Kennedy Corner
»The Water’s Nice; Jump In
The market for new market entry strategy consulting is about resources and incentives. It’s a not too hot, not too cold, but just right equation.
»The New War For Talent
When a meteorite blazed through the morning skies of central Russia in mid-February and exploded, the news media described it as a rare event. And it was. Fast forward one month and just about every government in the world is looking at the potential for a "rare event" to visit their borders, and wringing their hands over how to prepare for it.
»Here Comes Patient-Centric Health
U.S consumers are accustomed to choices. We often take for granted our ability to select products, price points and preferred channels. Why, then, do we as patients expect anything less from our healthcare providers?
»The Market Always Finds a Way
In the 1993 Steven Spielberg film Jurassic Park, the protagonists discovered at one point (to their horror) that the island’s dinosaurs, which had all been created the same gender, had somehow managed to reproduce. “Life always finds a way,” muttered Sam Neill’s character Dr. Alan Grant.
»2012 in Review, and a Look Ahead
Looking back, several market forces propelled global consulting demand, causing firms and clients to undertake larger and more ambitious engagements than in recent years. The rapidly changing nature of client needs and the continued evolution of provider capabilities converged around some key themes.
»Change and Collaboration—The Rx For a Healthy Life Sciences Industry
For many of us in the U.S., it’s time to update healthcare benefit selections and learn of new or revised healthcare insurance plan offerings, options, and features. In many ways, the change and complexity we face as end users reflects the upstream challenges facing the healthcare industry at large.
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Travel Advisory
»FAA: ‘Staffing Challenges’ Causing Delays
In case you haven’t noticed, non-weather related delays at U.S. airports are on the rise. (And I know you’ve noticed that weather-related delays are definitely on the rise.)
»Hilton’s Building Boom
Coming off a whirlwind 2012, Hilton Worldwide is the fastest growing global hospitality company by number of rooms.
»Extended Stay America Serves Up Free Breakfasts With ‘Grab and Go’
Extended Stay America launched a new Grab and Go Breakfast program, which is available seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at all of its more than 600 locations.
»Homewood Suites Survey: Comfort is King
A new survey of frequent business travelers found that they want more room to spread out, the ability to maintain a normal routine and opportunities to interact with business associates and fellow travelers.
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Book It!
»Excerpt: Finding Your Firm’s Growth Engine
The following is an excerpt from Leading Firms: How Great Professional Service Firms Succeed & How Your Firm Can Too by David C. Kuhlman. In the book, Kuhlman distills 25 years of
experience advising senior management at some of the world’s most prominent consulting firms. This excerpt from Chapter Six: “The Growth Engine” explores two of the key factors driving growth in the most successful firms.
»Excerpt: The Online Marketing Revolution
The following is an excerpt from Online Marketing for Professional Services, a thought-provoking and practical approach to online marketing by authors Aaron E. Taylor, Sylvia Montgomery, Sean T. McVey and Lee W. Frederiksen.
»Review: Tipping Sacred Cows
We all have those sacred cows at work, but these nuggets of advice, in practice, can lead to career-limiting unintended consequences.
»Review: Playing to Win
If strategy is about creating a competitive advantage that allows a firm to win, then pinpointing your strategy to just a few choices will dramatically increase your chances of success.
»Review: Seeing the Big Picture
According to Kevin Cope, founder of Acumen Learning and author of Seeing the Big Picture, all companies are driven to success or failure by the same five simple drivers—cash, profit, assets, growth and people
»Review: Get Lucky
As the pace of change accelerates and the volume of information explodes, everyone is under great pressure to connect with the people and ideas we need to thrive.
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»Halfway through the year, how would you characterize the overall business at your firm?
»Data Watch: The 2013 Outlook
This Week in the Profession
»PA Consulting Group's Executive Chairman to Retire
PA Consulting Group Executive Chairman Jon Moynihan announced that he will retire at the year.
»TayganPoint's CEO Joy Taylor Recognized as a Female Leader
TayganPoint Consulting Group, which was named one of Consulting magazine's Seven Small Jewels earlier this year, announced that Joy Taylor, it's co-founder and CEO, was included on the list of "50 Fastest-Growing Women-Led Companies" in North America by the Women Presidents' Organization.
»BCG Highlights Top Global Innovations
By 2025, innovations based on more integrated cross-industry cooperation that capitalizes on mostly existing technologies and preventive data analytics will radically improve how people travel and transport goods, according to a new report by the World Economic Forum, produced in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group.
»BAH: Full Year Revenue Down 1.7%
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, the parent company of management and technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, announced preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year of its fiscal 2013 with a 1.7 percent decline in full-year revenue.
»Accenture Acquires Fjord, Acquity
Accenture has completed its acquisition of Fjord, a London-based global service design consultancy that specializes in creating wide-ranging digital experiences and services for consumers
»Point B Appoints Chuck Ritter as President of Consulting
Point B announced that Chuck Ritter has been appointed President of Consulting.
»TCS: FY 2013 Revenue $11.6B, Up 13.7%
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), closed fiscal year 2013, which ended March 31, by announcing annual revenues of $11.6 billion, up 13.7 percent year over year.
»Cheesecake Factory Serves Up IBM Data Analytics
IBM announced The Cheesecake Factory, with more than 175 restaurant locations across the United States and three licensed locations in the Middle East, is using IBM Big Data analytics to help deliver the highest quality experience to its guests.
»Booz Allen Lands $11B in DHS Business
Booz Allen Hamilton announced it was awarded two, five-year contracts under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Technical, Acquisition and Business Support Services.
