CC BY
5
Vol. 8 No. 1, 2022 -
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2022-8-1-43-54
CONSULTING AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS: THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECT
Natalia Yevtushenko1, Olena Gudz2
Abstract. Scientists continue keep discussions about communications and communication processes, as well as their role in the activities of companies in the digital economy. The communications of consulting companies, where this management tool is of great importance in the process of their growth, are poorly studied. Issues of the development of areas for effective communication management of consulting companies are still relevant. The purpose of the article is to study of theoretical foundations of the formation of a communication system of internal consulting interaction and hence, develop a scientific and methodological approach to assessing the state of the communication system of internal consulting interaction; provide practical recommendations for the effective management of internal communications on the example of the activities of consulting companies in Ukraine. Methodology. A set of general scientific methods was used: historical and dialectical methods - for reviewing scientific views on the content of consulting and communications, presenting the content of the main scientific categories; an abstract-logical method - for establishing logical relationships between the elements of the communication system of internal consulting interaction and developing, on this basis, a scientific and methodological approach to assessing the state of this system; the method of strategic analysis of diagnostics of the system of internal communications on the example of consulting companies in Ukraine. Results. The authors clarified basic concepts and components of the communication system of the communicative process of consulting interaction according to its examined features. Connections between the elements of this system were established. The emergence in the communication system of a consulting company of the effect of communicative convergence between the participants in the interaction during the development of a joint idea and the production ofjoint communicative actions was fixed. It was developed a scientific and methodological approach to assessing the state of the communication system of internal consulting relationship, the implementation of which takes place within the framework of the procedural model. During the diagnostics of communication systems of such companies, their strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats were identified. This made it possible to solve problems related to business dealing in companies and give practical recommendations for addressing these problems. Practical implications. The results of theoretical and practical research confirm the need for consulting companies to use a process model for assessing the state of the communication system of the communicative process of internal consulting interaction within the framework of a scientific and methodological approach. The approach will help the management of consulting companies to timely identify problems in the management of internal communications, evaluate them and make effective decisions to increase the loyalty of consultants, their productivity and receive planned income. Value/originality. Research is valuable. It substantiates the understanding of consulting interaction as a professional communication process in the communication system of consulting companies, which accompanied by the effect of communicative convergence. The results obtained can be useful for specialists and managers of internal communications. To get a fuller picture of the problems, company managers are encouraged to conduct surveys of employees and coordinate their competencies in accordance with the "Effective Consultant" model.
Key words: consulting, internal communications, consulting interaction, communication process, system, company. JEL Classification: G29, L20
Corresponding author:
1 State University of Telecommunications, Ukraine E-mail: evtushtnko.13.nat@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8865-8365
2 Educational and Scientific Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, State University of Telecommunications, Ukraine
E-mail: gudzee@ukr.net
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9982-7328
1. Introduction
Under the influence of globalization changes, in countries with developed economies, company managers are constantly working to analyze the results of their activities, in the process of which problems are identified, effective management solutions are developed and implemented to eliminate them.
To achieve these results, managers are responsible for maintaining operational efficiency, optimizing the production and delivery of goods and services (Porter, 2011). Operational efficiency examines how a company performs compared to its own standards and those of competitors. Therefore, the responsibilities of a performance management manager come down to three components:
1) the technical component associated with the efficient use of resources, the achievement of ultimate goals, as well as the use of technology to ensure high performance;
2) a conceptual component associated with the development of new systems and ways of working in the company;
3) the human component related to human capital and the well-being of employees.
Scientists have proven (Daly, Teague & Kitchen, 2003) that the amount of time that a company manager spends on managing these components depends on his level in the organizational hierarchy (corporate management level - the highest level; functional - middle level; operational - the lowest level). So, the technical component takes up most of the time of the operational level managers, while the conceptual and human component takes up little time. Functional managers spend more time on the conceptual and human components. The technical component takes a little time. Top management representatives spend most of their time on concept and people work.
It has been established (Gramatnikovski, Stoil-kovska, & Serafimovic, 2015) that almost all companies want their employees and managers to solve technical problems in order to improve the quality of products and services. The career advancement of managers always depends on their ability to solve complex technical issues (development of new processes and products, or the creation of better distribution systems, accurate pricing systems, or better service delivery systems). In today's world, the weight of many companies is the fact that they provide privileges to managers with technical knowledge. Therefore, managers are seeking to acquire existing technical skills. These skills are highly valued by business owners.
