Studies on the major consulting and accounting firms
For executives, it is becoming more and more important – but also more and more difficult – to form an opinion about the areas in which the specific strengths and weaknesses of individual consulting and auditing firms are located. Who are the best advisors when it comes to developing strategies, reducing costs or optimizing processes? Who offers the best audit, tax and advisory services? And it is also becoming increasingly important and difficult for consultants and auditors themselves to determine their own place in the future of the industry. With our studies, we want to help increase the transparency of the market. In the following we have compiled an excerpt of our most important studies of recent years.
We have compiled the most important questions and answers on an FAQ page for anyone who would like to find out more about the statistical and methodological basis of our studies.
Please note: all our studies are published in German.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2023
For the twelfth time since 1998, we have dedicated ourselves to the special conditions in the management consulting industry. For this purpose we have asked decision-makers in the German business community – board members, managing directors, sponsors of consulting projects and project managers – about their experiences with the leading consultants. Which consultants are assigned which special competencies? Which consultants are regarded as leading experts for which topics and industries? Which questions are the consultants’ clients currently dealing with? And in which areas do they set their budget priorities when it comes to the engagement of consultants?
Facts and figures on the German consulting market
2022
After the Corona downturn, the consulting market in Germany is taking off again – the business of management, IT and HR consultants has grown by almost ten percent in 2021 compared to 2020. The negative consequences of the Corona pandemic have thus been more than offset, and the industry is back on its seemingly unstoppable growth path. Our facts and figures on the German consulting market show in which areas the industry generates its largest revenues.
Germany’s best auditors
2022/23
Starting next year, many companies will have to prepare a sustainability report. A lucrative area of business for auditors – and an opportunity to attract new talent. At the same time, the consequences of the Wirecard scandal are shaking up the hierarchy of the audit industry in Germany. In our new study with manager magazin, we indicate where the path will lead in the coming years. And we reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the major players in the auditing industry. For the second time, we also identified the best universities for the subject of auditing. The Frankfurt School of Finance and Management defends its first place from the last round, closely followed by the University of Mannheim.
Management Consulting Special –
Consulting in times of Corona
2021
At the turn of the years 2020/2021, the consulting market is no different from the economy as a whole: it is shaped by the effects and uncertainties of the corona pandemic. Although the large consulting companies in particular have come through 2020 relatively well – after a significant drop in orders in April and May – the future market development is anything but certain. In a special issue of our Management Consulting Study, we look at the impact that the pandemic has had on the consulting business so far.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2021
For the eleventh time since 1998, we have dedicated ourselves to the special conditions in the management consulting industry. For this purpose we have asked decision-makers in the German business community – board members, managing directors, sponsors of consulting projects and project managers – about their experiences with the leading consultants. Which consultants are assigned which special competencies? Which consultants are regarded as leading experts for which topics and industries? Which questions are the consultants’ clients currently dealing with? And in which areas do they set their budget priorities when it comes to the engagement of consultants?
Germany’s best auditors
2020/21
In 2020 we asked again: Who are the best auditors in Germany? For the third time we looked at the leading companies in the industry and the best auditors for SMEs – in the following disciplines: (1) accounting and auditing, (2) independent audits and attestations, (3) tax planning consulting, (4) personnel-related tax consulting, (5) management consulting, (6) IT consulting, (7) transaction consulting, (8) reorganization and restructuring advice, (9) legal advice and (10) digital transformation.
Germany’s best auditors
2019
Who are the best auditors in Germany? In this study, we looked at the 25 leading companies in the industry and the best auditors for SMEs – in the following disciplines: (1) accounting and annual audit, (2) voluntary audits and certificates, (3) tax planning consulting, (4) personnel-related tax consulting, (5) management consulting, (6) IT consulting, (7) transaction consulting, (8) reorganization and restructuring consulting, (9) legal consulting and (10) digital transformation.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
Market focus: Switzerland
2019
McKinsey, BCG and Bain are the best consultants in Switzerland. This is the judgement of 437 executives from Swiss companies who we asked about their experiences with the leading consultancies. They gave us information on the performance and competencies of Accenture, AlixPartners, A.T. Kearney, Bain & Company, BearingPoint, Boston Consulting Group, Capgemini, Deloitte, EY, Helbling, Horváth & Partners, Implement Consulting Group, KPMG, McKinsey, Oliver Wyman, PwC, Q-Perior, Roland Berger, Simon Kucher & Partners, Skyadvisory and Strategy&.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2018
The consulting market is running better than it has for a long time. And this is already the fourth year in a row. But what consultants really have something to offer? Since 1998, our studies have helped to increase the transparency of the consulting market – practice-oriented, research-based and independent. This year we again asked decision-makers in the German business community about their experiences with leading consultants – board members, managing directors, budget managers and project managers.
