In the first in-depth study carried out since the CSR, a Sourceforconsulting.com report released today (5th November 2010) finds that whilst senior public sector managers expect the private sector to play a bigger role in central government in the future – it wants to work with its consultants in a new way. Almost half (47 per cent) see joint ventures playing a more important role alongside outsourcing and delivery partnerships.

 

The CSR will lead to the private sector playing a greater role in central government

Commissioned by Capgemini Consulting and based on a survey of more than 100 senior public sector managers and a series of in-depth interviews, the report, What is the Future for Public Sector Consulting?, found that senior public servants were also in no doubt that the changes heralded by the CSR will result in the private sector playing a greater role in central government. In fact, those managers expecting private sector involvement to increase outnumbered those that don’t by a factor of four to one.

 

However, public sector managers want the private sector to be more involved, they don’t want to hand over complete control. Therefore, implementing the plans of the coalition government will require a coalition economy – where leveraging the skills of public/private sectors alongside those in voluntary organisations will become more common place.

 

The research report concludes that consulting firms need to reinvent themselves for a new post-CSR world, creating joint public-private ventures focused on results.

 

Keith Coleman, Global Head of Public Sector at Capgemini Consulting, who commissioned the Sourceforconsulting.com report, concluded: “I believe these three things will have to change if “consulting” is to survive in the public sector. We’ll have to advise less and do more; we’ll have to deliver results and be paid out of the money we help save. Instead of being the organisations that advise civil servants on how to set up the joint ventures they’re clearly looking for, we have to be business partners in those ventures.”