The relationship between national culture and the use of professional services: Evidence from two cross-country studies

Each year, clients spend large sums on professional services, such as accounting services, legal services and consulting services. While research has found significant cross-country differences in organizations’ spending on professional services, we do not know why they occur. Inspired by the organizational buying behavior literature, this paper investigates the influence of national culture on the use of professional services, particularly management consulting services. As the use of professional services involves considerable uncertainties—particularly for the buyer—it can be assumed to be influenced by cultural differences regarding the level of Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism and Masculinity. By drawing on two independent cross-country studies, we show that organizations in high uncertainty avoidance and individualistic cultures use professional services less than organizations in low uncertainty avoidance and collectivist cultures. We found no relationship between Hofstede's dimension of Masculinity and the use of professional services. The findings contribute to the theorizing on how the cultural context influences organizational buying behavior and the purchasing of professional services.     

Success Determinants when Tendering for International Consulting Projects

A unique database on individual proposals is used to analyse competition among consulting firms (CFs) for international projects. CFs, which sell services based on human capital, focus on developing countries when operating abroad and, thereby, are highly dependent on development agencies (DAs). The DAs have strict tender rules and claim that skill and experience are the most important factors when proposals are evaluated. Both economic theory and the results of the estimations suggest, however, that long-term relationships (LTRs) between the CFs and the clients are at least as important as traditional skill and experience factors. The LTRs are here measured by means of information about whether the CF has previously worked for the client (repeat purchases) or has visited the client. The results indicate that the client in some cases has pre-decided which CF to select. The client invites several CFs to compete for the tender anyway, either because he is forced to do so by the financier, or because he wants to subject an old supplier to competitive pressure. As the tender rules do not seem to be followed, a policy implication would be that the DAs can skip, or at least relax, their strict tender rules, or strengthen the sanctions associated with violations of the rules.     

Client–consultant interaction: Capturing social practices of professional service production

Based on the investigation of seven consultancy projects within an international technical consulting firm, we identify three major practices that characterize client–consultant interaction – shaping impressions, problem-solving, and negotiating expectations – and discuss their respective characteristics, activities, and contingencies. Our discussion of these practices provides not only a more differentiated picture of client–consultant interaction but also uncovers the critical role that clients play in these practices.     

浅谈工程造价咨询单位在控制工程造价中的作用

工程造价咨询单位应在工程项目建设的各个阶段充分发挥其作用,这对于节约投资,服务于经济建设具有重要意义。从四个方面论述工程造价咨询单位在工程项目建设各阶段的作用。     

房地产策划项目经理绩效评价指标体系设计

房地产策划是新兴的智力密集型行业，项目经理在其中扮演了重要角色。本文通过对项目经理工作情况的分析，构建了房地产策划项目经理绩效评价指标体系。     

科技政策智库及其咨询服务能力研究

科技政策智库是指以科技政策领域重大问题为研究方向,以科技政策咨询人员为骨干,运用知识、信息与经验,识别科技政策咨询需求,进行调研、分析、研究与判断,通过搭建合作研究平台和业务支撑网络,提供咨询服务的研究结构。科技政策智库具有4个基本特征：独特性、服务性、综合性、成长性。科技政策咨询服务能力建立在一定基础资源（人力资源、数据资源、技术资源、组织管理、组织文化）上,由基础资源要素支撑咨询服务运作,科技政策咨询服务通过咨询过程完成。市场竞合、知识集成、项目组织、学术传播构成了一条完整的咨询服务链条,组成了科技政策咨询服务的过程要素。科技政策咨询服务能力由咨询过程要素和基础资源要素共同构成。     

Community Connections to Enhance Undergraduate International Business Education: An Example of Business Consulting Projects

Practical project experience as a means of augmenting traditional classroom learning has long been viewed as a value adding curricular exercise. While students participating in the projects gain valuable skills that will enhance their personal marketability, successful projects also benefit the client companies involved and help enhance the image of the university. Substantial effort goes into planning and implementing such an experience and involves extensive coordination with multiple constituents. This article details how a project-based capstone experience was developed in partnership with the local business community and the College's Center for International Business as part of the degree requirements for a relatively new Bachelor of Science in International Business program.     

新世纪图书馆信息开发与咨询服务

章论述了图书馆信息开发和咨询服务的意义和作用，探讨了信息开发的主要内容，即为领导机关立法和决策服务、为经济建设服务、为科技开发服务、为科研服务及为社会教育服务。本针对图书馆现状，提出了加强管理、主动服务的办法。     

Are audit partners’ compensation and audit quality related to their consulting revenues?

Recent accounting scandals have triggered renewed interest in the debate concerning whether audit firms should be banned from providing consulting services. Compared to the voluminous studies on consulting services to audit clients (i.e., non-audit services, hereafter NAS), little has been done to investigate consulting services to non-audit clients (hereafter CS). This study examines whether audit partners' revenues from CS are associated with: i) partners' compensation, and ii) audit quality (AQ), while controlling for revenues from NAS and auditing. We choose the Norwegian setting because of the unique and proprietary data on CS at the audit partner level. Our results provide initial evidence that partners' compensation is positively associated with their revenues generated from CS. Regarding AQ, our findings indicate no relation between AQ and partners' revenues from CS. This study contributes to the recent debate on multidisciplinary audit firms and should be of interest to regulators, audit firms, and users of audited financial statements.     

中澳物流合作模式浅析

本文对中澳物流的合作模式进行了浅析，首先介绍了中澳贸易与物流发展的背景，针对中澳两国物流的发展状况，就两国物流业所占GDP比例、企业规模与特点、专业化程度、信息化程度以及物流服务意识与方式等方面进行了对比，提出了中澳物流合作的三种模式，分别为建立中澳合资物流企业、互为海外代理以及澳方为中方企业提供物流咨询服务．并分别分析了各种合作模式的优点、存在的问题以及发展建议。中澳物流企业可根据自身企业的规模、特点以及抗风险能力等实际情况，选择适当的合作伙伴与合作模式。