INFORMATION CONSULTING - DEVELOPMENTS, TRENDS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR GROWTH

The article addresses the important developments and trends in the inf ormation consulting industry in the 80s and 90s. The rapid evolution a nd spread of information technology and how it has created a major new set of managerial tasks is analyzed. The birth of several IS consulti ng firms and how this has changed the way companies look at their busi nesses is also analyzed. Further, the benefits of information consulti ng and services provided by the consulting industries are outlined and explained. The big players in the consulting industry and the service s provided by them are also addressed. Further, each of the services p rovided and how these help the various companies in their varied tasks are also evaluated and explained. The article then goes on to address the various trends in consulting and how they provide for a consultin g firm's competitive advantage. Finally the article addresses the stra tegies and steps the consulting firms have adopted in order to prepare themselves for the future. Also, a set of criteria for evaluating and choosing the right consulting company for the right job is outlined f or reference. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.