A Study of Business Etiquette at

Boston Consulting Group

(In partial fulfilment of the completion of the course Written Analysis & Communication in term II at FORE)

Prepared for
Prof. Dr. Anita T Lal
Fore School of Management

Prepared by
Harshit Vasan
133015
IMG 13

FORE School of Management

21 November 2019
 A Study of Business Etiquette at
Boston Consulting Group
(In partial fulfilment of the completion of the course Written Analysis & Communication in term II at FORE)

Prepared for
Prof. Dr. Anita T Lal
Fore School of Management

Prepared by
Harshit Vasan
133015
IMG 13

FORE School of Management

21 November 2019
 Acknowledgement

I have taken efforts in this report - ‘A Study of Business Etiquettes at Boston Consulting
Group’. However, it would not have been possible without the kind support and help of many
individuals and organizations. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.

I am highly indebted to Dr. Anita Tripathy Lal for her guidance and constant supervision as
well as for providing necessary information regarding the report & also for her support in
completing this report.
I would like to express my gratitude towards my parents and for their kind co-operation and
encouragement which helped me in completion of this report.
I would like to express my special gratitude and thanks to the immensely helpful people from
Boston Consulting Group for giving me such attention and time.
My thanks and appreciations also goes to my colleagues at FORE School of Management in
developing the project and people who have willingly helped me out with their abilities.
 Tower C, 19th Floor, 10, DLF Cyber City,

DLF Phase 2, Gurugram, Haryana 122002

November 20, 2019

Memorandum of Transmittal

TO: Prof. Anita T. Lal, Professor, FORE School of Management

FROM: Harshit Vasan,
FORE School of Management
SUBJECT: A Report on Business Etiquette at Boston Consulting Group

On November 5, 2019, Prof. Anita asked that I submit my report on the Business Etiquettes
in Boston Consulting Group for the Term Project. The report is now finished, and it is
attached to this cover memorandum.
The report is concerned with the major Business Etiquettes being practiced at BCG, taking
into account the Gurugram Campus.
The report was generated after extensive investigation over the last two weeks. I conducted
employee surveys, surveyed the competition and invited an outside consultant to offer his
suggestions.
As a result of my research, I have come to appreciate the superior work being done by the
employees at BCG. Each employee that was surveyed was cordial and polite during the entire
process and helped a lot during the tenure of this research. I am grateful to them and others
who assisted in the report.
If you have any additional questions, I would be pleased to meet with you.
Thank you for the opportunity for letting me work on this report.
 Table of Contents

Particulars Pg. No.

Acknowledgement i
Letter of Transmittal ii
Executive summary iii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 Relevance 1
1.2 Gaps of Literature Review 1
1.3 Purpose of study 2
1.4 Objectives 2
1.5 Brief outlines of chapters 2
Chapter 2: Methodology 3
2.1 Universe of study 3
2.2 Locale of study 3
2.3 Sample size of study 3
2.4 Data collection 3
2.5 Data analysis 4
2.6 Project/ Field experience 4
Chapter 3: Literature review 5
3.1 Brief of Reviewed literature 5
3.2 History and growth of company 8
Chapter 4: Data Analysis; Competitor’s Analysis 10
4.1 SWOT analysis of BCG 10
4.2 SWOT analysis of Competitor 11
4.3 Conclusion 11
Chapter 5: Data Analysis; Business Etiquettes at BCG 12
5.1 Concept of Business Etiquettes in Organizational Communication 12
5.2 Extent to which Etiquettes are important in BCG 12
5.3 Assessment of the business etiquettes of employees 12
Chapter 6: Conclusions and Suggestions 15
6.1 Findings of study 15
6.2 Suggestions of study 15
6.3 Limitations of study 16
6.4 Further scope of study 16
Appendix A I
Appendix B II
Appendix C III
References IV
 Executive Summary

A study of Business Etiquettes at Boston Consulting Group has been conducted and compiled
in the form of a business report.

