Open Access

Historical Evolution, Strategic Transformation, and Methodological Foundations of Business Consulting in the European and Digital Economy

pdf

Dr. Michael R. Thornton ¹ ,

⁴ Department of Management Studies, University of Rotterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

Business consulting has evolved as a distinctive professional field shaped by historical economic transformations, changing organizational needs, and the progressive sophistication of managerial knowledge. From its early emergence alongside industrial capitalism in Europe to its contemporary role in digitally transformed economies, consulting has continuously redefined its value proposition, methods, and epistemological foundations. This article develops an original, theory-driven analysis of the historical evolution, strategic orientation, and methodological underpinnings of business consulting, with a particular focus on Europe and small and medium-sized enterprises. Drawing strictly on established economic histories, consulting practice literature, and information systems research, the study integrates macroeconomic context with micro-level consulting practices. The paper adopts a qualitative, interpretive methodology grounded in case research traditions to synthesize insights from economic history, pricing theory, professional services strategy, and digital transformation studies. The findings reveal that consulting has transitioned from expert-driven advisory models toward value-based, customer-centric, and digitally mediated forms of engagement. This evolution reflects broader shifts from industrial to knowledge-based economies and from hierarchical management to networked organizational forms. The discussion highlights theoretical implications for understanding consulting as both an economic institution and a knowledge-intensive service, while also identifying limitations related to contextual dependency and methodological generalizability. The article concludes by outlining future research directions that address the increasing complexity of consulting in digitally transformed and globally interconnected markets.

Keywords

Business consulting, economic history, digital transformation, professional services

References

Aldcroft, D. and Penelis, G. (1993). The European Economy 1914–1990. Routledge.

Arthur D. Little (2017). About us – History. Adlittle.com.

Baker, R.J. (2010). Implementing Value Pricing: A Radical Business Model for Professional Firms. John Wiley & Sons.

Benbasat, I. (1987). The case research strategy in studies of information systems case research. MIS Quarterly.

Bensberg, F. (2016). Digitale Transformation und IT-Zukunftsthemen im Spiegel des Arbeitsmarkts für IT-Berater – Ergebnisse einer explorativen Stellenanzeigenanalyse. MKWI Proceedings.

Berend, I.T. (2006). An Economic History of Twentieth-Century Europe: Economic Regimes from Laissez-Faire to Globalization. Cambridge University Press.

Bly, R.W. (1998). The Six-Figure Consultant: How to Start (or Jump-Start) Your Consulting Career and Earn $100,000+ a Year. Upstart Publishing Company.

Booz Allen Hamilton (2017). Meet Ed. Boozallen.com.

Buhse, W. (2014). Management by Internet: Neue Führungsmodelle für Unternehmen in Zeiten der digitalen Transformation. Kulmbach.

Christensen, C.M., Hall, T., Dillon, K. and Duncan, D.S. (2016). Know your customers’ jobs to be done. Harvard Business Review.

Dubé, L. and Paré, G. (2003). Rigor in information systems positivist case research: Current practices, trends, and recommendations. MIS Quarterly, 27(4), 597–635.

Eisenhardt, K.M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.

Gallagher, K.P. et al. (2010). The requisite variety of skills for IT professionals. Communications of the ACM, 53(6), 144.

Hanelt, A. et al. (2015). Digital transformation of primarily physical industries – Exploring the impact of digital trends on business models of automobile manufacturers. WI Proceedings.

Kovalchuk, A. (2025). Complex model of business consulting for small and medium-sized enterprises. Theory, methodology and practice of implementation. https://doi.org/10.25313/kovalchuk-monograph-2025-90

Deelmann, T. (2015). Managementberatung in Deutschland. Wiesbaden.

Burda, D. and Teuteberg, F. (2013). Investigating the needs, capabilities and decisionmaking mechanisms in digital preservation. Information Resources Management Journal, 26(3), 17–39.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > >>

International Journal of Management and Business Development

Historical Evolution, Strategic Transformation, and Methodological Foundations of Business Consulting in the European and Digital Economy

Abstract

Keywords

References

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles