Abstract
Business issues have become increasingly complex, but new methodologies have been developed to cope with high levels of complexity. For top-management consultancies, which typically are asked to solve the most pressing problems of their clients, the question arises whether these methodologies are useful in their daily work. To that end, this paper compares the ideal-typical consulting and systems-thinking approaches. Special emphasis is laid on those aspects of these approaches that afford pragmatism and applicability from a consultant’s perspective. The strengths and weaknesses of the systems-thinking approach with respect to consulting practice are identified. This specification supplies a basis for suggesting how to concretely integrate elements of the systems-thinking approach into the ideal-typical four steps in consulting projects – especially into the first steps on how to establish understanding and frame the assignment. It is shown that the systems-thinking methodology can enhance the typical course of action followed by consultants during their projects.
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Notes
- 1.
For a detailed elaboration on the differentiation between simple, complicated and complex problems see Gomez and Probst (1997: 11–33).
- 2.
http://www.bain.com/consulting-services/index.aspx Accessed 5 February 2012.
- 3.
The simulation model was already developed prior to the project by one of the consultants as part of his dissertation, and “only” had to be customized to the client’s situation and issues. The purpose of the effort was to gain a better understanding of the effects of the liberalization of the energy market in Germany in the late 1990s and early 2000s while allowing evaluation of various alternative strategic actions for the client.
- 4.
http://www.strategydynamics.com/microworlds/ Accessed 5 February 2012.
- 5.
Rieley and Agatstein (2000) focus more on the internal background story as the main reason for the failure of a major consultancy’s system-dynamics practice, rather than looking at the problem from an angle that sheds light on external factors, such as demand by clients for relevant services.
- 6.
http://www.bain.com/about Accessed 12 May 2012.
- 7.
http://www.joinbain.com/apply-to-bain/interview-preparation/crack-the-case.asp Accessed 28 April 2012.
- 8.
The number of newly registered motorcycles is a good indicator for the number of new motorcycles sold; for the ChopCo example it can be assumed that this indicator has been developing over time also in other countries as well as in Germany.
- 9.
- 10.
The main research questions were the following: Will the classical music audience gradually die out in the coming decades? Or does the family- or work-related situation temporarily restrain younger adults from attending classical music concerts?
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Hamann, T.K. (2012). Application of Systems Thinking in Management Consulting. In: Grösser, S., Zeier, R. (eds) Systemic Management for Intelligent Organizations. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29244-6_11
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