This report gives an overview of the following:

 Brief introduction about Boston Consulting Group
 Significance of the Study of Business Etiquettes at Boston Consulting Group
 Purpose of conducting such a study
 Findings in the form of a detailed literature review
 Citing numerous examples to strengthen the study

At the conclusion, the report discusses how Boston Consulting Group pertains to certain
Business Etiquettes in a business world and channelize this for an effective business
communication.
This report was published in accordance with the term project at FORE School of
Management under the guidance of Dr. Anita Tripathy Lal.
 Chapter 1
Introduction
Communication is neither the transmission of a message nor the message itself. It is the
mutual exchange of understanding, originating with the receiver. Communication needs to be
effective in business. Communication is the essence of management. The basic functions of
management (Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be
performed well without effective communication.

Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is integral part of

business communication. Organizations these days are very large and involve large number
of people. There are various levels of hierarchy in an organization. Greater the number of
levels, the more difficult is the job of managing the organization. Communication here plays
a very important role in process of directing and controlling the people in the organization.
Immediate feedback can be obtained and misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There
should be effective communication between superiors and subordinated in an organization,
between organization and society at large (for example between management and trade
unions). It is essential for success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps
should not occur in any organization.
This chapter of the report deals with importance of Business Etiquettes in an organization and
their relevance in Business Communication.

1.1 Relevance of the Study

Etiquette and communication are considered “soft” skills, but they are vitally important to the
successful conduct of a business. Appropriate behaviour establishes trust among business
contacts, and a good flow of communication improves the efficiency of any enterprise. Both
of these outcomes can add materially to a business’ bottom line. Good business etiquette
allows a business to put its best foot forward and can protect business owners and employees
from internal and external conflicts by setting a high standard for behaviour by all. Business
etiquette is a set of standards for behaviour in which individuals treat everyone respectfully
and display good manners in all interactions.

1.2 Gaps of the Literature

There was an extensive literature review carried out for the purpose of this report (Please
refer to Chapter 3, Page No:). It has been found that there have been extensive studies that
covered thorough frameworks and implications of Business Communication at Boston
Consulting Group such as the channels of communication and legal aspects of
communication.
However, there have been very few studies pertaining to the Business Etiquettes at
workplace, in this case the Boston Consulting Group, which deal with the effectiveness of
Business Etiquettes in a business environment.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
Based on the literature review and responses from employees of BCG, purpose of the study
was to get in depth knowledge about the organization and business etiquettes practices
followed there. To uncover the factors impacting business etiquettes in workplace. To see
what the current trend is i.e. how is business etiquettes impacting effective communication
and organizational productivity. The study was conducted to identify the gaps in the trends
through literature review mentioned in Chapter 3, page number 5.

1.4 Objectives
Based on the purpose of the study, few objectives have been outlined:
 To do a competitor’s analysis on business etiquettes
 To understand the concept of business etiquettes in effective communication
 To come out with viable suggestions to improve Business Etiquettes at BCG
 To analyse the overall communication at BCG

1.5 Key Terms

 Netiquette: Good business internet/email manners

 Code of Ethics: A set of guidelines for maintaining ethics in the workplace
 Copyright: Employees must abide by all copyright laws
 Workplace: Place where you report to in order to perform a job
 Business Etiquette: Behaviour to be followed in the business world and corporate
culture
 Ethics: The principles of right and wrong behaviour accepted by a group

1.6 Brief outline of the chapters

This section is discussing the brief outline of all the chapters.
Chapter: 1 Introduction- This chapter discusses the relevance, gaps of literature review,
purpose and the objectives of the study.
Chapter: 2 Methodology- In this chapter, methods used to sample the required set of
employees have been described and obtained information from the sample set. It includes the
difficulties faced while fetching the data.
Chapter: 3 Literature Review- Here the research works on business etiquettes by many
researchers has been reviewed. the gaps in the research work have been identified. This
chapter includes the history and growth of BCG in detail.
Chapter: 4 Data Analysis; Competitor’s analysis- From the information obtained in above
chapter, competitor’s analysis was performed. This chapter contains SWOT analysis of BCG
and competitor (LG). Based on competitor’s analysis conclusion was drawn.
Chapter 5 Data Analysis; Business Etiquettes at BCG- This chapter illustrates the concept
of business etiquettes in effective communication, fostering good relationships with clients
evaluates to what extent business etiquettes is important in BCG and assesses the etiquettes of
employees.
Chapter: 6 Conclusion- This chapter illustrates the findings obtained from analyses of the
data, suggestions of study and the limitations of the research. Also discusses regarding the
further scope of study.
 Chapter 2
Methodology

Following the main part: Introduction, section 2 talks about procedure. The techniques ought
to be portrayed in enough detail for the investigation to be reproduced, or if nothing else
rehashed along these lines in another circumstance. Each stage ought to be clarified and
legitimized with clear reasons. In this part, an efficient arrangement for directing examination
on Business Etiquettes has been recorded. An assortment of both subjective and quantitative
research strategies, including study research and optional information, has been drawn.
Quantitative strategies expect to order includes, tally them, and make measurable models to
test speculations and clarify perceptions. Subjective strategies go for a total, point by point
depiction of perceptions, including the setting of occasions and conditions.
2.1 Universe of the Study
An entire segment of study can represent a universe: elderly people, teenagers, institutional
investors, editors, politicians, and so on. Effort must be made to identify the universe that is
most relevant to the issue at hand. In this study, all 19,000 employees in all 5 divisions of
BCG i.e. Operations, Strategy, Consulting, Digital and Technology as a Universe of study
have been considered. Studying the whole universe was not a feasible option due to resource
constraints.
2.2 Locale of the Study
Locale describes the area where the study has been conducted. Locale of Delhi-
NCR(Gurugram) offices in India was considered due to ease of reach. To further narrow
down on the sample size one of the branches i.e. BCG Gurugram Campus was taken into
study.
2.3 Sample size
For identifying a sample of study, convenient sampling technique was considered and
identified sample size of five people appropriate for studying about business etiquettes in
BCG. Each individual was chosen entirely by chance and each member of the population has
an equal chance of being included in the sample. Every possible sample of a given size had
the same chance of selection. 
2.4 Data Collection
For collecting the required data for research, both primary and secondary sources have been
used. For the sample size chosen, questionnaire was referred as the primary source. Questions
formed are attached in appendix B.
Secondary source of data chosen was company website, news and web information and
literature review.
2.5 Data Analysis
The data accumulated using questionnaire and web information was both qualitatively and
quantitatively analysed. Though the sample size was not very large so no statistical tool was
used. Factors considered for analysis are: communication channel, perception, behaviour,
punctuality and business meetings.
The quantitative analyses could not take place due to small sample size.
2.6 Project Experience
While doing a research analysis on Business Etiquettes in BCG, data from employees was
collected. After compiling the factors which impact the efficient Business Etiquettes, weights
were given to them based on the data collected from employees.
One difficulty faced was shortage of time. For an efficient research getting views from a large
number of employees can lead to a good analysis. Many employees could not be reached.
Second difficulty faced was time mismatch. I tried to interview employees but there was time
mismatch and also due to time constraints I had to opt for questionnaire.
However, I feel that the entire process has been a massive learning curve. After conducting
the research, I have a much better understanding of implications of listening and am certain
that this will give me an edge once I enter the corporate world.
 Chapter 3
Literature Review

Following the methodology in chapter 2, chapter 3 discusses about the literature review. This
chapter is divided into two sections: brief of reviewed literature and history and growth of
BCG.
As the literature reviews have been studied various aspects which have been covered under
the concept of Business Etiquettes and its effect on the organization and people working in
it.The primary purpose of this review was to synthesize the current state of the science on
Business Etiquettes in an organization.

3.1 Brief of the Reviewed Literature

Business Etiquette: What Your Students Don't Know

Jean Mausehund, R. Neil Dortch, Paula Brown, Carl Bridges
Business Communication Quarterly, Volume: 58 issue: 4, page(s): 34-38
Issue published: December 1, 1995

“Recent developments in the workplace have supported the need for more awareness of
business etiquette, especially by new employees entering the workforce. This study was
completed to determine the current level of etiquette awareness possessed by students
enrolled in business communication courses at three AACSB institutions. The findings
indicate that students are most concerned with issues related to job interviews, interpersonal
relationships, and social issues and least concerned with intercultural issues.”

