Requirements of the consultant and consultancies
Summary
This research deals with very specific points about consultancies and consultants; that is, the requirements and / or characteristics of the consultants, which are even addressed in a few documents related to the subject, however, when analyzing the bibliography about analysts, managers, in short, information professionals, it was possible to reach the conclusion that they can be considered consultants, due to the work and manipulation of the information.
Therefore, this work will start from the requirements of analysts and managers, with the aim of exposing the requirements of information consultants, given by different authors specializing in the subject.
Today the investigations have become much more complex and each organization requires different solutions.
Consultants must analyze as much information as possible in the shortest possible time and in different formats. These consultants, who work as analysts and managers, have accumulated extensive experience that has allowed them to fully understand the characteristics and needs of clients.
The consultants are classified as advisers of the information requested by the client, they provide the necessary information and also contribute to the solution of these problems.
The information consulting service "is an activity aimed - from an analysis of the information flows in the company - to diagnose the organization's problems in information management and identify its strategic information resources". Therefore, this analysis is taken as a starting point for solving the problems identified in the information systems.
On the other hand, the requirements / characteristics of consultants are addressed in few documents related to the subject, however, when analyzing the bibliography about analysts, managers, in short information professionals, it was possible to reach the conclusion that they were they may consider types of consultants. Therefore, this work will start from the requirements of analysts and managers, with the aim of exposing the requirements of information consultants, given by different authors specializing in the subject.
Information analyst requirements:
- Provide processed information for decision-making Organize the available information, synthesize the essence of the content and prepare reports aimed at meeting the needs of the user Accept the perspective of the other Search in the diversity of information sources Assess the impact that Produces all new information Ensure the reliability of the information product (especially those that lead to short-term decisions) Maintain the reliability of your production Possess deductive ability - inductive, reliability, discretion, confidentiality Possess work capacity under pressure.
Manager requirements:
- Possess scientific and scholarly knowledge about a specialty, subject of interest to their clients Know the sources and characteristics of such knowledge Have empathy with their clients by understanding their needs and psychological states Be a master of technology and the necessary methods To satisfy information needs Possess essentially rational and technical knowledge Exceed their technical knowledge. Make application judgments based on your experience and wisdom.
Consultant requirements:
- Possess theoretical - practical knowledge Know and respect ethical norms Possess interdisciplinarity, self-control, integrity and honesty Perceive internal problems, their relationships and environment Know the organization, or organizational climate Have a sense of opportunity Establish interpersonal relationships Keep secret and professional ethics. Have intellectual capacity. Power of synthesis, deduction or induction. Possess the ability to teach and persuade, ease of expression, communication and work.
The knowledge that a consultant must have are:
- General culture Knowledge of the professional activity of the applicant organization and ideally, its strengths and weaknesses, products, services and personnel Academic preparation in its sector of care Commercial, regulatory, social and political environment of its sector Analysis tool in general and mathematical and statistical techniques in particular. Information systems and modern means of communication.
However, such general and specific academic preparation would not be sufficient for a consultant if he does not also possess certain attributes such as:
- Have your own criteria and ethical attitude Be inquisitive Know how to listen Be a good observer Have an active and innovative spirit Have communication skills and good oral and written expression Have vision as well as a practical philosophy Possess a decisive character and disposition to Risk Being organized Having a spirit of permanent improvement Possessing analytical skills.
This author refers to the fact that “the first and last of the aforementioned attributes form a cycle of personal characteristics that guarantee customer satisfaction (assuming the correct professional preparation expressed before), since with them they simultaneously obtain moral and technical guarantee.
The rest of the attributes are the ingredients of any serious professional, but in the case of the consultant they are inherent to the success of their work, due to its characteristics.
Such a compendium of skills and personal attributes has led some consultants to sometimes adopt an arrogant attitude in the belief of the possession of a professional superiority ”.
