Consulting Firm Profile: Booz & Company
Booz & Company may have spun off it’s government consultants, but it still has a team-centric philosophy that means that new hires are likely to find themselves solving different problems, but all in one industry. Historically, the company focused on the Great Lakes region of the United States, including the automotive industry.
Since then, they have branched out to nearly as many sectors as a top-10 firm could seek to cover, again outside of the public sector to the extent they once did. While they clearly have a goal to serve as many industries as their teams have expertise to cover, their biggest claim to fame is to help firms deal with “discontinuities,” as Booz & Co. describes it.
These include moving oil companies into renewable energy projects or dealing with aspects of regulation and deregulation that can call for wholesale organizational changes. The firm and its management consultants argue that the industry specific knowledge they provide helps companies by quickly applying best practices as they have already been used in other companies and developing new ones when needed.
The pace is fast for entry-level and even mid-career management consultants. Clients’ projects are generally only assigned for six months so that there is no possibility for stagnation. Anonymous employees argue that the rapid movement also helps promote rapid promotion for the right candidates.
At the same time, it also doesn’t mean that there are very many times to take a breather or ask for help in understanding new or difficult strategies. The reliance on an industry-centric strategy in building teams also develops expertise, but means that employee reductions can match the growth and decline of their areas of coverage.
Still, the number of offices in far flung locations makes the prospect of travel possible, especially in sectors like pharmaceuticals with a global footprint. Those who join teams that cover a larger footprint in terms of regions can expect a concomitant increase in the amount of time that they travel.
Keep in mind that while there are industry-specific teams, there are also subject matter experts on the senior staff in the following functional areas: information technology, organization and strategic leadership, as well as operations management.
Many employees argue that Booz & Company offers a great environment to get started, thanks to the intelligence of co-workers and the global footprint. The name brand value doesn’t hurt either. Where things start to get a little contentious is the amount of travel, and the decision of the company to remove it’s government consulting teams which some argue diluted the brand.
Company Facts
Founded: 1914
Offices: 61
Central Locations: Europe, United States, Australia
Headquarters: New York, NY
Employees: 3,300
Major Developments: Devolution of government consulting teams when firm was Booz Allen Hamilton (2008)
Website: CLOSED