The White Space (www.sourceforconsulting.com/whitespace) Thought Leadership Rankings Report, released today (6th October 2014), has found that IBM remains top of the rankings, but Capgemini Consulting (now ranked second) has jumped 14 places in less than two years.

The report, which publishes its top ten rankings for each of its four evaluation criteria (Resilience, Differentiation, Appeal, and Prompting Action), says that Capgemini Consulting’s low volume/high investment approach to thought leadership is delivering good quality material on a small number of topics. For example, the report says that So near yet so far, which provides new concise insights through extensive analysis of secondary data, is a good example of this approach.

Although IBM’s score is very slightly lower than last time, it remains at the top of the table for the overall quality of its Thought Leadership - such as Exploring the inner circle, the final instalment in the firm’s global C-suite study.

Fiona Czerniawska, Joint Managing Director at Source Information Services and founder of White Space said:
“One of the benefits of IBM’s low volume/high investment approach is that it makes it easier to close the feedback loop. Not only does IBM track how internal consultants use their material, it also sends out members of the IBV (IBM’s thought leadership team) to support delivery of the end product to target clients. There’s nothing like seeing the look on the client’s face or answering their questions to make you think about what you could do differently next time.”

Deloitte continues to lead the Big Four…
Deloitte continues to lead the Big Four, and although it has moved from second to third place in this report, White Space says that since 2011 the firm’s average score has slowly and steadily increased, and when analysing the last six scores for every firm, only Deloitte and Capgemini Consulting are heading persistently upwards. And, behind the scenes, the founding of Deloitte University Press and the spread of a publishing mind-set has led to some great thought leadership, such as A movement in the making, which explains in an engaging and memorable style a trend that could impact all businesses.

EY has leapt up the ratings to place fourth, but the report says that the jury is still out on whether they’ll be able to hold the spot.
 
White Space includes thought leadership from about 30 of the world’s leading consulting firms, all categorised and searchable by service, sector and geography. In addition to White Space ratings reports, there are quick links to some of the best thought leadership relevant to various different services and sectors.

Fiona Czerniawska, concluded:
“For those firms looking to change their thought leadership ranking fortunes, they should look towards those firms that have succeeded in making a dramatic and lasting change in their standings, as they have achieved this by have implementing pretty dramatic changes within their organisations. Achieving a real and sustained move up the list depends not on luck or even good ideas, but on an unerring determination to put in place the right processes with the right people and supported with the ability to manage consulting firm politics.”

For more information on White Space contact Julie Ahadi or telephone +44 (0) 203 700 5461 /visit www.sourceforconsulting.com/whitespace.