During today's turbulent times in Hong Kong and China, the need for professional change agent is higher than ever. Organisations need to change … aggressively. Where do they go to seek help? They seek the expertise and advisory of management consultants. The Hong Kong Government spends billions to employ these consultants alone. Major multinationals, local non-government organisation, and even small firms hire them. Throughout the world the call for competent management consultant is on the rise and as an international city, Hong Kong has been demanding more able consultants to assists in its transformation from a mediocre city to a great city. However, consulting firms cannot find them fast enough. Many good management consultants have left for more challenging assignments elsewhere. And more than ever there are only a few able and internationally experienced management consultants in town who have any more spare time…and most of them do not speak Cantonese.

Even if language is not an issue, how good are they? An incompetent doctor can kill the patient. Like a bad doctor a not-yet-competent consultant can ruin and destroy an organisation, its reputation, its staff, its mission, and everything it ever stood for. Additionally, one bad company doctor can indirectly destroy the reputation and contribution of those who have been effective. How do companies recognise company quacks and charlatans? Because anyone can call himself a consultant, even incompetent ones, how do companies select and appoint the appropriate management consultants?

As more and more management professionals are seeking other ways to earn a living, they need an independent body to assess their competencies and allow them to work overseas and in China, where can they go? Working Independently has been one of the fastest growing opportunities for management professionals under the new economy where experts can work overseas and extend their ability to earn with their skills. How can they extend their reputation overseas without the establishment of an independent and internationally recognised institute that can provide certification for professional management consultants?

The answer lies in the establishment of the Institute of Management Consultants in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong General Chamber completed a study of the Management Consulting industry in Hong Kong last year and one of their conclusions was that this is a billion dollar industry that for all practical purposes is unregulated, poorly led, and has no structural training and development for its core resources - its consultants. That study addressed that one of the Achilles' heels of this booming industry is in fact finding, selecting, and training good management consultants. The Trade Development Council also pointed out that the management consultancy industry is in fact a core service industry that can be and should be exported.

If one looks at the history of consulting which basically started in the Industrial Revolution in the West, you will understand that China's Modernisation effort will need a massive quantity and quality of management consultants from Hong Kong.

The Institute of Management Consultants Hong Kong, IMCHK, is the professional body that sets and maintains high standards of quality, independence, objectivity, and integrity for Certified Management Consultants originating in Hong Kong and Macau. Founded in October 2000, IMCHK campaigns for greater recognition and strives to enhance the quality of the profession to match the highest global standards.

The Institute pursues its goals through negotiations with the Government, major consulting firms and clients principally in Hong Kong but also in Greater China on standards, methods of consultant selection, methodologies and best practices, training and development, resolution of disagreement, and discipline and ethics.

A management consultant is an independent qualified person who provides a professional service to business, public, and other management undertakings by:

• Identifying and investigating problems concerned with governance, strategy, policy, markets, organisation, procedures and methods,

• Formulating recommendations for appropriate action by factual investigation and analysis of various options, with due regard for broader management and business applications,

• Discussing and agreeing with the client the most appropriate course of action;

• Providing assistance where required by the client to implement his recommendations. The three main pillars of independence, objectivity, and integrity which are implicit among qualified practitioners of management consulting have been brought together in the Institute's Code of Professional Conduct.

IMCHK wants to:

• Be the voice of the Management Consultants' profession locally with the community and internationally with other IMC member organisations

• Help in converting an 'avocation' into a 'profession' by: "Developing/updating a body of knowledge" Developing /updating a competency model for certification of individuals/firms, to have a common denominator worldwide for management consultants "Orchestrating ongoing development of management consultants and interaction/exchange of ideas and skills locally and globally" Specifying a code of conduct with a worldwide common denominator.

IMCHK is set up as a professional organisation and qualifying body for practising management consultants. Principally only experienced management consultants practicing can join. We however also offer various categories of membership to people who are not practising but are interested at the profession or students who aspire to join the profession in the future. Please refer to our membership information page for details.

Members of the Institute enjoy a variety of benefits and services. They include:

• An internationally recognised professional accreditation/status when you become a certified management consultant (CMC)

• Discounted training sessions in best practices and other continuing development for management consultants

• Being a part of the professional community

• Discounted tuition for the management consultant training

• Display of the CMC logo on business card and letterhead for certified management consultants

• IMCHK's client referral service

Other services that are being planned:

• Discounted premiums on insurance for negligence and omission

• Membership of a medical scheme

• Access to tip sheets and other latest information about the industry via the homepage, www.imchk.com.hk

• Discounted subscription to Journal of Management Consulting

The CMC mark of excellence is used worldwide to identify a certified management consultant whose status is recognised by a national institute, in this case IMCHK, of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI). The International Council provides for reciprocity of recognition of the CMC accreditation provided the receiving institute follows the international model for certification. A list of qualifying national institutes is published on the web site and updated annually (www.icmci.org). Please refer to it or ask your membership subcommittee representative for more information.

By 2001 there will be close to 20 countries accepting reciprocity with Hong Kong through the ICMCI. Now, it is anticipated that more than 50 countries around the world will be accepting it.

• Complete and return the application form with supporting documentation, including agreeing to the Code of Practice, as specified in the form.

• Confirmation of receipt of complete application will be emailed to you within a week

• Membership committee will assess the documentary evidence

• You will be informed within four weeks: Either that the documentary evidence submitted is acceptable and you will be invited for a panel interview (through a follow-up phone call); or that Additional evidence must be supplied within three months of the date of the fax (no interview will be required for Student and Affiliate member applications but sponsorship is necessary)

• Within four weeks after the interview, you will: Either receive a letter confirming that you have been admitted as a IMCHK member and your membership category; or Receive an assessment report stating which areas require further evidence if you wish to re-apply. A new application may be made in six months' time.