Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ConsultantWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
Consultant
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
Aconsultant[adreaswillneverbe](fromLatin:consultare"todiscuss")isaprofessionalwhoprovides
professionalorexpertadvice[1]inaparticularareasuchassecurity(electronicorphysical),
management,accountancy,law,humanresources,marketing(andpublicrelations),finance,
engineering,scienceoranyofmanyotherspecializedfields.
Aconsultantisusuallyanexpertoraprofessionalinaspecificfieldandhasawideknowledgeofthe
subjectmatter.[2]Theroleofconsultantoutsidethemedicalsphere(wherethetermisusedspecifically
foragradeofdoctor)canfallunderoneoftwogeneralcategories:
Internalconsultantsomeonewhooperateswithinanorganizationbutisavailabletobe
consultedonareasofspecialismbyotherdepartmentsorindividuals(actingasclients)or
Externalconsultantsomeonewhoisemployedexternally(eitherbyafirmorsomeother
agency)whoseexpertiseisprovidedonatemporarybasis,usuallyforafee.Assuchthistypeof
consultantgenerallyengageswithmultipleandchangingclients.
Theoverallimpactofaconsultantisthatclientshaveaccesstodeeperlevelsofexpertisethanwouldbe
feasibleforthemtoretaininhouse,andmaypurchaseonlyasmuchservicefromtheoutsideconsultant
asdesired.
Contents
1Waysofwork
2Commontypes
3Placeofwork
4Qualifications
5Seealso
6References
Waysofwork
Therangeofareasofexpertisecoveredbythetermconsultantisextremelywide.Oneofthemore
generalattributionsisasaManagementConsultantbutthisisnotanexclusiveterm.Consultingandthe
meansbywhichthe(external)consultantisengagedvaryaccordingtoindustryandlocalpractice.
Howevertheprincipaldifferencebetweenaconsultantandatempisgenerallyoneofdirection.A
consultantisengagedtofulfillabriefintermsofhelpingtofindsolutionstospecificissuesbuttheways
inwhichthatistobedonegenerallyfallstotheconsultanttodecide,withinconstraintssuchasbudget
andresourcesagreedwiththeclient.(Atempontheotherhandisnormallyfulfillingarolethatusually
existswithintheorganizationandishelpingtobridgeagapcausedbystaffingshortagesforwhatever
reason.Theyfallunderthedirectionofthenormalmanagementstructureoftheorganization.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant
1/4
4/11/2015
ConsultantWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
ThereishoweverahybridformwhereaconsultantmaybehiredasanInterimManagerorExecutive,
bringingacombinationofspecialistexpertisetobearonarolethatistemporarilyvacant(usuallyata
seniorlevel).
Someconsultantsareemployedindirectlybytheclientviaaconsultancystaffingcompany,acompany
thatprovidesconsultantsonanagencybasis.(Thestaffingcompanyitselfdoesnotusuallyhave
consultingexpertisebutworksratherlikeanemploymentagency.)Thisformofworkingisparticularly
commonintheICTsector.Suchconsultantsareoftencalledcontractorssincetheyareusuallyproviding
technicalservices(suchasprogrammingorsystemsanalysis)thatcouldbeperformedinhousewereit
noteasierfortheemployertooperateaflexiblesystemofonlyhiringsuchtechnologistsattimesofpeak
workloadratherthanpermanently.
Commontypes
Inthebusiness,andasofrecentlytheprivatesphere,themostcommonlyfoundconsultantsare:
Engineeringconsultantsprovideengineeringrelatedservicessuchasdesign,supervision,
execution,repair,operation,maintenance,technology,creationofdrawingsandspecifications,
andmakerecommendationstopublic,companies,firmsandindustries.
Strategyconsultants(AKAmanagementconsultants)workingonthedevelopmentofand
improvementstoorganizationalstrategyalongsideseniormanagementinmanyindustries.
Humanresources(HR)consultantswhoprovideexpertisearoundemploymentpracticeand
peoplemanagement.
Internetconsultantswhoarespecialistsinbusinessuseoftheinternetandkeepthemselvesup
todatewithnewandchangedcapabilitiesofferedbytheweb.Ideallyinternetconsultantsalso
havepracticalexperienceandexpertiseinmanagementskillssuchasstrategicplanning,change,
projects,processes,training,teamworkingandcustomersatisfaction.
Processconsultantswhoarespecialistsinthedesignorimprovementofoperationalprocesses
andcanbespecifictotheindustryorsector.
Publicrelations(PR)consultantsdealingspecificallywithpublicrelationsmattersexternalto
theclientorganizationandoftenengagedonasemipermanentbasisbylargerorganizationsto
provideinputandguidance.
Performanceconsultantswhofocusontheexecutionofaninitiativeoroverallperformanceof
theirclient.
Immigrationconsultantwhohelpsthroughlegalprocedureofimmigrationfromonecountryto
othercountry.