In addition to the eight most important classical management consultants – McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, A.T. Kearney, Strategy& and, for the first time, AlixPartners – we focus on the consulting divisions of the four major accounting firms PwC, EY, KPMG and Deloitte, as well as the two most important technologically-oriented consulting firms, Accenture and Capgemini, which also have significant business in management consulting.
Germany’s best auditors
2018
Who are the best accounting firms in Germany? In this study, we looked at the 20 accountants with the highest turnover – in the following disciplines: (1) accounting and annual audit, (2) voluntary audits and certificates, (3) tax planning consulting, (4) personnel-related tax consulting, (5) management consulting, (6) IT consulting, (7) transaction consulting, (8) restructuring consulting, (9) legal consulting and (10) digital transformation.
Consulting Impact Study
2016
The question about the effectiveness of consulting projects has always been controversially discussed in business and in the media. In this study we transferred a psychometric model to the consulting market. What, this is the central question of the model, can consultants actually achieve with their clients? Who can show their clients new perspectives that would not have been recognized without the consultant? Who can motivate their clients to take new paths that would not have been taken without the consultant? Who can empower their clients to do something they would not have been able to do without the consultant? When does consulting leave its mark – when does it have the greatest impact?
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2015
Evaluated consulting firms: McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Bain & Company, A.T. Kearney, Strategy&, Oliver Wyman, Accenture, IBM Global Business Services, Capgemini Consulting, BearingPoint, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
Market focus: Switzerland
2015
Evaluated consulting firms: McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Bain & Company, Strategy&, A.T. Kearney, Oliver Wyman, AlixPartners, Abegglen Management Consultants, Helbling, Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, EY.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2013
Evaluated consulting firms: McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Bain & Company, Booz & Company, A.T. Kearney, Arthur D. Little, Management Engineers, Oliver Wyman, Accenture, Capgemini Consulting, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, EY.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
Market focus: Switzerland
2012
Evaluated consulting firms: A.T. Kearney, Bain & Company, Booz & Company, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, Helbling Gruppe, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Deloitte Consulting, Ernst & Young Advisory Services, KPMG Advisory, PwC Wirtschaftsberatung.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2011
Evaluated consulting firms: A.T. Kearney, Arthur D. Little, Bain & Company, Booz & Co., Boston Consulting Group, Management Engineers, McKinsey & Company, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Simon – Kucher & Partners, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PwC.
Accounting Firms –
Trends and competencies in audit, tax, advisory
2010
Evaluated accounting firms: BDO Deutsche Warentreuhand, Deloitte, Ebner Stolz Mönning Bachem, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Mazars Hemmelrath, PKF Fasselt Schlage, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rödl & Partner, RölfsPartner, Susat & Partner, Warth & Klein.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
Market focus: Switzerland
2009
Evaluated consulting firms: A.T. Kearney, Arthur D. Little, Bain & Company, Booz & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte Consulting, Ernst & Young Advisory Services, Helbling Gruppe, KPMG Advisory, McKinsey & Company, Monitor Group, Oliver Wyman, PwC Wirtschaftsberatung, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
Management Consulting –
Reputation and competencies in management consulting
2009
Evaluated consulting firms: A.T. Kearney, Arthur D. Little, Bain & Company, Booz & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Droege & Comp., Management Engineers, McKinsey & Company, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
IT Consulting
2008
Evaluated consulting firms: Accenture, Atos Origin, Capgemini, Cirquent, CSC, IBM Business Consulting, IDS Scheer, itelligence, msg systems, SAP Consulting, T-Systems .