Business etiquette., Andrica DC , Nursing Economic$

“As health care executives we must respect our business contacts whether at a meeting, a
meal, or on the phone. Good etiquette can prove to be good business and yield the results
desired.”

Business etiquette in 12 countries: special considerations for female expatriates, Melissa

L. Gruys , Susan M. Stewart , Trupti Patel , www.inderscienceonline.com 2 December
2009

“The current paper provides a summary and highlights issues that are specific to female
expatriates completing assignments in 12 different countries from four regions around the
world. The regions and countries reviewed include North America (USA, Mexico, Canada),
Europe (Spain, France, Italy), Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, Afghanistan) and Asia
(Korea, China, Japan).”

Education in Business Etiquette: Attitudes of Marketing Professionals, Burton F.

Schaffer,Craig A. Kelley &Maryann Goette, Journal of Education for Business , Volume
68, 1993 - Issue 6

“Survey information from marketing professionals was used to evaluate perceptions

regarding business etiquette skills in the business world. Results indicate that etiquette is
indeed important in numerous situations, and in a variety of ways. Education in business
etiquette is essential, and most marketing professionals believe that etiquette should be
included as part of a business school's curriculum.”

Business Ethics in North America: Trends and Challenges, April 2011, Volume 104,
Supplement 1, pp 51–62, Journal of Business Ethics, Joseph A. Petrick,Wesley
Cragg,Martha Sañudo
“Using 15 years of data (1995–2009) from literature reviews, survey questionnaires, personal
interviews, and desktop research, the authors examine North American (Canada, Mexico, and
the United States of America) regional trends in business ethics research, teaching and
training. The patterns indicate that business ethics continues to flourish in North America
with high levels of productivity in both quantity and quality of teaching, training and research
publication outputs.”

When in Rome: a rationale and selection of resources in international business etiquette

and intercultural communication, Diane Zabel and Glenn S. McGuigan, Reference &
User Services Quarterly (Vol. 41, Issue 3.) , American Library Association
“Increased globalization has been one of the most important developments in the past decade.
The Internet has been instrumental in accelerating the growth of business across borders. The
ability to effectively conduct business with trading partners around the world is essential in
the twenty-first century. Savvy companies view the development of international business
etiquette and communication skills as a strategy to distinguish their company from competing
firms. One business educator has cautioned, "Being closely attuned to the orientations of
diverse trading partners is an increasingly important advantage in the highly competitive
global marketplace, where only the very best thrive."”

Business Etiquette in Poland, Germany, France and China: an Intercultural Approach.

Global Management Journal . 2013, Vol. 5 Issue 1/2, p46-52. 7p., ZATOR-PELJAN,
JOANNA
The globalized business world offers a variety of business cooperation possibilities: plenty of
international contracts between particular concerns are being taken into consideration and
then negotiated. The decisive aspects of successful intercultural negotiations are not only
certain contract conditions - they can be perceived as those of important matters. This paper
offers a theoretical investigation into the equally essential items - business etiquette that can
be contemplated as very similar, or completely different, while taking into consideration
different cultural areas.

Business Etiquette in terms of Intercultural Management.

Journal of Tourism & Services . 2014, Vol. 5 Issue 9, p71-81. 11p., Zator-Peljan, Joanna
“The globalized business world offers a variety of business cooperation possibilities:
international contracts between particular concerns are being taken into consideration and
then negotiated. The decisive aspects of a successful intercultural negotiations are not only
the certain contract conditions - they can be perceived as one of important matters. Firstly,
the paper offers a theoretical investigation into the equally essential item - business etiquette
that can be contemplated as very similar or completely different while taking into
consideration various cultural areas.”

