Research and the Competition

I was talking through a report with a client the other day. I usually offer the client a bibliography of some of the texts I used while researching the report (yes - most consultants do research. We don't just think this stuff up - it has some real legitimacy). To be honest, most clients don't want it since it seems to remind them of being in school - and some clients feel that it makes the report too academic (although it will be the same text with or without the footnotes and endnotes).

On this occasion, however, my client was enthusiastic about the bibliography and we had quite a discussion about research. I am fortunate in having a number of sources available to me. As a member of the London Business School alumni, I have access to their library, both online and on site. I have access to the Institute of Directors information sources. I have access to discussion boards all over the world. And I have access, through the delights of Google, to thousands of blogs from other consultants, economists, strategists....

It was this source that my client found most interesting. He seemed amazed that information is exchanged in this way - and relieved that most postings kept clients and client information anonymous. He asked my my list of favourites - and I'm delighted to share that with the world.

• Geotrupes - "An inside take from the outside" written  by James Dunning is a great source of comment and information about the legal sector.
• Freek Vermeulen - "Strategy Freek" written by an Associate Professor at London Business School who writes about Economics in a simple and straight forward way
• Robert Salomon - his own blog. An Associate Professor of Management at Stern
• Kim Warren - "...talking about Strategy". Another Professor from London Business School who got me into Strategy Dynamics (the "cat's eyes" of the strategy world, in my opinion)
• Management Consultant's Blog - from Top-Consulting. Never quite as good as I wish it would be, but occasionally something interesting there.
• Husdal - "Supply Chain Risk Management and beyond". Ok - a little specialist, but interesting, honestly
• Tim Harford - "The Undercover Economist". Hosted by the FT, this is a great read.
• The Secret Consultant - "Tales from the coalface of consulting". This looks like a new blog, but I enjoyed the first couple of posts. Not particularly helpful for business research, granted, but amusing and, in my short experience, true.

A small selection of the blogs I either find useful, interesting or amusing - and often all three. I hope you enjoy them.