Description

Research Consultancy and Advisory

Research Consultancy and Advisory is intended to equip the candidate with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable him/her to design and implement research, translate research findings as well as undertake consultancy and advisory services on matters of governance, compliance and management.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

A candidate who passes this paper should be able to:

• Articulate a clear research question or problem and formulate a hypothesis
• Identify and apply appropriate research approaches and methodologies
• Write a research report and explain their research findings through presentations
• Effective manage and implement management consultancy projects
• Develop project implementation plans
• Demonstrate coaching and facilitation skills and techniques as components of consultancy and advisory services

CONTENT

1. Underlying Theories/Models of Research, Consultancy and Advisory

• Selected Research and Consultancy Theories
  • Social-systems theory
  • Social network theory
  • Situated learning theory
  • Otherness & Parasites theory
  • The Intervention Theory of
  • Blake and Mouton’s Consultation Theory
  • Weisberg’s Theory of Organisational Diagnosis
  • Theory of Planned Behaviour
  • Innovation diffusion
  • General Deterrence Theory

2  Introduction to Research

• General Overview
  • Research Philosophies
  • Research Methodologies
  • Types of Research
  • Research design
  • Purpose and importance of research
  • Research ethics and integrity

2.2  Types of Research

• Historical Research
• Comparative Research
• Descriptive Research
• Correlation Research
• Experimental Research
• Evaluation Research
• Causal research
• Correlational research
• Action Research
• Echogenic Research
• Feminist Research
• Cultural Research

3  Research Process

• Problem Formulation
  • Problem identification/conceptualization
  • Research Questions
  • Hypothesis construction, characteristics of hypothesis, hypothesis
  • Statement of Objectives
  • Literature Review; citations
  • Conceptual framework

3.2  Tests of Hypothesis

• Basic Concepts Concerning Testing of Hypotheses
• Procedure for Hypothesis Testing
• Type I Type II Errors
• Test of Significance

3.3  Methods of Sampling

• Systematic Sampling
• Distinction between a Systematic Random sample and a Simple Random Sample
• Stratified Sampling
• Strategies involved in Stratified Sampling
• Advantages of    Stratified    Sampling    over    other    Sampling    Methods    6 Disadvantages of Stratified Sampling
• Some Non-Random Sampling Method

3.4  Data Collection

• Unpublished Sources
• Published Data
• Necessary Guidelines for Collecting Reliable Data
• Methods of Collecting Data
• Stages in the Collection of Data
• Design of a Good Questionnaire

3.5  Processing and analysing data

• Steps in Data Analysis
• Methods of data analysis
• Narrative Data Analysis
• Statistical Data Analysis
• Descriptive Data Analysis
• Data Analysis Techniques
• Univariate Distribution
• The Frequency Distribution
• Measures of Central Tendency
• Measures of Dispersion
• Types data analysis and significance
• Use of software
• Interpretation of results
• The cyclic nature of research

3.6  Data interpretation and presentation

• Technique of Interpretation
• Precaution in Interpretation
• Frequency tables
• Pie charts
• Graphs

3.7  Writing the report.

• Significance of Report Writing
• Different Steps in Writing Report
• Layout of the Research Report
• Types of Reports
• Oral Presentation
• Precautions for Writing Research Report

4  Research Proposal, Research Report Writing and Referencing

• Basic principles
• Formats, contents, presentation data presentation; use of charts, graphs and tables.
• Referencing styles, citation of primary and secondary sources, foot notes and end notes, bibliography and references
• Format of Certified Secretaries research project

5  Introduction to Advisory and Consultancy

• General Background
  • Role of consultants
  • Qualities of a good consultant
  • Developing internal consulting skills
  • The internal consultant’s role
  • How the internal consultant differs from line management and external consultancy
  • Skills and knowledge requirements
  • Time management, managing customer expectations, creative problem solving, communication skills, working with clients, managing politics, managing conflict, managing client-consultant
  • Difference between Consultancy and Advisory
  • Uses of consultants – public sector, private sector, and internal consulting
  • Consulting roles and culture
  • Professionalism and ethics
  • Legal and ethical considerations

5.2  Nature and Purpose of Management Consulting

• What is consulting?
• Why are consultants used? Five generic purposes
• How are consultants used? Ten principal ways
• The consulting process
• Evolving concepts and scope of management consulting

5.3  The Consulting Industry

• A historical perspective
• The current consulting scene
• Range of services provided
• Generalist and specialist services
• Main types of consulting organisation
• Internal consultants
• Management consulting and other professions

6  The Advisory Discipline

• Role of an Advisor
• What Makes a Good Advisor?
• Strategy, Execution and Accountability
• Crisis Management
• Business Resilience Overview
• Mapping Out the Client Discovery
• Building Trust
• Confidence and Experience
• Business Planning Process

7  Conducting Consultative & Advisory Services

• Basic Consultative Approaches
  • Expert Approach
  • Medical (Doctor-Patient) Approach
  • Process Approach
  • Emergent Approach (Emergent Organisational Development And Change (EODC)

