vertrauenswürdigkeit zu steigern. Die in der vorliegenden Arbeit entwickelte Ökonomische Ethik der Unternehmensberatung bietet eine ethisch gehaltvolle und gleichzeitig praktikable Orientierung für Unternehmensberater. Sie reframed integres Verhalten, sodass es sich hierbei nicht um einen Verzicht auf Gewinne bzw. den eigenen Nutzen, sondern um eine Investition in den Vermögenswert Kundenvertrauen handelt.

Die Thematik der Strategieberatung in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) hat in der Managementforschung bisher wenig Beachtung gefunden und dies obwohl jenem Forschungsfeld hohe Relevanz attestiert wird. Die vorliegende Arbeit adressiert genau dieses Forschungsdesiderat. Im Rahmen einer explorativen, qualitativ-empirischen Studie wird beleuchtet, inwieweit KMU-Geschäftsführer (KMU-GF) Unternehmensberatung zur strategischen Unternehmensführung in Anspruch nehmen, ob diesbezüglich unterschiedliche Typen existieren und wodurch sich die entsprechenden Verhaltensweisen der KMU-GF begründen. Für die Analyse, weshalb KMU-GF Strategieberatung nutzen bzw. nicht nutzen, wird eine sozio-kognitive Perspektive eingenommen, die kognitive Strukturen sowie kognitive Prozesse als Auslöser von Verhalten untersucht und dabei auch die Rolle von Kontextfaktoren berücksichtigt. Ergänzend werden Einblicke in die Denk- und Verhaltensweisen von KMU-GF hinsichtlich der Themen Unternehmensberatung allgemein und strategische Unternehmensführung geboten.

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Die Thematik der Strategieberatung in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) hat in der Managementforschung bisher wenig Beachtung gefunden und dies obwohl jenem Forschungsfeld hohe Relevanz attestiert wird. Die vorliegende Arbeit adressiert genau dieses Forschungsdesiderat. Im Rahmen einer explorativen, qualitativ-empirischen Studie wird beleuchtet, inwieweit KMU-Geschäftsführer (KMU-GF) Unternehmensberatung zur strategischen Unternehmensführung in Anspruch nehmen, ob diesbezüglich unterschiedliche Typen existieren und wodurch sich die entsprechenden Verhaltensweisen der KMU-GF begründen. Für die Analyse, weshalb KMU-GF Strategieberatung nutzen bzw. nicht nutzen, wird eine sozio-kognitive Perspektive eingenommen, die kognitive Strukturen sowie kognitive Prozesse als Auslöser von Verhalten untersucht und dabei auch die Rolle von Kontextfaktoren berücksichtigt. Ergänzend werden Einblicke in die Denk- und Verhaltensweisen von KMU-GF hinsichtlich der Themen Unternehmensberatung allgemein und strategische Unternehmensführung geboten.