This book is based on four premises: - Public and private sector organisations are spending huge amounts on professional services and most are doing it badly, without strong procurement processes or adequate understanding, resulting in wasted money and disappointing outcomes. - Even among organisations that use formal procurement techniques, many apply them inappropriately and achieve similarly poor results. - Many professional services firms don't understand how the increasing application of professional procurement processes could affect their business model, client engagement and ultimately their profitability. - While they are working together, both professional services providers and their clients often behave in ways that reduce the potential benefits to both parties. Using real examples from a range of private sector organisations, government departments and from the professional services firms themselves, this book explores the world of professional services procurement. Aimed at both those who use and provide professional services, it shows how they can work together much more effectively to their mutual benefit.

Author Biography

Fiona Czerniawska runs a research and advisory firm specialising in strategic issues in the consulting industry. Director of the UK Management Consultancies Association's Think Tank, she also lectures at London Business School and has written many books on consulting, including the Economist title Business Consulting. Peter Smith, a former president of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, is one of the UK's leading experts on purchasing and supply chain issues and runs his own consulting firm specialising in procurement.