McKinsey Homepage Management consulting has its origins in the work done in the United States by Frederick W. Taylor and his disciples at the turn of the century. Taylor, a young engineer, devised a philosophy and system of production management. His book, The Principles of Scientific Management, converted what had been a technique into a systematic, teachable approach to the study of work and its rational organization. Today, management consultants range from boutiques to large firms with several thousand professionals. While many differences exist across consulting firms, virtually all firms help client companies solve specific problems and issues that arise in the management of their companies.
Some consultants work with functional specialists or division heads, others with top management.