It established (Chmielecki, 2015) that the activities of a manager in the 21st century have changed a lot. It now consists of a series of separate, fragmented
episodes that prevent managers from having long, uninterrupted periods of time to talk about planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the company's financial and intellectual resources. Research has found that only five percent of managers' time is devoted to tasks that last more than one hour. A large-scale study involving thousands of functional and corporate level managers identified seven main components of their work (Kraut etc, 1989):
1) management of employee performance indicators (management);
2) direction of subordinates (education and training);
3) playing the role of a leader (representative) of one's group (defending the group's interests);
4) management of team performance indicators (facilitation);
5) allocation of resources (decision making);
6) coordination of interrelated groups (cooperation);
7) tracking the business environment (scan to adapt). These seven management tasks are found at all levels
of management. The importance of each task and the amount of time that company managers devote to this task significantly differ depending on the level of management. Thus, operational managers devote most of their time to tasks "1" and "2"; functional managers are mainly occupied with tasks "3", "4" and "5"; and corporate managers deal with tasks "6" and "7". In other words, managers and top managers perform the same functions, but with varying degrees of attention given their position in the corporate hierarchy. However, whatever work the management of companies does, all its actions involve communications in social, group and interpersonal relations.
Scientists regard communications as the basis of human capital activity in a company. Communications are business communication in formal and informal forms, which understood in the production process as a key to planning, directing, organizing and controlling the resources of organizations to achieve goals. Unlike formal relationships, informal communication not tied to a place of work and hierarchy (Hynes, 2005).
Similar views on the content of communications as a business communication has (Safran, 2010). He believes that communication is the process of generating, transmitting, receiving and interpreting messages in interpersonal, group, social and mass relations through written and oral formats, which will lead to profit.
Another view is formed by scientists (Layhif & Penrose, 2001): communications are a means of cooperation, interaction, ensuring the achievement of the goals of employees, organizations and society due to the fact that modern business is a complex production, the collective nature of labor, the use of resources. A similar opinion has (Blalock, 2005), who defines the role of communications in a company as a means of exchanging information and opinions, drawing up plans and proposals, reaching agreement,
executing a decision, sending and fulfilling orders, and conducting sales. A group of scholars (Udegbe etc., 2012) who argue that communication is a means of success and company growth supports this view.
A separate view is formed by scientists (Conrad & Newberry, 2011), who study not just the content of communications in a company but also the process of their implementation. In their opinion, the effectiveness of this process is the communication skills of the company's employees, which is a value both for them and the company.
Thus, amidst the digital economy and the implementation of globalization changes in socioeconomic relations, communications play a leading role in the activities of any company, where they are used in the form of:
- Business communication (formal and informal);
- Means of cooperation, interaction, means of information exchange, exchange of opinions, drawing up plans and proposals, means of success and growth of the company;
- Communication process, the effectiveness of which depends on the skills of employees.
It has been proven (Bartels etc., 2007) that the models and styles of communication are moving from the formal top-down to an updated format of extended information between company employees so that it quickly reaches managers at management levels to make effective management decisions. Under such conditions, a formed communicative climate is perceived as "the relationship of workers with an abstract to the quality of mutual relations and communication in an organization". These views affected by the workplace.
Consulting companies are no exception. In these companies, communications are one of the main tools for establishing effective work in the provision of consulting services. The study of the features of assessing the internal communications of consulting companies through the prism of the theoretical and methodological aspect determines the relevance of the chosen topic.
The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical foundations for the formation of a communication system for internal consulting interaction; develop, on this basis, a scientifically methodical approach to assessing the state of the communication system of internal consulting interaction; present practical recommendations for the effective management of internal communications as in the case of consulting companies of Ukraine.
2. Theoretical background for the formation of consulting interaction
A significant contribution to the study of modern consulting, its theoretical, methodological and
practical aspects was made by well-known foreign and domestic researchers such as: E. Shane (Shane, 1969), L. Greiner, R. Metzger (Greiner & Metzger, 1983), R. Yuksvyarav (Yuksvyarav, Khabakuk & Leimann, 1988), T. Clark (Clark, 1995), M. Kipping (Kipping, 1999), V. Aleshnikova (Aleshnikova, 2000), O. Trofimova (Trofimova, 2002), G. Marinko (Marinko, 2005), P. Block (Block, 2007), J. O'Mahony (o'Mahony, 2010), V. Verba (Verba, 2012), A. Blinov (Blinov & Dresvyannikov, 2013), N. Evtushenko (Yevtushenko, 2019) and others.
Given the historical development of the content of the definition of "consulting" from assistance (professional or expert) to the process (professional activity), it is proposed (Yevtushenko, 2019) to identify consulting with consulting activity and understand it as a process agreed with customers to create professional consultants of customer enterprises in order to ensure efficiency and improve development. It is advisable to consider this process taking into account the modern concept of relationship marketing based on a client-oriented approach. Interaction implemented within the framework of the marketing interaction system is defined as a set of active subjects that create and perform their activities through an effective communication system within the framework of a regulated project (process) to obtain the desired performance in accordance with the goals and values set based on a long-term partnership.
