Business model

It really is a billion dollar question.

Consulting in the manufacturing sector has traditionally either been big business or virtually no business depending on the country you work in.  A hugely important part of the German economy, the sector accounts for more than a quarter of all consulting there,  it’s only about a tenth of the UK market where it’s dwarfed by financial services.  It’s a substantial market in India but negligible in the Middle East.

There's a growing consensus amongst consulting firms that the pyramid model, around which their industry has so far shaped itself, might have had its day. Geared towards the idea of a nice shiny partner selling in his formidable knowledge before deploying legions of fresh-faced young guns with intellects the size of Massachusetts to mop up margin, clients are starting to question whose interests the model serves best. Few are concluding that it's theirs.