Several years ago, I looked after the IT division of a successful health
care insurance company.

Every year or so, there was a comprehensive IT audit, conducted by the
external audit company - one of the Big Six at the time.

Because IT is complex, the audit company used skilled IT people from their
Management Consulting division.

I expressed my reservations about this arrangement to the company
management, pointing out that the same team of IT professionals also
conducted audits on rival firms, and in one or two cases actually performed
the reverse role - that of consulting to rival companies.

Inevitably, the company was approached by the Management Consulting
division, and some consulting services were proposed and accepted. Workshops
were attended, and many whiteboards were covered in strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats.

An astonishing state of affairs, in my opinion, and a lovely little business
- the company paid handsomely for the audit, the Management Consulting
division learned every innermost secret strategy for free, and then
regurgitated the information back for another fee, not only to the company,
but possibly to it's rivals.

I believe that the US government has acted to break up these nefarious
arrangements (a little late, I fear), and HP even tried to buy one of the
cast off consulting divisions.

I wonder if soon we may find that Gartner Group and other influential bodies
come under the anti-trust spotlight.

I have asked before how they make their money, but have never really found
out.
I can only assume that they are paid by companies like HP and IBM - the ones
they write about.

Their own website mentions that with more than 20 years experience, they can
provide "unrivaled (sic) thought leadership and strategic consulting
services to more than 11,000 organizations worldwide".

I often read their opinions, but I never pay cash for them.

These thoughts are definitely mine, and not my lawyers.

Regards

Neil

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