Developing the Management Consultants’ Empowerment System in Complex Situations: Application of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and Social Network Analysis (SNA)
Subject Areas :Marzieh Samadi-Foroushani 1 * , مهناز حسین زاده 2 , Saeed Ahmadian 3
1 - PhD in Operations Rerearch Management, Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 - Vice President of Iran Management Consultants Association
Keywords: Complexity Management, Management Consulting Industry, Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), Social Network Analysis (SNA),
Abstract :
This study aims at developing a model to improve the empowerment system of management consultants based on the complex situation of management issues using a combined approach of soft system methodology (SSM) and social network analysis (SNA). To this end first, applying SSM, complexity dimensions of a management consulting project’s problematic situation were investigated through the key stakeholders’ viewpoints, including university professors, professional management consultants, and the Iranian Association of Management Consultants members. Then, areas in need of improvement were identified and selected based on the complexity of internal management issues of the country and the level of maturity and capability of consultants. Second, to map the cognitive image of the ideal system from the view of both academics and professionals, the network of “empowerment domains-complexity dimensions” using SNA. Finally, the empowerment areas were identified as three subsystems, including “complexity management of consulting management services”; “complexity management of intervention process”, and “complexity management of knowledge resource”. The empowerment dimensions in the first subsystem included 1-professional ethics,2-professional networking, 3-legal and contractual management, 4-project management, and 5-documentation. In the second subsystem, the main dimensions were recognized as 1-effective communication, 2-leadership, 3-cognitive skills, 4-critical and creative thinking, and 5-change management. The key dimensions of the third subsystem were defined as 1-decision-making approaches, 2-systemic approaches and problem-solving process, 3-quantitative approaches and mathematical modeling, 4-soft modeling, and 5-system thinking. Finally, the model was compared with the real world, and the proposed changes were presented to plan specialized training courses for management consultants
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