Managing the professional service firm / David H. Maister.
By: Maister, David H.
Material type: BookPublisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, 1997Description: xvi, 376 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. + pbk.ISBN: 0684834316 .Subject(s): Professional corporations -- Management | Industrial managementDDC classification: 658Item type | Current library | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Lending | MTU Bishopstown Library Lending | 658 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 00017977 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
International expert and consultant David Maister offers a brilliant and accessible guide to every management issue at play in professional firms.
Professional firms differ from other business enterprises in two distinct ways: first, they provide highly customized services and thus cannot apply many of the management principles developed for product-based industries. Second, professional services are highly personalized, involving the skills of individuals. Such firms must therefore compete not only for clients but also for talented professionals.
Drawing on more than ten years of research and consulting to these unique and creative companies, David Maister explores issues ranging from marketing and business development to multinational strategies, human resources policies to profit improvement, strategic planning to effective leadership. While these issues can be complex, Maister simplifies them by recognizing that "every professional service firm in the world, regardless of size, specific profession, or country of operation, has the same mission statement: outstanding service to clients, satisfying careers for its people, and financial success for its owners."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 365-366) and index.
Part One: Basic matters -- A question of balance -- The professional firm life cycle -- Profitability: Health and hygiene -- Solving the underdelegation problem -- Part Two: Client matters -- The practice development package -- Listening to clients -- Quality work doesn't mean quality service -- A service quality program -- Marketing to existing clients -- How clients choose -- Attracting new clients -- Managing the marketing effort -- Part Three: People matters -- How's your asset? -- How to build human capital -- The motivation crisis -- On the importance of scheduling -- On the meaning of partnership -- Surviving the people crisis -- Part Four: Management matters -- How practice leaders add value -- How to create a strategy -- Fast-track strategy -- Part Five: Partnership matters -- Partner performance counseling -- The art of partner compensation -- Patterns in partner compensation -- Pie-splitting -- Partnership governance -- Part Six: Multisite matters -- The one-firm firm -- Hunters and farmers -- Making the network work -- Creating the collaborative firm -- Coordinating industry specialty groups -- Part Seven: Final thoughts -- Asset management.
Table of contents provided by Syndetics
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part 1 Basic Matters
- 1 A Question of Balance
- 2 The Professional Firm Life Cycle
- 3 Profitability: Health and Hygiene
- 4 Solving the Underdelegation Problem
- Part 2 Client Matters
- 5 The Practice Development Package
- 6 Listening to Clients
- 7 Quality Work Doesn't Mean Quality Service
- 8 A Service Quality Program
- 9 Marketing to Existing Clients
- 10 How Clients Choose
- 11 Attracting New Clients
- 12 Managing the Marketing Effort
- Part 3 People Matters
- 13 How's Your Asset?
- 14 How to Build Human Capital
- 15 The Motivation Crisis
- 16 On the Importance of Scheduling
- 17 On the Meaning of Partnership
- 18 Surviving the People Crisis
- Part 4 Management Matters
- 19 How Practice Leaders Add Value
- 20 How to Create a Strategy
- 21 Fast-Track Strategy
- Part 5 Partnership Matters
- 22 Partner Performance Counseling
- 23 The Art of Partner Compensation
- 24 Patterns in Partner Compensation
- 25 Pie-Splitting
- 26 Partnership Governance
- Part 6 Multisite Matters
- 27 The One-Firm Firm
- 28 Hunters and Farmers
- 29 Making the Network Work
- 30 Creating the Collaborative Firm
- 31 Coordinating Industry Specialty Groups
- Part 7 Final Thoughts
- 32 Asset Management
- References and Sources
- Index