The Social Environment: Business Etiquette and Cultural Sensitivity, International

Business Ethics pp 321-340, Stephan Rothlin, Dennis McCann
“The Schindler case addresses the complex issue of crisis management for Western
multinationals operating in Asian settings. In June 2006 a deadly accident killed a high
school student in Minato Ward, Japan. As a result of a software flaw, the boy was slammed
between the doors of a Schindler elevator. Besides the technical failure, the Japanese public
opinion condemned the company’s reaction because it showed insensitivity toward the
victim’s family. Schindler was blamed for focusing on its potential legal liability, rather than
the moral issues.”

Competing on capabilities: The new rules of corporate strategy, Stalk G , Evans P ,

Shulman LE , 01 Mar 1992
“In the 1980s, companies discovered time as a new source of competitive advantage. In the
1990s, they will discover that time is only one piece of a more far-reaching transformation in
the logic of competition. Using examples from Wal-Mart and other highly successful
companies, Stalk, Evans, and Shulman of the Boston Consulting Group provide managers
with a guide to the new world of "capabilities-based competition." In today's dynamic
business environment, strategy too must become dynamic. Competition is a "war of
movement" in which success depends on anticipation of market trends and quick response to
changing customer needs. In such an environment, the essence of strategy is not the structure
of a company's products and markets but the dynamics of its behaviour.”

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS: AN EXAMINATION OF LOGISTICS OUTSOURCING

GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AND GOAL EXCEEDANCE, Jan M. Deepen , Thomas J.
Goldsby , A. Michael Knemeyer, Carl Marcus Wallenburg, 10 May 2011
“As a growing number of managers consider the decision to outsource logistics activities, it is
becoming increasingly critical to understand drivers of success in this area. Using survey data
from 549 managers, this research examines the influence of three relationship engagement
factors (communication, cooperation, and proactive improvement) on the perceived logistics
outsourcing performance achieved by service providers.”

Managing demographic risk, Strack R , Baier J , Fahlander A , 01 Feb 2008

“In developed nations, the workforce is aging rapidly. That trend has serious implications.
Companies could face severe labour shortages in a few years as workers retire, taking critical
knowledge with them. Businesses may also see productivity decline among older employees,
especially in physically demanding jobs. The authors, partners at Boston Consulting Group,
offer managers a systematic way to assess these dual threats--capacity risk and productivity
risk--at their companies. It involves studying the age distribution of their employees to see if
large percentages fall within high age brackets and then projecting--by location, unit, and job
category--how the distribution will change over the next 15 years. Managers must also factor
in both the impact of strategic moves on personnel needs and the future supply of workers in
the market.”

The Experience Curve Reviewed, Michael Deimler, Richard Lesser ,David Rhodes ,
Janmejaya Sinha, 02 January 2012

“This Article explores various aspects of experience curve in the field of strategy evolution.
Experience curve is the name applied in 1966 to overall cost behavior by Boston Consulting
Group (BCG). It can be observed that if high return‐on‐investment thresholds are used to
limit capital investment, then costs do not decline as expected. It can also be observed that
extensive substitution of cost elements and exchange of labour for capital is characteristic of
progress down a cost experience curve.”

Strategy consulting—A shooting star?, AdrianPayne, Cedric Lumsden, June 1990

The use of management consultants to assist the process of strategy development has been the
topic of much interest in recent years. In particular, the strategy consulting firms have
received much attention through their development of, and association with, strategic
frameworks and concepts. Despite this, relatively little is known about the management
consulting industry and even less about the practices of those consultants operating at the
strategic levels in organizations.
Adaptability: The New Competitive Advantage, Martin Reeves , Michael Deimler, 02
January 2012

“The Article emphasizes on the concept of adaptability in the current competitive business
environment. It is discussed in this chapter that to adapt, a company must have its antennae
tuned to signals of change from the external environment, decode them, and quickly refine or
reinvent its business model and even reshape the industry's information landscape. The speed
of adaptation is a function of the cycle time of decision making. In a fast‐moving
environment, companies need to accelerate change by making annual planning processes
lighter and more frequent and sometimes by making episodic processes continual.”

