provided by somebody looking for a job and offering consulting services as a stopgap measure while looking. Consulting is sold and purchased mainly on a word-of-mouth basis, with relationships and previous experience being by far the most important factor. The major name-brand houses have locations in major cities and major markets, and executive-level managers or partners develop new business through industry associations, business associations, and chambers of commerce and industry, etc., even in some cases social associations such as country clubs. The medium-level houses are generally area-specific or function specific, and are not easily able to leverage their business through distribution. The key element in purchase decisions made at our client level is trust in the professional reputation and reliability of the consulting firm.A key to our survival will be how well we handle some of the identified strengths and weaknesses in the following areas.•The high-level prestige management consulting: Strengths: international locations managed by owner-partners with a high level of presentation and understanding of general business. Reputations can make the purchase of consulting an easy decision for a manager, despite the very high prices. Weaknesses: General business knowledge doesn't substitute for the specific market, channel, and distribution expertise we are focusing on in the high-technology markets. Also, fees are extremely expensive. •The international market research company: Strengths: International offices, specific market knowledge, permanent staff developing market research information on permanent basis, good relationships with potential client companies. Weaknesses: market numbers are not marketing, not channel development or market development. Although these companies compete for some of the business we are after, they cannot really offer the same level of business understanding at a high level. •Marke...
