consultation methods
Techniques used to facilitate clear and open communication and the provision of advice between individuals, communities or the government, such as discussion groups or one-on-one interviews.
Business consultants analyse the position, structure and processes of businesses and companies and offer services or advice to improve them. They research and identify business processes such as financial inefficiencies or employee management and devise strategical plans to overcome these difficulties. They work in external consulting firms where they provide an objective view on a business and or company's structure and methodological processes.
Competences and skills
54 ESCO relationsEssential knowledge 7 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
3 competencesmanagement consulting
The process of giving paid advice with the aim of improving businesses performance and promote their growth.
management systems standards
The standards that improve the performance of an organisation by outlining activities that helps to achieve goals and objectives. They also help to create an organisational culture that provides ground for continuous self-evaluation and improvement of the business operations.
Cross-sector
4 competencesbusiness analysis
The research field which addresses the identification of business needs and problems and the determination of the solutions that would mitigate or prevent the smooth functioning of a business. Business analysis comprises IT solutions, market challenges, policy development and strategic matters.
business processes
Processes which an organisation applies to improve efficiency, set new objectives and reach goals in a profitable and timely manner.
operational research
The application of scientific methods to provide solutions to administrative and management issues of organised systems as industrial, commercial, or governmental processes.
strategic planning
The elements defining the foundation and core of an organisation such as its mission, vision, values, and objectives.
Essential skills and competences 20 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Cross-sector
20 competencesadvise on efficiency improvements
Analyse information and details of processes and products in order to advise on possible efficiency improvements that could be implemented and would signify a better use of resources.
advise on financial matters
Consult, advise, and propose solutions with regards to financial management such as acquiring new assets, incurring in investments, and tax efficiency methods.
advise on personnel management
Advise senior staff in an organisation on methods to improve relations with employees, on improved methods for hiring and training employees and increasing employee satisifaction.
align efforts towards business development
Synchronise the efforts, plans, strategies, and actions carried out in departments of companies towards the growth of business and its turnover. Keep business development as the ultimate outcome of any effort of the company.
analyse business plans
Analyse the formal statements from businesses which outline their business goals and the strategies they set in place to meet them, in order to assess the feasibility of the plan and verify the business' ability to meet external requirements such as the repayment of a loan or return of investments.
analyse business processes
Study the contribution of the work processes to the business goals and monitor their efficiency and productivity.
analyse business requirements
Study clients' needs and expectations for a product or service in order to identify and resolve inconsistencies and possible disagreements of involved stakeholders.
analyse external factors of companies
Perform research and analysis of the external factor pertaining to companies such as consumers, position in the market, competitors, and political situation.
analyse financial performance of a company
Analyse the performance of the company in financial matters in order to identify improvement actions that could increase profit, based on accounts, records, financial statements and external information of the market.
analyse internal factors of companies
Research and understand various internal factors that influence the operation of companies such as its culture, strategic foundation, products, prices, and available resources.
analyse the context of an organisation
Study the external and internal environment of an organisation by identifying its strengths and weaknesses in order to provide a base for company strategies and further planning.
apply change management
Manage development within an organisation by anticipating changes and making managerial decisions to ensure that the members involved are as less disturbed as possible.
build business relationships
Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
conduct qualitative research
Gather relevant information by applying systematic methods, such as interviews, focus groups, text analysis, observations and case studies.
conduct quantitative research
Execute a systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques.
identify undetected organisational needs
Use the collected input and information from interviewing stakeholders and analysing organisational documents in order to detect unseen needs and improvements that would support the development of the organisation. Identify the needs of the organisation in terms of staff, equipment, and improvement of operations.
interpret financial statements
Read, understand, and interpret the key lines and indicators in financial statements. Extract the most important information from financial statements depending on the needs and integrate this information in the development of the department's plans.
liaise with managers
Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
make strategic business decisions
Analyse business information and consult directors for decision making purposes in a varied array of aspects affecting the prospect, productivity and sustainable operation of a company. Consider the options and alternatives to a challenge and make sound rational decisions based on analysis and experience.
perform business analysis
Evaluate the condition of a business on its own and in relation to the competitive business domain, performing research, placing data in context of the business' needs and determining areas of opportunity.
Optional knowledge 15 competences
Occupation specific
1 competenceorganisational learning
The process for continuous improvement of an organisation through obtaining experience to be used to generate knowledge with the aim of sharing it within the organisation itself.
Sector-specific
4 competencesbusiness analytics
The disciplines and technologies for solving business problems through employing quantitative methods such as data analysis and statistical models.
digital
business process modelling
The tools, methods and notations such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), used to describe and analyse the characteristics of a business process and model its further development.
organisational policies
The policies to achieve set of goals and targets regarding the development and maintenance of an organisation.
trading software
The finance and trading integrated software solutions.
digital
Cross-sector
10 competencesbusiness communication
The process of effectively communicating within the workplace and to external bodies to achieve organisational goals.
business incubation
The process through which an individual or an organization contributes to the development and growth of a business start-up. It includes physical facility support (such as offices), networking support (such as connecting with partners or investors) and support services (such as providing coaching session on business development, technological innovation, scaling up a business, etc).
business intelligence
The tools used to transform large amounts of raw data into relevant and helpful business information.
digital
business law
The field of law concerned with the trade and commerce activities of businesses and private persons and their legal interactions. This relates to numerous legal disciplines, including tax and employment law.
business strategy concepts
The terminology related to the design and implementation of major trends and aims which are taken by an organisation's executives, while keeping in mind its resources, competition and environments.
corporate law
The legal rules that govern how corporate stakeholders (such as shareholders, employees, directors, consumers, etc) interact with one another, and the responsibilities corporations have to their stakeholders.
financial statements
The set of financial records disclosing the financial position of a company at the end of a set period or of the accounting year. The financial statements consisting of five parts which are the statement of financial position, the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of changes in equity (SOCE), the statement of cash flows and notes.
human resource management
The function in an organisation concerned with the recruitment of employees and the optimisation of employee performance.
market entry strategies
The ways to enter a new market and their implications, namely; exporting via representatives, franchising to third parties, collaborating joint ventures, and opening of fully-owned subsidiaries and flagships.
quality standards
The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
Optional skills and competences 12 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
1 competenceinterview people
Interview people in a range of different circumstances.
Cross-sector
11 competencesadvise client on technical possibilities
Recommend technical solutions, including systems, to the client within the framework of a project.
advise on communication strategies
Provide companies and organisations with consulting services concerning their internal and external communication plans and their representation, including their presence online. Recommend improvements in communication and make sure that important information reaches all employees and that their questions are answered.
advise on environmental risk management systems
Evaluate requirements and advise on systems for environmental risk management. Ensure the customer does his part in preventing or limiting adverse environmental impact through the use of technology. Ensure required licenses and permits are obtained.
green
advise on risk management
Provide advice on risk management policies and prevention strategies and their implementation, being aware of different kinds of risks to a specific organisation.
advise on sustainability solutions
Advise companies on solutions to develop sustainable production processes, improve material efficiency and reuse and reduce carbon footprint.
green
define organisational standards
Write, implement and foster the internal standards of the company as part of the business plans for the operations and levels of performance that the company intends to achieve.
identify processes for re-engineering
Identify potential to restructure a company or part of its operations, e.g. by exploiting information technology.
implement a management system
Make and monitor the changes in business processes that are needed to create a system that collectively manage different parts of the business of an organisation.
make data-driven decisions
Collect data such as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for an organisation and use the information to formulate actions and strategies.
report analysis results
Produce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as potential interpretations of the results.
seek innovation in current practices
Search for improvements and present innovative solutions, creativity and alternative thinking to develop new technologies, methods or ideas for and answers to work-related problems.