Worldwide and U.S. Business Consulting Services 2011-2015 Forecast: Focus on Operational Improvement

This IDC study provides updated forecasts through an analysis of the worldwide and U.S. business consulting market by consulting service line. Business consulting plays an essential role in response to each of the three dominant business strategies: cost control, position for the future, and aggressive growth. Business consulting helps firms retrench within their existing capabilities, aligns and positions firms for future opportunities, and helps firms envision, validate, and execute new strategies and major changes to operations. As a result, business consulting is able to weather economic shifts with less modulation than the economy as a whole and is always able to develop and articulate an attractive value proposition.

"For 2011, enterprises will be focused on improved operational efficiency. Across industries, enterprises will be focused on eliminating redundant processes and fundamentally improving their internal processes. For service lines, it is essential that initiatives in every functional area support the core enterprise strategies. Consulting firms can provide critical advice to each functional area at every firm." — Cushing Anderson, vice president, Project-Based Services research