Management consultants as political advisers

Tobias Raffel

2006

Tobias Raffel's Ph.D. dissertation concerns itself with the advisory services that management consultants in Germany provide in the political arena. In the public sector, Roland Berger, McKinsey and other strategy consultants no longer restrict themselves to helping with the modernization of administrative apparatus and introducing business management practices. They also apply themselves to policy issues, for example. The political echelons call on management consultants to submit proposals in relation to labor market, education, social and economic policy.

Public debate of these activities has at times been very heated (as Roland Berger itself experienced in 2004). Little is nevertheless known about what management consultants actually do in the field of policy consulting, why they provide advice to the political arena and what the consequences of such advice are. Tobias Raffel therefore interviewed high-ranking politicians, public administrators, management consultants and representatives of the scientific community.

Raffel's study systematically reveals how management consultants provide policy advice in the context of political commissions, confidential one-on-one talks and project work. For consultants involved in providing policy advice, the study gives a broad insight into the motives of their clients, market trends, the opportunities and risks associated with such activities, and useful methodological approaches. The market for policy consulting in Germany is currently dominated by Roland Berger and McKinsey. Most experts expect this market to continue to grow.