Informationtechnology(IT)consultantsinmanydisciplinessuchascomputerhardware,
softwareengineering,ornetworks.
Marketingconsultantswhoaregenerallycalledupontoadvisearoundareasofproduct
developmentandrelatedmarketingmatters.
Interimmanagersasmentionedabovemaybeindependentconsultantswhoactasinterim
executiveswithdecisionmakingpowerundercorporatepoliciesorstatutes.Theymaysiton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant
2/4
4/11/2015
ConsultantWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
speciallyconstitutedboardsorcommittees.
3DConsultantswhoarespecialistsinthefieldof3Dscanning,printing,modeling,designing,
engineering,building,andeverythingthathastodowiththethreedimensions.
Amorecomprehensivelistoftypesisshownbelow.
Placeofwork
Thoughmostofthebackofficeresearchandanalysisoccursattheconsultants'offices,consultants
typicallyworkatthesiteoftheclientforatleastsomeofthetime.Thegoverningfactortendstobethe
amountofinteractionrequiredwithotheremployeesoftheclient.
Qualifications
ConsultantPeterBlockdefinesaconsultantas"someonewhohasinfluenceoveranindividual,group,or
organization,butwhohasnodirectauthoritytoimplementchanges."Hecontraststhiswithasurrogate
managerwhoisapersonwho"actsonbehalfof,orinplaceof,amanager."Thekeydifferenceisthata
consultantnevermakesdecisionsfortheindividualorgroup,whereasasurrogatemanagerdoesmake
decisions.
AccreditedAssociatesareboundbyaCodeofEthicsthatrequirestheconsultanttoonlyprovide
practicaladvicethatworksbyAnalysingasaGeneralistandSolvingasaSpecialistusingthe
skillsandexperienceofasubcontractedfellowAssociate,thusatalltimesprovidingtheclientwiththe
bestavailableadviceandsupport.
Thereisnosinglequalificationtobeaconsultantotherthanthoselaiddowninrelationtomedical&
engineeringpersonnelwhohaveattainedthisleveldegreeinit.
InternationallytheaccreditationofManagementConsultantsisoverseenbyhighereducationtraining
andaccreditationorganizations.
TheInternationalCouncilofManagementConsultingInstitutes(ICMCI)wasfoundedin1987and
hasaround50memberinstitutescoveringtheglobe.TheawardofCertifiedManagementConsultant
(CMC)statusisitsinternationallyrecognisedaccreditation(insomecountriesliketheUS,conformsto
ISO/IEC17024:2003standards)thatisnotspecifictothetechnicalcontentoftheconsultant'spractice.
ForinstancethiscouldbeheldequallybyaHumanResources(HR)expertoraChemicalEngineer
operatingasmanagementconsultantsintheirfield(s)ofexpertise.Thereareabout10,000CMCs
worldwide.
CharteredInstituteofManagementConsultants(CIMC)isanotforprofitprofessionalbody
charteredfederallyunderLettersPatentgrantedbytheGovernmentofCanada.CIMCisalsochartered
undertheLawsoftheStateofDelaware,USA.CIMCisalsoregisteredwiththeNationalCertification
Commission,USA.TheCIMCawardCharteredManagementConsultantCh.MCdesignationasaglobal
managementcredential.
InternationalFederationofConsultingEngineers(FIDIC)isaFederationwhosemembersarenational
associationsofConsultingEngineers.
Seealso
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant
3/4
4/11/2015
ConsultantWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
Relatedconcepts
Typesofconsultant
Typesofconsultant(more)
Adviser
Biotechnology
InformationTechnology
Biotechnology
consultant
consultant
consulting
Consultant(medicine)
Lactationconsultant
Contingentworkforce
Consultantpharmacist
Legalnurseconsultant
Economicconsulting
Creativeconsultant
Losscontrolconsultant
InterimManagement
Consultingpsychology
Magicconsultant
IRSReclassification
Educationalconsultant
Marketentryconsultant
Managementconsulting
Elevatorconsultant
Mediaconsultant
Permatemp
Employmentconsultant
Performanceconsultant
Politicalconsulting
Environmental
Politicalconsultant
Publicconsultation
consultant
Processconsultant
Taxadvisor
Foreclosureconsultant
Statisticalconsultant
Umbrellacompany
HumanResources
Theatreconsultant
consultant
Imageconsultant
ImmigrationConsultant
Independentcontractor
InterimManagers
References
1. "Consultant|DefineConsultantatDictionary.com"(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consultant).
Dictionary.reference.com.20040309.Retrieved20140720.
2. PieterP.Tordoir(1995).Theprofessionalknowledgeeconomy:themanagementandintegrationservicesin
businessorganizations.p.140.
Retrievedfrom"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Consultant&oldid=655673127"
Lookupconsultantor
consultinginWiktionary,
thefreedictionary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant
4/4