7.2  The Client and Consultant Relationship

• Defining roles and expectations
• The client and the consultant systems
• Critical dimensions of the consultant–client relationship
• Negotiation, persuasion and coaching skills

7.3  Professionalism and Ethics in Consulting

• Is management consulting a profession?
• The professional approach
• Professional associations and codes of conduct
• Certification and licensing
• Legal liability and professional responsibility

8  Facilitation Skills

• Introduction to facilitation

• Definition of facilitation
• Purpose of facilitation
• Role and skills of the facilitator
• Differences between facilitation, instruction, training, and chairing

8.  2 Facilitation process

• Problem/goal identifications
• Problem resolution/decision making
• Implementing solution
• Groups dynamics
• Group decision making
• Guidelines for group consensus building
• Managing behaviours
• Team development
• Facilitations tools and techniques: brainstorming, cluster, voting, process mapping, storyboarding, Ishikawa diagram – fishbone, nominal group technique, de bono, thinking hats, solving performance problems,
• Presentation: opening and closing; audience; purpose (convince, educate, motivate etc.); content; time; tools; style; practionalities – 3 ps (prepare, practice and practice again); preparing PowerPoint presentations
• Handling controversial issues
• Communication skills
• Listening skills-watching both verbal and nonverbal cues
• Providing effective feedback
• Managing divergent perspectives
• Leveraging on ICT in facilitating

9  Coaching Skills

• Role and skills of an effective coach
• Managing from a coaching perspective
• Handling resistance to constructive criticism
• Using effective probing and questioning
• Workplace coaching techniques
• Key motivational coaching skills
• Limitations of coaching
• Differences between coaching, mentoring, counselling, training, managing, consulting and life coaching
• Essential coaching skills: listening, questioning, reflecting back and mirroring, paraphrasing and summarising
• The grow model and its applicability
• Selecting a coaching style to match the individual situation
• Planning and delivering a structured coaching session
• Measuring the success and impact of the coaching

10  The Consulting Process

• Introduction
  • Entry and Contracting
  • First client meetings
  • Preliminary problem diagnosis
• Terms of reference – Technical proposals and Financial proposals
• Assignment strategy and plan
• Proposal to the client
• The consulting contract
• Types of projects and project cycles
• Proposal development
• Consulting contract
• Service Quality
• Engagement and Implementation
• Management of projects
• Presentations and communicating with clients
• Ongoing client contact and service
• Extension, Recycle, or Termination
• Time for withdrawal
• Final reporting
• Evaluation & validation

–          Feedback to the client

 

10.2  Action Planning

• Searching for possible solutions
• Developing and evaluating alternatives
• Presenting action proposals to the client

 

10.3  Implementation

• The consultant’s role in implementation monitoring implementation
• Training and developing client staff
• Some tactical guidelines for introducing changes in work methods
• Maintenance and control of the new practice

10.4  Termination

• Time for withdrawal
• Evaluation
• Follow-up
• Final reporting

11  Managing a Consulting Firm

• Fundamentals of management in the consulting profession
• The management challenge of the professions
• Managing a professional service
• Managing a professional business
• Achieving excellence professionally and in business

11.1  The Consulting Firm’s Strategy

• The strategic approach
• The scope of client services
• The client base
• Growth and expansion
• Going international
• Profile and image of the firm
• Strategic management in practice

11.2  Legal and Ethical Issues

• Legal risks and management
• Client privilege issues
• Professional ethics
• Client’s Perspective
• Selection of consultants
• Effective management of consultants
• Evaluation of performance
• Use of consultants
• Maintaining independence and objectivity

11.3  Marketing Professional Services

• Features of services: Intangibility; Inseparability; Heterogeneity (or variability); Perishability.
• Challenges in marketing services
• Marketing techniques for professional services
  • Specialization and niche targeting
  • Blogs and articles
  • A lead-generating website
  • Search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Speaking engagements
  • Trade show participation
  • Social media
  • Online video
  • Other techniques
• Direct and indirect channels of distribution
• Legal, professional and ethical considerations. – ICS guideline on professional ethics and conduct

11.4  Pricing Professional Services

• Factors that determine pricing: cost, client value, competition, one off or retainer, pricing guidelines by professional body
• Pricing strategies
• A value-based pricing strategy
• Time and materials pricing
• Market pricing,
• Package pricing/fixed pricing

12  Managing Consultancy and Advisory Process Cycle

• Obtaining the assignment
• Terms of reference for consultancy assignments
• Technical and financial consultancy proposals
• Preparation for consultancy assignments
• Understanding clients’ needs
• Determining the scope of assignment
• Client readiness and consultant’s capability
• Gathering key information
• Developing an action plan
• Recording progress and client feedback
• Report writing
• Step-by-step approach of the advisory process
• Implementation of your advice/change
• checking for consistency, understanding your clients, and proposals
• Monitor and evaluate consultancy assignments
• Legal and ethical issues in the management of consultancy assignments

13  Case studies in research, consultancy and advisory