Disposiciones especiales

SDG’s push into India began in 1995 through a joint venture with ECS Limited, an Indian management consulting fi rm. In 2007, SDG acquired ECS’

strategy practice, and over the next six months, opened offi ces in Bangalore, Gurgaon and Mumbai. To further serve its growing client base outside the U.S., SDG opened an offi ce in Beirut in 2008 and in Singapore in 2009.

Vault Guide to the Top 50 Management and Strategy Consulting Firms, 2011 Edition Strategic Decisions Group

GETTING HIRED

As SDG is a smaller fi rm, prospective candidates have a narrow window of specifi c qualifi cations and personalities they need to exhibit if they’re to be seriously considered. “Top candidates probably have an engineering undergraduate degree, an MBA from a top-tier institution or a PhD in engineering or economic systems,” an associate points out. As if the requisite degree of technical expertise weren’t enough, the applicant pool is further limited by the fi rm’s hesitance to hire tech-savvy candidates who don’t possess “all the usual consulting skills and business savvy.” “Facility in verbal expression”

is a real recruitment priority at SDG; whoever can’t pass the “six-hour-fl ight rule” will be passed over, regardless of qualifi cations.

“Typically, a candidate goes through fi ve to six rounds of interviews,” an insider reveals, while another concurs that “the process is quite rigorous.”

Quantitative and analytical competency is a defi nite focus of the process (expect several case studies), though cultural fi t is also intensely scrutinized.

“We are very careful to screen for a match with our values and culture. Sharks are not welcome,” says a candid source. “Competent critical thinkers”

should excel in the process, but the specter of personality always looms overhead; those lacking leadership and communication skills will likely struggle.

OUR SURVEY SAYS

Corporate Atmosphere

Vault’s Verdict: SDG consultants are “enormously satisfi ed” working at the fi rm, glad to sing the praises of what they consider to be one of the fl attest, least hierarchical fi rms around.

Overall Satisfaction

• “I engage in professional activities that I fi nd enormously satisfying.” – Senior consultant

• “My job is challenging, demanding and interesting. My colleagues are among the nicest in the industry. My responsibilities continue to expand—there’s never a dull moment.” – Executive-level source

• “We have a great set of colleagues engaged in serving clients with the best methodologies available, and a wonderful, high-integrity collaborative environment that values individual initiative. What more could anyone ask for?” – East Coast partner

• “The job gives me just about the right amount of challenge and excitement.” – Energy consultant

Firm Culture

• “SDG is a fi rm characterized by an open, honest and supportive culture. We have worked hard to avoid being a political organization, and that has paid off. Our systems, processes and culture all support a collegial work environment and meritocracy. There is very little interpersonal competition.” – Senior staffer

• “We have two policies: Treat others well and never deceive.” – Consultant

• “Socially, it feels like having friends around. Politically, it’s a very open, fl at and honest culture. Professionally, we’re hardworking and expect the most out of you.” – Private equity analyst

• “They say the fi rm has no sharp elbows, and it seems to be true. For the most part, everyone shares knowledge, invites input and is striving to increase the pie for all, rather than grab a larger piece of the pie for themselves.” – Palo Alto insider

Supervisor Relationships

• “Our CEO once said that SDG is a place for people who don’t want to be bossed and don’t want to be a boss.” – Senior consultant

• “I have an excellent relationship with my supervisor. It is characterized by mutual respect, high trust, great warmth and collegiality, good humor, fun, empowerment and good support when needed.” – East Coast higher-up

• “We have a fl at organization and nurturing culture.” – California partner

Hours & Pay

Vault’s Verdict: As far as hours are concerned, SDG consultants have more than their fair share. But instead of griping about it, they put their independence to good use, maximizing their energies and agendas to great effect.

Work Hours

• “The fi rm does not focus on hours—but rather on the results that we produce. There is tremendous personal freedom and responsibility.” – West Coast insider

• “Hours fl uctuate a lot, but I have decent control and can secure time for private/family activities.” – Energy associate

• “In theory I work part time, however 2009 was a very demanding year and I was happy to put in the extra hours for the good of the fi rm and our long-term success.” – Partner

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Work/Life Balance

• “SDG is totally fl exible. When there is a push, we all pitch in. When there is a lull, nobody is investigating your down time.” – Associate

• “Balance is a very personal thing. SDG makes it possible for individuals to fi nd ways to create balance. It takes initiative to fi gure out what you need and to ask for it, and SDG is very willing to support what it can.” – Palo Alto staffer

• “I found it best to take extra weeks off to be able to pursue my personal interests. That works well.” – Executive-level source

Travel Requirements

• “Travel is purely driven by project requirements. For project supervisors and senior content experts, on-site time is less than for engagement managers and consultants working closely with client project teams.” – California midlevel

• “We spend our time on the client’s site, and (of course) we have no local clients.” – Senior source

• “I am out of offi ce 50 to 60 percent of the time. Travel is a requirement to fulfi ll my roles and responsibility.” – Senior consultant

Compensation

• “Compensation is adequate. In fl ush years, bonuses can be quite generous. Consultant bonuses are based primarily on utilization relative to one’s peer group.” – West Coast insider

• “Like all fi rms, compensation at SDG was impacted by the recession, but not signifi cantly, and we retained all of our employees.” – Midlevel consultant

• “I don’t care to be making the most that is possible in the consulting business. Rather, I want a great total professional satisfaction with a high quality of life. SDG allows me to achieve that.” – Senior source

Professional Development

Vault’s Verdict: While budgetary restrictions have claimed some of the surplus training opportunities at SDG, it’s not enough to dampen consultants’ praises for the core offerings.

