How many categories can consulting companies be divided into?

There are too many false classifications about consulting companies on the Internet. These classifications are either outdated and some companies have been acquired or renamed. Either bring in bootleg goods and put some pheasant companies on the list.

Therefore, the classification has been rearranged to ensure the timeliness and identifiability of the classification. Consulting companies can be divided into the following categories:

1. Traditional strategic consulting company

2. A "big and comprehensive" consulting company

3. Boutique consulting company

4. Other consulting companies (including human resources consulting and economic consulting, etc.). )

The first category: traditional strategic consulting companies.

This kind of company is the most traditional consulting service company.

Most companies have existed for more than 50 years, such as Eliot (Bose, 19 14), McKinsey (1926), Boston Consulting (1963) and so on.

The familiar "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" are also exclusive to such companies.

The list of Tier 1 is indisputable. MBB: McKinsey? , Boston consulting? (BCG), Bain (Bain).

The list of Tier 2 has changed, but it is generally believed that it must include the following: A.T. Kearney, L.E.K, roland berger, Ao Wei, Eliot (Strategy &; , formerly Booz, acquired by PricewaterhouseCoopers), Monitor (acquired by Deloitte), Arthur D. Little, etc.

Traditional strategic consulting companies are good at strategy-related consulting services, and in recent years, they have gradually expanded their operations and IT business.

For example, in recent years, McKinsey has hired many experts in IT consulting, management and operation consulting from Accenture, IBM, Big Four and other companies to expand BTO's business.

The second category: "big and comprehensive" consulting companies.

This kind of consulting company is also called "one-stop shop".

Most of these companies started with IT consulting, but after years of development, they have expanded their business to all consulting services, including both traditional strategic consulting business and management consulting business (business process, organizational structure, performance management, marketing, etc. ) and IT consulting business.

This kind of consulting company is characterized by being large and comprehensive, which can meet all the needs of customers.

Typical companies are Accenture, Capgemini and IBM, and there are four big companies: PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, Deloitte Consulting and KPMG. Consulting), Ernst & Young Certified Public Accountants (EY Consulting).

In recent years, attracted by more profitable strategic business, these companies began to form more professional strategic teams to compete with the first type of companies.

For example, Accenture established Accenture Strategy Department, and spent a lot of money to recruit teams from MBB, roland berger, Kearney and other companies, from partners to senior consultants.

The Big Four acquired Booz, Monitor and Parthenon, which greatly strengthened their own strength.

And a huge strategic consulting company like MBB is gradually developing towards "big and comprehensive".

The third category: boutique consulting companies.

The biggest feature of boutique firms is that they are small and refined.

The business of these companies may overlap with the former two, but they are more focused on a certain industry or a certain field.

For example:

Alix partners specializing in supply chain consulting

OC&Pay attention to retail strategy; C

ZS focuses on the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Comprehensive Parthenon (acquired by EY) is good at education, medical care, consumer goods, industrial products and other industries.

These consulting companies are characterized by their concentration and small scale, but they have a good reputation in the industry.

The fourth category: other consulting companies.

This kind of consulting company often has distinct characteristics, but it is difficult to define, but there are several typical companies.

One is the "Big Four" who focus on human resources consulting: Mercer, Aon Hewitt, Brilliant International and Willis towers watson.

These four companies all started with human resources consulting (salary, incentive, post, organizational structure and other consulting services), while providing other types of services (salary report, executive training, pension and other services).

At present, these four companies have been acquired by listed companies and are gradually preparing to expand into consulting business such as strategy and operation.

The other is an economic consulting company, whose main clients are law firms, providing market and regulatory research and analysis services for commercial litigation.

There are well-known companies in the industry, such as Cornerstone Research and Analysis Group and Brattle Group. Most of these companies have not entered China, or have only a small team.

There are also companies that focus on finance and risk, such as Protiviti.

Such companies are generally born out of accounting firms, mainly providing financial services to customers (internal audit, risk compliance and other businesses), and are gradually developing strategy and management consulting business.

There is also a typical real estate consulting company, which is generally called "Big Five" in the industry: JLL, CBRE, Cushman &: Wakefield, Savills and Colliers.

This is not a typical consulting business, so most lists do not include it. Such companies mainly provide real estate-related consulting business and property management services.

Consulting firm ranking

Finally, share the Vault consulting 50 (North America) rated by the vault.

The list is selected once a year and voted by industry consultants, which is regarded as a list with great influence in the consulting industry.

Due to space reasons, only the former 15 is listed, and the rest of the list can be obtained in Vault.com.

About Ethan-

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Has served large central enterprises, private enterprises, top 500 foreign companies, PE funds and other customers.

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