The scientist proved (Yevtushenko, 2017; 2019) that in order to conduct effective activities, a consulting company must, first of all, organize its own process of managing internal communications of consultants, called consulting interaction. This interaction is a professional communication process between the subjects of economic relations in the communicative space. Consulting interaction is not a separate communication, but the process of organizing the ratio of the individual contribution of each consultant to the common cause.
The process of consulting interaction between a consulting company and a customer enterprise is presented in the form of a diagram (Figure 1), illustrating the relationship and communication between them.
According to the scheme, a consulting company offers consulting services to the market as a non-commodity form of meeting the customer's needs following its activities. To solve its existing problems (needs), the customer company puts an order to the consulting company, providing for the comprehensive satisfaction of the specified needs of the enterprise. In the process of providing consulting services, a consulting company introduces consulting products into the activities of a customer enterprise, which are an intelligent tool to meet a set of customer needs. The fundamental source of the quality of
Figure 1. Scheme of consulting interaction
Source: (Yevtushenko, 2019)
consulting interaction is the set of competencies of consultants in accordance with the standard of consulting services as a set of mandatory rules for the provision of services, designed to guarantee a high level of their quality at all stages of a consulting project.
It is justified (Yevtushenko, 2019) that in the course of consulting interaction, problem situations of the customer enterprise are solved using a communication system through which the attitudes of some participants are expressed to the knowledge and understanding of others that helps consultants to form and maintain business contacts with clients. If the consulting interaction is not established, the communications of its employees will become uncoordinated. Consequently, the activity of the consulting company ceases to be manageable. In such circumstances, consultants are not able to give clients professional.
The research proposed (Yevtushenko, 2019) to understand the communicative process of consulting interaction as the process of exchanging professional information between two or more participants in the implementation of the activities of a consulting company, using a single communication base, a system of norms, rules and principles of consulting interaction. Communications of the communicative process of consulting interaction act as a means of cooperation, an information and technical resource aimed at achieving the goals of all participants in the interaction. This confirmed in the research of scientists
(Fedorchenko & Kirilova, 2004), who state that communications are the means through which two or more employees come together in a production process to exchange ideas and understanding among themselves. Communications of the communicative process act as a means of cooperation (Gudz & Strelnikova, 2018) if they represented by a set of activities aimed at establishing two-way communication between enterprises using appropriate tools.
Given the above, it proposed to understand the communications of the communicative process of consulting interaction (Yevtushenko, 2019) as a system of interconnected and interacting elements that ensure the exchange of information in accordance with the socio-economic needs of the participants in the interaction for a specific period both inside the consulting company and outside it. This system operates based on purposefulness, focus, multi-level and efficiency in accordance with the set of core competencies of consultants.
The communication system of the communicative process in the activities of a consulting company implemented through the following types of consulting interaction (Yevtushenko, 2019): 1) External consulting interaction. It passes between the consulting company and the customer enterprise, as well as the external environment (public and private enterprises). It is fair to identify external consulting interaction with a system of measures aimed at awareness of consumers of consulting services, contact
audiences, and the formation of incentive motives for demand for consulting services. The nature of external communications in the process of implementing consulting interaction varies depending on relationships with suppliers, consumers, competitors, forms of state statistical reporting, etc., although the principles of their construction remain the same. 2) Internal consulting interaction. It is formed within the consulting company itself and aimed at a group of professional consultants to provide them with an effective process for receiving, processing, accumulating, transferring timely and unconverted information between management levels. Communications of internal consulting interaction depend on the influence of well-known factors, which include: the form of the organizational structure; company size; communication policy; professionalism of consultants; the complexity of the process of consulting interaction; homogeneity or difference in the individual characteristics of consultants. Given the level of management, internal communications divided into formal: vertical (from the highest levels of management to the lowest; from the lowest levels to the highest); horizontal (between different departments) between the head and his working group (apparatus) and diagonal; informal communications.
The possibilities of developing feedback of the communicative process of consulting interaction are characterized by such manifestations as its cyclist, the spread of the semantic plane and the deepening of content, the increase in the level of informational and emotional identity (closeness of understanding), empathy, etc. Yevtushenko N. (Yevtushenko, 2019) found that under these conditions, the effect of communicative convergence (integration) was formed. This is such an effect that occurs because of the communicative process between the participants in the interaction in the development of a joint idea and the production of joint communicative actions, subject to the establishment of mutual understanding, the identity of the motivational attitude, value-psychological unity of the participants in the communicative process. The scientist notes that mutual understanding and psychological unity in the process of implementing consulting interaction is another indicator of the level of convergence of subjects of communication, which manifested through consistency, drawing up communicative actions. Thus, the level of coordination of the actions of the subjects of communication in a situation where they take on the corresponding roles alternately depends on their involvement in the general context of communication as a whole, and on a specific general communicative action, incl. At the same time, the effectiveness of information exchange between the consulting company and the customer enterprise depends on the successful solution of the problem
of correlating language means with the meaning of the message.
