The remote launching code. The days when management consultants delivered a hefty report to clients and then promptly vanished are a thing of the past. Nowadays, consultants offer follow-up services, including training courses for key staff to improve their performance and implement change. Firms like Arthur Andersen, Marakon and PA Consulting are challenging the traditional territory of academic business schools and commercial course providers. Many of the major consultancies clearly believe that executive education is a natural extension of their diagnostic role.
Private training is already part of the implementation process.
The large firms are geared up to deliver corporate change programs to companies on a major scale. This process inevitably involves a lot of hand-holding and coaching. The business school approach is to work closely with executives to really understand the issues and challenges facing their business and ultimately to help senior people become their own consultants,'' says Virginia Tucker, associate dean at Penn State's business school. She says that the consultancies are less likely to put this empowerment process in place. Learning framework Arthur Andersen provides a wide range of executive education courses to new and existing clients.