Regarding the consultant, Orozco explains and uses other authors as a basis, that “… he is the information intermediary in the sense that he only contributes external knowledge on a subject that he delivers to those who must be in charge of solving the problem posed.
Finnigan states that the consultant is the link between the information that is available and those clients who need a response in the most appropriate way, according to their demands.
Others, like Eckendal, define the consultant more simply and generally as a "helper" whose knowledge has been hired by a client to obtain what is needed, and to do what the client wants done to achieve the desired goal.
Sometimes the user has in his hands the solution to his problem, but does not identify it, for which he needs external help ”.
Among the characteristics of the consultant are those of being capable, skillful, knowledgeable, convincing, etc. in the services he provides, for which he is prepared to guarantee good results, also taking into account the ability of clients to select the employment of the consultants.
Another aspect to take into account within the subject under discussion is the existence of a strong relationship between the consultant and the client, as well as deep support from the entity in all the steps to be followed in the service that is being provided.
In this way, the consultancy is characterized by:
- Be independent and impartial Allow the evaluation of problems and the proposal of solutions Provide access to specialized knowledge and special skills Allow time savings and financial resources Provide intensive help on a temporary basis Provide arguments that justify predetermined decisions Facilitate the process learning. Promote changes.
Among the consulting services are mainly:
- Technical consultancy: provides technical knowledge in civil engineering, industrial construction, architecture, urban and rural planning, mechanical engineering, informatics and computer systems. Legal consultancy: covers everything that has to be protected by labor law, tax law, civil law and all special spheres of legislation. Audit: in its strict sense it is not a consultancy, but from the moment the auditor recommends doing something or gives his assessment he becomes a consultant.
By way of conclusion it can be said that:
The functions of both the manager and the analyst are implicit within those of the consultant and as such this requires within its own functions, tasks and activities related to this end.
The characteristics of the consultant cannot be seen separately from the characteristics of the consultancies. Those of the first are basic and dissimilar.
The consultant as an information professional is formed through practice, according to which he acquires a series of skills and experiences according to the profile in which he specializes.
Bibliography:
• Hechavarría Kindelán, Angela. Information consulting. Notes of a marketing plan. (City of Havana: Institute of Scientific and Technological Information, 2002). 20p.
• Ponjuán Dantes, Gloria. Information management in organizations: principles, concepts and applications. p. 203-204
• Lecture notes from Professor José L. Rojas Benítez, November 9, 2004.
• The consultant as an information professional / Eduardo Orozco Silva (p. 171 - 173) In: Information Science; No. 3; Vol. 28; September / 1997. (229 p.)
• Consulting: a new trend service. Theoretical aspects / Odalys Caballero Valdés, José L. Rojas Benítez and Sandra Perón González (p. 9-18). In: Information Science. No. 4; Vol. 29; Dec / 1998. (78p.)
• Quality in consulting services / S. Machado Alfonso, B. Hernández Manso and L. Pardo Santos. (p. 49). In: Transportation, Development and Environment. No. 2, Vol. 23, August / 2003. (60p.)
• Environmental and Social Consulting Services associated with the Private Sector department. Taken from
:, consulted on November 10, 2004. • BioMundi Consulting. Taken from: http://www.biomundi.pco.cu/; Retrieved November 19, 2004.
Notes:
Hechavarría Kindelán, Angela. Information consulting. Notes of a marketing plan. (City of Havana: Institute of Scientific and Technological Information, 2002). 20p.
Taken from: Masón, R.; cited by: Ponjuán Dantes, Gloria. Information management in organizations: principles, concepts and applications. P 203-204.
The consultant as an information professional / Eduardo Orozco Silva (p. 171 - 173) in: Information Science; Vol. 28, No. 3; September / 1997. (229 p.)
Ibid.
Ibid, 172.
Consulting: a new trend service. Theoretical aspects / Odalys Caballero Valdés, José L. Rojas Benítez and Sandra Perón González (p. 9-18). In: Information Science. No. 4; Vol. 29; Dec / 1998. (78p.)