3. Methodological provision
Considering the theoretical basis for the formation of consulting interaction, a scientific and methodological approach to assessing the state of the communication system of the communicative process of internal consulting interaction proposed for use in order to increase the loyalty of employees and their productivity and receive planned income.
The implementation of this scientific and methodological approach relies on a process model for assessing the state of the communication system of the communicative process of the company's internal consulting interaction (Figure 2).
The process model in the activities of a consulting company is realized at the following stages:
Step 1: The purpose: setting tasks in accordance with the problems that have arisen, taking into account the elements and tools of the communication system of internal consulting interaction.
Step 2: Organization: determine the conditions of efficiency of the communication system of internal consulting interaction in the communicative space.
Step 4. Action coordination: establish the relationship of communication processes in the system of communications of internal consulting interaction in the company.
Step 5. System diagnostics: to assess the state of the communication system of internal consulting interaction in the company using an effective strategic management tool - SWOT analysis. The object of the method is the communication system of the company's internal consulting interaction. The essence of SWOT analysis is to study the external and internal environment, identifying the company's strengths and weaknesses, development prospects and threats. The result of the SWOT analysis is the development of an internal communications management strategy aimed at developing a consulting company and preventing problems that may arise during this process.
Step 6. Recommendations and control: develop management solutions to improve the existing communication system of the communicative process of internal consulting interaction based on a set of competencies of a manager-consultant. This will help to regulate and control the work of the company's consultants.
We believe that the main element of management models are managers-consultants. According to the general provisions of the decision-making theory, they develop, make and implement managerial decisions within the framework of each individual problematic issue that arises in the communication
Stages of assessing the state of the communication system of internal consulting interaction of the company
The purpose
Setting tasks in accordance with the problems encountered
I
Organization
Resource
Determine the conditions for the effectiveness of the communication system
Action coordination
System Diagnostics
Recommendations and control
3 >1
Establish the relationship of communication processes
Assess the state of the communication system
Develop management solutions to improve the existing communication system in the company
- Vol. 8 No. 1, 2022 i
2QE.
A new problem in the communications system
Increasing the loyalty of consultants, their productivity and receiving the
planned income
Influence of internal and external factors on activity
Figure 2. Process model for assessing the state of the communications system of internal consulting interaction
Source: developed by authors
system of the communicative process of the company's internal consulting interaction.
Let us consider in more detail the theoretical and practical aspects of the scientific and methodological approach to assessing the state of the communication system of the communicative process of internal consulting interaction in the company.
3.1. Setting tasks in accordance with the problems encountered in internal communications
The role of internal communications is "building and nourishing employee relations, establishing trust, providing timely and reliable information and thereby contributing to general motivation, particularly in times of change and stress" (Dolphin, 2005). Problems in the communication system of internal consulting interaction are associated with violations that formed during the implementation of this interaction. However, often the sources of problems are the
planned goals of the activities of consulting companies, in particular, goals aimed at:
- ensuring the speed and quality of information exchange of the communication system of internal consulting interaction in the company;
- change management support during the implementation of internal consulting interaction;
- strengthening the level of loyalty and involvement of employees in the communication process of the company's internal consulting interaction;
- increasing the productivity of consultants and the efficiency of business processes in the company.
The regulation of the communication system for internal consulting interaction in the company is formed in the field of application when determining the elements of the system and tools for managing it. It established that a high-quality communication system of consulting interaction is formed and implemented in the process of balancing the elements of the communication process, divided into
components: social and managerial and technical and economic.
The social and managerial component of the communicative process of consulting interaction takes into account the following elements (Yevtushenko, 2019):
- General professional competencies of consultants (education, length of service (experience), certification results, self-education, advanced training);
- Knowledge of information technology consultants (knowledge of programming languages, application programs, operating systems);
- Psychological characteristics of consultants (adaptability, readiness for change, loyalty, perception of corporate values, sociability, openness, emotionality, responsibility);
- Social interaction (conflict, feedback, cohesion, group interactions);
- The role of consultants in the management system (loyalty to management, awareness of goals, initiative, ability to participate in management);
- Elements by management functions;
- Coordination of communication transfer in the control system (uniform distribution of tasks, reaction to information overload, rigidity of the hierarchy, degree of separation of access to information).
