Consulting Services Industry Profile

Companies in this industry provide management, scientific, and technical consulting services, including specialized services such as environmental, human resources, IT, logistics, and marketing consulting. Major global companies include Accenture, Bain & Company, Booz Allen, Boston Consulting Group, IBM Services, and McKinsey & Company, as well as the consulting arms of the Big Four accounting firms -- Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The worldwide consulting services industry generates about $500 billion in revenue annually, according to Plunkett Research. The US and Europe are the largest markets for consulting services, but global firms are targeting other industrialized regions with emerging economies for growth. Economic reform efforts have recently boosted demand for consulting services in India.

The US consulting services industry includes about 175,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $260 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven primarily by corporate spending. The profitability of individual companies depends on the efficiency of their operations and their ability to maintain a steady flow of business. Large firms have advantages in being able to offer broad ranges of services and to take on more complex projects. Small firms can compete effectively by specializing. The US industry is fragmented: the top 50 companies account for about 30% of industry revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Management consulting services such as strategic, business process, and human resources, account for about 60% of the US industry revenue. Marketing ...