»Buck Rolls Out Private Health Exchange
Buck Consultants plans to launch RightOpt, a private health exchange for employers with 3,000 or more benefit-eligible employees.
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CMAG.COM EXCLUSIVES
Features
»Why Professional Services Teams Need to Get Social
It’s time for Professional Services businesses to take a close look at their adoption of social tools and processes.
»Four Misconceptions Consultants Hold About Recruiting
J. James O’Malley, Partner, Executive Search & Workforce Planning Practice Leader at talentRISE, has seen firsthand why consultants are frustrated by and don’t “get” recruiting. Based on his experience, he addresses four widely held misconceptions about recruitment.
»Starting an E-Retail Venture in India: Five factors to Keep in Mind
Organized retail in India has been a grand success in the last decade-and-a-half. The increase in income levels across the population as well as double incomes of the new generation nuclear families contributes to the substantial increase in the disposable income of the Indian consumer. Of late, the physical infrastructure is not able to keep pace with the rate of increase in urban population, giving a chance for both the consumers and sellers to explore alternate options.
»Ensure Winning Bids
Revenue growth is a top priority for nearly 1 in 2 firms (49.3%,) according to a recent IDC study. Yet bid preparation often takes billable consultants away from billable work. Even firms with dedicated business developers eventually engage billable consultants to define solutions, scope effort, or justify credentials.
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Interviews
»One on One with UHY Advisors’ Sam Aziz
Sam Aziz has been brought on as a Manager at the UHY Advisors' Atlanta-based Southeast office, with the goal to assist in beefing up its Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance Practice.
»One on One with Booz Allen Hamilton’s Reggie Van Lee
Booz Allen Hamilton has re-entered the commercial business with a renewed focus in the areas of energy, health and financial services. Booz Allen has tapped Executive Vice President Reggie Van Lee to head up the practice.
»One on One with FTI’s Jackson Dunn
As the regulatory climate in Washington becomes more stringent, actions taken by lawmakers can now more than ever have far-reaching consequences on businesses’ future plans. Sensing the increased need for experts, FTI Consulting has acquired C2 Group, a bipartisan government relations lobbying firm, to help clients gain insight into the motivations of policy elites. Jackson Dunn, FTI’s head of public affairs, expects more firms to offer lobbying services down the line.
»One on One with A.T. Kearney’s Daniel Mahler
Daniel Mahler was recently appointed as A.T. Kearney’s Americas Lead. Mahler says the firm has kicked off a major three-year growth initiative, which if successful, could “close to double” the size of the Americas practice over the next six years.
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Consultants on Consulting
»Strategic Technology Consulting: What Is It and Who is Investing In It?
Leaders of organizations ask me how they should be spending their IT budget. My response? IT budgeting has always been both a philosophical and practical discussion. Does your organization view IT as a need or as an advantage? Is it a competitive tool or a necessity?
»Building Your Client’s Trust to Build Your Practice
Our firm recently delivered an on-site business development program for a large insurance consulting company which focused on the value of building trust-based relationships. We highlighted results from a survey conducted by Miller Heiman that singled out lack of trust as the No. 1 reason prospects do not buy from a certain provider.
»The Greatest Show on Earth! (And, the Power of a Shiny, Yellow Object)
The greatest show on earth! That’s what the consultants at a large, New-England based consulting firm were set to stage at a pitch presentation for a major (8-figure) project. Almost a dozen consultants were there, armed with massive binders, impressive collateral and PowerPoint slides replete with snappy animations and carefully contrived turns of phrase. The result, which I witnessed, was a disaster.
»Run Your Business Like a Marathon
Whether participating in a marathon or executing a business transformation, it is imperative to stay focused and continue to push forward. Throughout the often times grueling process, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and contemplate quitting.
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Focus: Client Industries
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Healthcare
»Case Study: West Monroe Partners and PEMCO’s Engaging Customer Experience
Working with West Monroe Partners, PEMCO developed a strategy for extending its strengths into a new and critical channel that would allow for an effortless online customer experience throughout the customer lifecycle: discover, evaluate, purchase, and service.
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Financial Services
»Out of Office: ACME’s David Ehlen
Consultant David Ehlen is an avid seeker of experience and adventure with a serious curiosity streak. Growing up steeped in the great outdoors, the head of ACME Business Consulting’s Transaction Services practice took up a sport that may seem unusual, but is actually one of the oldest sports still practiced today: falconry.
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High Tech
»IBM’s Lab Work
IBM unveiled a new Customer Experience Lab dedicated to helping C-level business leaders transform the way customers experience their products, services and brands through the use of mobile, social, cloud and advanced analytics technologies.
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Manufacturing
»Capgemini: Technology is Driving Force for Automotive Experience
Capgemini found that a whopping 94 percent of car shoppers start their shopping experience online.
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Focus: Service Lines
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Operations
»Point B Appoints Chuck Ritter President of Consulting
Chuck Ritter, a nineteen-year consulting veteran, has been appointed President of Consulting for Point B. Ritter joined Point B in 2004 and helped launch Point B’s Chicago office.
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Strategy
»A Strategic Shift
In its beginnings, Strategy Consulting was about defining strategy. Then, its heyday was about implementing that strategy. Today, it’s about effecting real strategic change. The Strategy Consulting of tomorrow? Well, it depends who you talk to… and who you believe.
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Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
Featured Speakers:
Joseph Kornik
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief,
Consulting magazine
Brian Murphy
Chief of Staff, Point B
Brian Jacobsen
General Manager, Slalom Consulting
Tom Rodenhauser
Managing Director, Advisory Services, Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory
Sponsor Speaker:
Drew West
Director, Product Marketing,
Deltek
Sponsored By:
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