The technical and economic component of the communicative process of consulting interaction considers the following elements (Yevtushenko, 2019):
- Hardware (number and models of computers, wear and tear, degree of utilization, capital productivity);
- Software (quantity, types, cost, progressiveness, return, safety);
- Communication channels (types, workload, throughput, speed, failure, noise, protection);
- Networks (types, degree of protection, sufficiency);
- Information support (speed of access, degree of use, method of access to databases, updating);
- Information processing systems (software and hardware complexes, CRM systems, etc.).
Detailing the communication systems of the communicative process of internal consulting interaction in the company occurs through the following management tools: 1) corporate intranet portal; 2) corporate social network; 3) distribution by e-mail; 4) information boards (stands); 5) newsletters; 6) job descriptions; 7) meetings of managers with staff; 8) videoconferencing; 9) adaptation interviews; 10) feedback.
3.2. Conditions for the effectiveness of the communication system
The implementation of the communicative process of consulting interaction takes place in a communicative space, which is known as an environment that provides conditions for the formation and
implementation of professional communications in the course of communication between the participants in the interaction. The basic rule for the development of a communication space in a company: communications are tied to a corporate strategy on which the goals and content of messages will depend. The effectiveness of consulting interaction in the communicative space depends on the components of the communicative process, which include (Yevtushenko, 2019):
1) Goals of communication. The primary purpose of communications is to provide recommendations for the formation of needs, taking into account changes and stimulating demand.
2) Multi-level communications. Communication is implemented taking into account the relations and positions of partners, their relationship and mutual influence under such levels: internal language; communication between people; group communication. From the point of view of promoting a consulting service, communication at all these levels is associated with two groups of problems. The first group concerns the internal language and communication between people, the level of which depends on the socio-psychological aspects. The second group is related to the professionalism of consultants.
3) Direction of the message. It is associated with the mutual understanding of partners and feedback in the process of implementing consulting services to the customer enterprise. Communication in this process is defined as a two-way direction of information, proving the existence of a communication chain, where the reaction of the recipient is also a signal for the sender.
4) Efficiency of communications. It depends on the means of communication and channels for transmitting information between the participants in the consulting interaction.
5) Corporate culture through communication norms and communication values.
The relationship between the components of the communicative process of consulting interaction in the communicative space sis hown in Figure 3.
It has been proven (Yevtushenko, 2017; 2019) that it is advisable to consider the communicative space in the process of formation and implementation of consulting interaction in a sociocultural and ethno-psychological context. Thus, in the communicative plane, feedback provides psychological, social, informational, organizational, technological effectiveness of the communication process of consulting interaction. The psychological component shows the level of comfort in communication, the social component indicates the proximity of views, the information component indicates an adequate and positive perception of the information provided, the
Mutual understanding of partners and feedback
Relationships and positions of partners, their relationship and interaction
Channel transmitting Communication
Intentions and goals of the participants of the communicative process
Means, messages ana channels of information transmission
Components of the communicative process
Communicative space
Figure 3. Conditions for the effectiveness of consulting interaction in the communicative space
Source: (Yevtushenko, 2017; 2019)
organizational component indicates the effectiveness of the organizational conditions of the communication process, and the technological component indicates proper and reliable technical and technological support of the process.
In such conditions, communications are able to provide the necessary level of information exchange between structural elements both at the stage of formation of demand for a consulting service and at the stage of its implementation to the customer enterprise. The effectiveness of managing a consulting company as a separate system will depend on the goals and quality of communications conducted within the framework of internal and external consulting interaction.
3.3. The relationship of communication processes in the communication system of the company
It has been determined (Yevtushenko, 2017) that it is advisable to consider the communication system of the communicative process of consulting interaction within the framework of two styles of interactions - cooperation and competition. Cooperation (collaboration, partnership) as an organizational and economic aspect of consulting interaction forms the processes of coordination
of participants' interaction. Competition (rivalry, conflict) is a form of productive collision of participants in consulting interaction in the struggle for their interests within the framework of the socio-psychological aspect. The effectiveness of communications of consulting interaction is ensured by such specific functions as: informational; 2) value-oriented; 3) regulatory.
A high-quality communication system of the communicative process of consulting interaction (Yevtushenko, 2019) is based on balancing the elements of the socio-management and technical and economic components. In this case, internal and external consulting interaction is organized between the elements within the company's management system and externally accompanied by appropriate professional communications.
The main purpose of the communication system of the communicative process of consulting interaction is to guarantee the necessary and sufficient information exchange within the framework of internal and external interaction. This exchange creates conditions for the rapid exchange of information and the creation of professional messages between external and internal elements of the system, which have the necessary level of information protection at minimal cost.
