Management consultants can be engaged for a wide range of activities. They bring with them technical skills, a breadth of experience, and the ability to deal with the vital human side of change management and implementation.

Typical assignments for management consultants include:

• Reviewing an organisation's corporate objectives and strategy
• Reviewing an organisation's structure and staffing
• Appraising, selecting, and determining the remuneration structure for executives
• Preparing and implementing development programmes
• Improving revenue and profitability
• Increasing cost effectiveness
• Introducing new or better management techniques such as information technology, personnel incentives, asset management, and re-engineering
• Planning and controlling the execution of projects which are outside the normal experience of the organisation's staff.

Consultants have developed their services to meet these and similar needs, when the skills, knowledge, and experience of the organisation are nor appropriate, nor currently available for the concentrated effort needed, or not sufficiently independent for the task.

Management consultants offer a range of qualities which are valuable to managers:

Knowledge: Consultants usually specialise in an identified area of business, such as strategy, Total Quality Management, or marketing. They may also practise in a specific industry, such as food processing, utilities, or tourism.

Experience: Most consultants have had experience as managers and this, together with their consulting experience, makes them highly valuable as advisers.

Objectivity: Consultants can bring to your business an objectivity that you may not be able to achieve with your own people.