CS Intermediate Level

Research, Consultancy and Advisory cheat sheet

Every chapter's key points, formulas and definitions on one page, for the last week before the exam. Each heading links to the chapter that explains it.

Theories and models of research, consultancy and advisory

Social-systems theory treats an organisation as interconnected parts, so a research or consulting intervention in one part affects the whole.
Argyris's intervention theory holds that an effective intervention generates valid information, preserves the client's free, informed choice and builds internal commitment, rather than imposing a solution.
Blake and Mouton's consultation theory sets out consulting styles ranging from purely providing information to fully prescribing a solution.
Weisbord's Six-Box Model diagnoses organisational health across purposes, structure, relationships, rewards, leadership and helpful mechanisms.
The theory of planned behaviour (intention shaped by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control) and innovation diffusion theory (ideas spreading from early adopters to the majority) explain whether advice is acted on and adopted.

Key terms

Social-systems theory: Views an organisation as an interconnected system of parts, so a research or consulting intervention in one part affects the whole (the systems thinking covered in CS Management Principles and Practice, applied here to research and advisory work).
Social network theory: Explains behaviour and information flow through the pattern of relationships (networks) connecting people, relevant to how consulting advice and influence actually spread within a client organisation.
Situated learning theory: Holds that learning happens most effectively embedded in real social and practical context, not abstracted from it, relevant to how coaching and facilitation are designed (see the chapters on each).
Otherness and Parasites theory: Examines how an outside party (a consultant, cast as 'other') can both draw value from and add value to a host organisation, a lens on the consultant's ambiguous insider/outsider position.
The Intervention Theory of Argyris: Chris Argyris's theory holds that an effective intervention generates valid information, preserves the client's free, informed choice, and builds their internal commitment to whatever is decided, rather than imposing a solution.
Blake and Mouton's Consultation Theory: Identifies distinct consulting styles (built on their earlier Managerial Grid work) ranging from purely providing information to fully prescribing a solution.
Weisbord's Theory of Organisational Diagnosis: Marvin Weisbord's 'Six-Box Model' diagnoses organisational health across purposes, structure, relationships, rewards, leadership and helpful mechanisms.
Theory of Planned Behaviour: Holds that intention, shaped by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control, is the immediate driver of behaviour, relevant to why a client organisation does or doesn't act on advice.
Innovation diffusion theory: Rogers's theory of how new ideas and practices spread through a population over time, from early adopters to the majority, relevant to how consulting recommendations actually get adopted.
General Deterrence Theory: Holds that the likelihood and severity of consequences shape whether misconduct is deterred, relevant background for the ethics and compliance content in the chapter on conducting consultative services and in CS Corporate Governance and Ethics.

The rest of the sheet covers

Introduction to research
The research process
Research proposals, report writing and referencing
Introduction to advisory and consultancy
The advisory discipline
Conducting consultative and advisory services
Facilitation skills
Coaching skills
The consulting process
Managing a consulting firm
Managing the consultancy and advisory process cycle
Case studies in research, consultancy and advisory
Exam technique and revision
Glossary