4. Empirical study
The stage "Diagnosis of the communication system" of the process model for assessing the state of the communication system of internal consulting interaction had a practical implementation. Diagnostics relied on the Top 15 in-demand consulting companies on the Ukrainian consulting services market. These companies were selected by Clutch experts in 2020 among 102 companies. In the study (Yevtushenko & Halimon, 2021), based on these data, a leadership matrix was formed, taking into account the typology of F. Kotlyar's competitive strategies. Within the framework of the leadership matrix, the Top 15 consulting companies in Ukraine were divided according to their capabilities in relation to their competitive positions in the market (Table 1).
Table 1
Distribution of the Top 15 consulting companies in Ukraine in the F. Kotliar Leadership Matrix (2020)
Matrix quadrants Number Companies Location
"Leader" 1 Reprezent Kyiv
Challenger 2 Rozdoum Kharkiv
6 Finmodelslab Lviv
3 SalesTech Kyiv
"Nishevik" 4 Addition Advisory Kyiv
5 The Arbridge Kyiv
7 Pragmatic DLT Kyiv
8 Creative Cooperative Odesa
9 Fiddle.Digital Kyiv
10 Azon5 Lviv
"Follower" 11 A-HR Kyiv
12 Keplercode Lviv
13 Indigo Tech Recruiters Kyiv
14 Nullgravity Kyiv
15 Pragmaspace Kharkiv
Source: (Yevtushenko & Halimon, 2021)
In the course of diagnosing the communication system of internal consulting interaction of Ukrainian consulting companies, it was found that the managers
of these companies strive to ensure the effectiveness of the internal communication system, taking into account the elements and tools for managing them. At the same time, companies operate in the unstable competitive environment of Ukrainian reals under the influence of the economic and political crisis.
At the first stage of diagnosing the communication system of internal consulting interaction, we will conduct a SWOT analysis of nine consulting companies that are in the "Follower" square of the F. Kotlyar leadership matrix. Note that these companies have little experience in the market of consulting services, the purpose of which is the opportunity to become market leaders. Let find the strengths and weaknesses of these companies according to the object of study - the communication system of internal consulting interaction (Table 2).
Based on the results of the analysis of strengths and weaknesses, it found that the communication system of internal consulting interaction of companies located in the "Follower" square of the F. Kotlyar leadership matrix has all the conditions for effective communications within companies. The communications of these companies are implemented with the help of modern tools through communication channels, and the consultant-managers have professional experience working with them. However, communication channels of internal consulting interaction between companies are still scattered. It has been established that in the development of internal communications, the majority of consultants are passively involved, focusing most on paper communication channels. It marked that companies in the process of developing a communication system for internal consulting interaction do not take into account regulations and information standards against the backdrop of the existing corporate culture.
At the second stage of diagnosing the communication system of internal consulting interaction of the studied consulting companies, we will identify the opportunities and threats of their system in order to develop directions for their further research (Table 3).
Table 2
Strengths and weaknesses of Ukrainian companies located in the "Follower" square of F. Kotlyar's leadership matrix
Strengths Weaknesses
- development of informal communications; - information obedience of the staff; - information memory, taking into account the experience of consultants in working with tools and communication channels of internal consulting interaction; - high level of loyalty and commitment to the company; - availability of elements for building a communication system of consulting interaction; - fulfillment of the conditions for conducting effective communications; - Presence of traditions and corporate culture. - differences in communication channels; - insufficient support of the communication system by information technologies; - focus on paper communication channels; - passivity of staff participation in the development of the communication system; - Lack of information standards in the company, regulations and information cleaning system (blocking and deleting outdated information).
Source: built by authors
Table З
Opportunities and threats of Ukrainian companies, located in the Follower square of the F. Kotliar leadership matrix
Opportunities Threats
- increasing productivity in the process of building a communications optimization system; - improving the quality of interaction between consultants in the company; - reorientation of consultants' communications from "where to find out" to "where is more accurate information"; - carrying out activities to attract consultants to active participation in the implementation of the communication system of internal consulting interaction; - constant updating of information support of the consultants' communication system; - development of information policy and standards of consulting services; - development of communication skills of consultant-managers by management levels. - free filling of the information vacuum with incorrect information; - violation of the communication system of internal consulting interaction in the company; - reducing the productivity of consultants in the process of finding information; - theft of professional information; - production losses during the transmission of information with distortion; - information disorientation of consultants in the company; - resistance to change; - reduction of consultants' involvement in the system of communications of internal consulting interaction, as a consequence of loyalty.
Source: built by authors
Based on the results of the analysis of opportunities and threats, it found that the communication system of internal consulting interaction of companies located in the "Follower" square of the F. Kotlyar leadership matrix has potential opportunities for the development of this system against the background of existing threats. These companies are constantly updating information support and technological equipment. Consultant-managers of companies develop information policy and standards of consulting services. In the course of the work of the companies under study, measures were taken to improve the communication skills of consultants-managers at the relevant levels of management. These opportunities affect the increase in the loyalty of consultants and the growth of their productivity, which guarantees the receipt of planned income in the future.
However, in the companies under study, against the background of opportunities, there are threats associated with the theft of valuable information and production losses during the transmission of information with distortion. Informational disorientation of consultants in the company and constant violations on the part of consultants have a negative impact on increasing the loyalty of consultants and their productivity. In addition, measures associated with the introduction of new software or equipment into the activities of companies accompanied by resistance to change.
According to the results of the SWOT analysis, it was found that in the practice of the companies under study, sometimes there are violations in the communication system of internal consulting interaction, characterized by a lag, or management processes from technological support, or vice versa. These shortcomings, consultant-managers seek to mend. However, in most cases, the studied consulting
companies located in the Follower square of the F. Kotlyar leadership matrix have young specialists among consultant managers with little work experience and a set of competencies.
5. Recommendations
In order to address the issues of increasing the productivity of the consultant-managers of the companies, which are located in the "Follower" square of the leadership matrix of F. Kotlyar, we propose to revise the set of their competencies.
The dissertation research (Yevtushenko, 2019) presents a scientific and methodological approach to building the "Effective Consultant" model of a consulting company. The result of this approach was the developed set of key competencies for each group of consultants (manager consultant, expert consultant, specialist consultant) within the framework of the "Intellectual resource" package according to the levels of human capital development. The research substantiats that such an approach will allow companies to effectively use the intellectual knowledge of employees as a sustainable competitive advantage and achieve a high economic effect in the shortest possible time. The necessity and importance of this approach brought up in the article "Dependence of the knowledge structure of the company employees on a set of the competencies" (Yevtushenko, Kuzminska & Kovalova, 2021).
Since the consultant-manager administers the communicative process of consulting interaction, let consider his activities in more detail. A consultant-manager, from the standpoint of the content of his characteristics, is a specialist endowed with the functions of a leader in managing a business and its individual business processes, taking into account the goal-setting system in a strategic perspective
(Yevtushenko, 2017). In the practice of a consulting company, a consultant-manager is:
- an official who has access to the communication system of expert consultants and specialists, software and hardware, business information and communication processes;
- the main coordinator and organizer of the communication system of internal consulting interaction and manages the communication processes formed in the course of this interaction;
- responsible for the results of the formation and implementation of consulting interaction (internal and external) and the efficiency of the consulting company.
Considering the foregoing, it is proposed to add to the existing competencies of a consultant-manager those that are scientifically based following the "Effective Consultant" model (Yevtushenko, 2019), in particular:
- Ability to comply with ethical behavior and the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics (Organizational Model of Corporate Culture) established at the state or international level;
- Knowledge of planning changes and developing new projects;
- Ability to evaluate and ensure the quality of work (projects) and decisions;
- Interaction risk management skills, including risk identification (prevention, reduction, transfer, acceptance, contingencies) and the ability to assess it;
- The ability to deepen knowledge and improve skills, based on the experience of one's own and other past tasks;
- Knowledge of corporate culture.
6. Conclusions
The results of the process model within the framework of the scientific and methodological approach to assessing the communication system of the communicative process of consulting interaction are indicators of the management system that characterize:
- the effectiveness of the management system, expressed through the results of the company's
References:
activities in accordance with the financial statements;
- the content and organization of the management process, expressed through indicators of managerial work (indicators of labor productivity);
- the effectiveness of the organizational structure and its activities (the norms of corporate culture and management standards, standards of consulting services, contractual terms for the distribution of rights and responsibilities of consultants, etc. have been adopted).
If, according to the results of the process model, within the framework of the scientific and methodological approach to assessing the communication system of internal consulting interaction, the activities of managers are not productive, then the consulting company does not achieve the planned financial results. To solve problematic issues in the process of internal consulting interaction, it is advisable for the manager to develop measures to improve this system.
In this direction, the consultant-manager of the company is obliged to optimize the organizational structure of management, find the criteria for the productivity of consultants and set their standard values within their own company. It is also desirable for the company's consultant manager to redistribute the rights and obligations of consultants (experts and specialists), determine the set of consultants' competencies in accordance with the "Effective Consultant" model with the help of outside experts, and plan activities to improve the qualifications of consultants. In such a coordinated management system, the manager of a consulting company will understand the level of competence of his consultants, which will affect the revision of the level of expenses for the salaries of consultants and the system of their motivation. The consultant of such a company will show an emotional attachment to the leadership and give himself fully to his potential. As a result, the value of the existing communication system of internal consulting interaction is able to develop staff loyalty, which will accompanied by the effect of communicative convergence and the receipt of planned income.