Formal Training

• “Overall, the training and professional development at SDG is excellent. All new employees take the two-week consulting workshop, which lays the foundation. The fi rm offers several other courses through Stanford and in-house.” – West Coast junior

• “SDG has an extensive and world-class training curriculum. While consultants learn a tremendous amount on the job through project experiences and mentoring, virtually all consultants receive formal classroom training each year.” – Partner

• “We have excellent training by some of the best instructors I have ever had.” – Analyst

Promotion Policies

• “For standard consultants, the promotion policy is well articulated and consultants advance at a pace consistent with their abilities.” – Education associate

• “This is a clear meritocracy—it’s not strictly up or out; in some cases, consultants have asked to cut back their time, which the fi rm accommodates in most cases. This could delay time to partner.” – Strategy insider

• “Sometimes it is hard for new hires to grasp the reality that every partner and director wants that person to advance to partnership as quickly as possible—it’s in their self interest. There is no ceiling.” – Energy partner

Diversity

Vault’s Verdict: Consultants point to the fi rm’s historically high GLBT population and the relatively high percentage of female partners as evidence of SDG’s commitment to diversity.

Diversity Issues With Respect to Women, Minorities, and GLBTs

• “SDG is among the best fi rms for GLBT staff. Over the years, we have had quite a few GLBT staff and partners.” – Management partner

• “Women do quite well at SDG; over 20 percent of our partners are women. It would be higher, but the reality is that many women of child-bearing age tend to eventually choose jobs that do not require so much travel.” – West Coast staffer

• “The fi rm is excellent in accepting individuals from all quadrants.” – Energy associate

Overall Business Outlook

Vault’s Verdict: Business plummeted in 2009 for SDG, but the fi rm outshone its competition by keeping morale high and its consultants at ease.

That approach should pay off as the economy kicks back into gear.

Vault Guide to the Top 50 Management and Strategy Consulting Firms, 2011 Edition Strategic Decisions Group

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Vault Guide to the Top 50 Management and Strategy Consulting Firms, 2010 Edition Strategic Decisions Group

Overall Business Outlook

• “First-quarter 2010 results and prospects greatly improved over 2009.” – Analyst

• “Our clients are fi nding a greater need for our quantitative approach as the economy rebounds. The market is impatient and has little use for soft pitches. People want a solid explanation of the foundations of their strategy, not just a well-spun story.” – Experienced insider

• “The market is way down, but we’re hanging on.” – West Coast partner

• “SDG is a small and nimble fi rm, and has managed to weather the economy well. That’s not to say things haven’t been diffi cult; client

engagements are shorter than they used to be, and there has been pressure to discount rates. However, rather than lay off staff, the entire staff took a pay cut in an effort to share the pain.” – Senior source

Confi dence in Firm Leadership

• “The fi rm seems to be focused on all the right things—excellent client delivery, winning new work, and using the downturn to develop staff and investigate new services so we can emerge even stronger.” – Associate

• “Our leaders are very experienced and very intellectually honest.” – Strategy consultant

• “We are led by the founders of decision analysis and by the many people who were attracted by the intellectual challenge and the culture, and believed it was worth working to preserve and grow.” – Analyst

PRESTIGE RANKING

UPPERS

• “1:4 director-to-consultant ratio”

• “Global clientele”

• “Big enough for opportunities, small enough for entrepreneurship”

DOWNERS

• “Little structure to internal operations”

• “High cost consciousness”

• “Lack of a wide service base”

THE STATS

Use the online application form at www.prtm.com/careers 77 Fourth Avenue

Customer Experience Innovation • Operational Strategy • Product & Service Innovation • Supply Chain Innovation

• “Results-oriented”

THE SCOOP

Op-center

“Even the most brilliant business strategies fail without the right operational strategy.” So says PRTM’s corporate brochure, going on to defi ne a winning operational strategy as something that translates a fi rm’s “direction into operational reality, creating strategic competitive advantage.” That, in a nutshell, is what PRTM sets out to do for its clients: to gain an idea of a fi rm’s overall direction and help them to reach their destination through innovative operational strategies for products, supply chains and customer experience. Of course, as a consulting fi rm, PRTM is a little more jargon-tastic than that, as can be seen from its full list of capabilities: “accelerating operational clockspeed, achieving sustainability, developing breakthrough products, driving asset utilization, driving top-line growth, expanding global presence, improving cost structure, managing organizational change, maximizing acquisitions and alliances, navigating regulatory change and strengthening customer loyalty.”

The fi rm serves its customers from 19 offi ces in eight countries around the world, and maintains a footprint on four continents. Clients come from a diverse array of industries, including aerospace and defense, automotive, communications and media, chemical and process industries, consumer goods, electronics and computing, energy, fi nancial services, health care, industrial, life sciences, private equity, public sector, software and telecommunications.