Aleshnikova, V. I. (2000). The concept of development of management consulting in the Russian Federation (Theoretical and methodological aspect). Doctoral dissertation. State University of Management. Moscow. Bartels, Jos, Ad Pruyn, Menno de Jong, & Inge Joustra (2007). Multiple Organizational Identification Levels and the Impact of Perceived External Prestige and Communication Climate. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 28(2), 173-190.
Blalock, M. (2005). Listen up, why good communication is good business. Wisconsin: Business Alumni update. Block, P. (2007). Flawless consulting. St. Petersburg: Peter, 170.
Blinov, A. A., & Dresvyannikov, V. A. (2013). Management consulting: Moscow: Dashkov and K°.
Clark, T. (1995). Managing Consultants: Consultancy as the Management of Impressions. Bristol: Open University Press.
Chmielecki M. (2015). Factors Influencing Effectiveness of Internal communication. Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, 23(2), 24-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7206/mba.ce.2084-3356.139
Daly F., Teague P., & Kitchen P. (2003). Exploring the role of internal communication during organisational change Corporate communications International magazine, 8(3), 153-162. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1108/13563280310487612
Dolphin, R. R. (2005). Internal Communications: Today's Strategic Imperative. Journal of Marketing Communications, 11(3), 171-190. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1352726042000315414
Fedorchenko, A. V, & Kirilova, O. V. (2004). Marketing
nications of the enterprise. Economics and entrepreneurship, 12: 70-80. (in Ukrainian)
Gramatnikovski, S., Stoilkovska, A., & Serafimovic, G. (2015). Business Communication in Function of
Improving the Organizational Culture of the Company. UTMS Journal of Economics, 6(2), 267-279.
Greiner, L. E., & Metzger, R. O. (1983). Consulting to management. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall.
Gudz, O. E., & Strelnikova, S. Yu. (2018). Innovative models of enterprise management based on information
and communication technologies. Economy. Management. Business, 1, 4-11. (in Ukrainian)
Hynes, G. (2005). Managerial communications: Strategies and applications. New York, NY: McGrawHill/Irwin.
Kipping, M. (1999). American Management Consulting Companies in Western Europe, 1910s - 1990s:
Products, Reputation, and Relationships. Business History Review, 73/2, 190-220.
Kraut, A., Pedigo, P. R., McKenna, D., & Dunnette, M. (1989). The Role of the Manager: What's Really
Important in Different Management Jobs. Academy of Management Executive (November), 286-293.
Leikhif, J. M., & Penrose, J. M. (2001). Business communications. St. Petersburg: Piter.
Marinko, G. I. (2005). Management consulting: Textbook. Moscow: INFRA-M.
O'Mahony, J. (2010). Management consulting. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Porter M. (2011). Competitive strategy. Technique of the analysis of branches of competitors. Per. from English. 4th ed. Moscow. Alpina Publisher.
Safran, S. (2010). The communication process and school based consultation: What does the research say? Journal of Education and Psychological Consultation, 2(4), 343-370.
Shane, E. (1969). Process consultation: its role in the development of an organization. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley.
Trofimova, O. K. (2002). Methods of ensuring the effectiveness of consulting services in industrial enterprises. The dissertation of the candidate of economic sciences. National Aerospace University them M. E. Zhukovsky "Kharkov Aviation Institute". Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
Udegbe, Maurice Inedegbor, Ogundipe Kehinde Ahmed, and Akintola Omobola Ganiyat Kareem. (2012). Impact of business communication on organizational performance in Nigerian companies. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, 2(1), 16-26.
Verba, V. A. (2012). Management consulting of enterprise development. Doctoral dissertation. Kyiv national economic university name of Vadim Hetman. Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)
Yevtushenko, N. O. (2017). Mechanism of consulting interaction of enterprises in the market of telecommunication services of Ukraine: monograph. Kyiv: SIC GROUP Ukraine. (in Ukrainian)
Yevtushenko, N. O. (2019). Organizational and economic mechanism of consulting interaction of enterprises of Ukraine. Doctoral dissertation. State University of Telecommunications. Kyiv. (in Ukrainian) Yevtushenko, N., Kuzminskaya, N., & Kovalova, T. (2021). Dependence of the knowledge structure of company employees on a set of competencies. Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal, 6(2), 699. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25046/aj060281 (in Ukrainian)
Yevtushenko, N., & Halimon, T. (2021). Consulting in the Ukrainian market of services and its competitive advantages, Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, 7(4), 72-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2021-7-4-72-84 (in Ukrainian)
Yuksvyarav, R. K., Khabakuk, M. Ya., & Leimann, Ya. A. (1988). Management consulting: theory and practice. Moscow: Economics.