Remarks on Boston Consulting Group Method (BCG), Jan Mikus, Edward Bieleninik,
October 2004

“The situational plan of an enterprise in the market can be determined by means of the BCG
method. The analysis consists in graphical presentation of the spatial distribution of the
enterprise activity conditions. The presentation is made in two dimensional spaces in which
horizontal axis represents the relative participation of the strategic units in the market and
vertical axis represents the market growth rate. In such a coordinate system, enterprise
activity can be visualized by means of the circles.”

How are Methodologies and Tools Framing Managers' Strategizing Practice in

Competitive Strategy Development?, Denise Jarratt , David Stiles, 18 February 2010

“Criticisms have been levelled at the use of traditional strategic tools such as SWOT, PEST
and BCG in contemporary business environments. In light of these criticisms, the objective of
this research is to understand how senior executives engage with methodologies and tools as
they develop competitive strategy. Within a broader strategy‐as‐practice approach, we use an
activity theory framework to capture strategizing insights of senior executives in the UK
responsible for competitive strategy. Our sample includes executives leading manufacturing
organizations embedded in networks and CEOs reported in the financial press as adopting
innovative business models. Our data suggest there is no one preferred practice approach by
these highly regarded executives.”
 On-line shopping is real and growing, says study by Boston Consulting Group,
Chapman, Kimberly, 18 December 1998

A study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on behalf of on-line retailer
association shop.org has found that on-line retail revenues are tripling every year in North
America.The study, which was conducted in the first half of 1998 and compiled data from 93
retailers of 148 who had agreed to participate, found on-line revenues are growing by 200 per cent
annually and are expected to surpass US$13 billion in 1998."It's definitely a real phenomenon.
The market is bigger than we expected and it's growing more rapidly than we expected," said
Scott Stirton, a manager with BCG who ran the case team that worked on the report.

Dynamic Price Models for New-Product Planning, Bruce Robinson, Chet Lakhani, 1 Jun
1995

“The major points established in this paper are: classic marginal pricing is far from optimum
for a rapidly evolving business; more appropriate dynamic models can be formulated if one
has some feeling for the dominant evolutionary forces in the business environment; and,
planning based on the dynamic models can lead to a significant improvement in the long run
profit performance. Two developments in the management science literature, the experience
curve phenomenon and market-penetration models, are used to illustrate the nature of the
dynamic feedback between market and production activity which causes a new growth
business to evolve.”

The development of consulting in goods-based companies, Olaf Ploetner, 23 May 2008

“The article focuses on the developments in several B2B companies which traditionally
produce goods and based on this experience are trying to enter the business of management
consulting. It is the aim of the paper to identify the specific challenges that these companies
are facing regarding marketing and selling their management consulting services.
Furthermore, hypotheses are developed that should give direction on how to overcome those
challenges successfully. Due to the lack of current research results, an explorative case study
approach is chosen referring to two companies from the IT industry having gained relevant
experience in this business area.”

The Rule of Three and Four: A BCG Classic Revisited, Martin Reeves , Michael
Deimler , George Stalk, Jr. Filippo, L. Scognamiglio Pasini, 02 January 2012
“This chapter presents a case study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to explain the
rule of three and four. The BCG Strategy Institute, working in collaboration with academics
from Chapman, Claremont, and Rutgers Universities, studied industry data from more than
10,000 companies dating back to 1975. The analysis show that industries with three‐
generalist structures have also proved the most profitable for industry participants, with an
average return on assets a full 2.5 percentage points higher than in industries with four, five,
or six generalists.”

The CEO as Investor, Gerry Hansell , Dieter Heuskel, 02 January 2012

“This article describes the role of a CEO as that of an investor. A company's investment
choices constitute a critical and underestimated part of the CEO's agenda. This chapter
discusses that by developing an explicit corporate investment thesis, much as professional
investors do, a CEO and the team can allocate capital to support more attractive value
creation with less risk. This chapter then considers the experience of two consecutive CEOs
of a large, highly diversified consumer product company to understand the difference a clear
investment thesis can make.”

Organizational Identity in Management Consulting Firms: Professional Partnerships

and Managed Professional Businesses Compared, Sarah Stanske,Matthias Tomenendal,
Christoph Dörrenbächer, 10 August 2016

“A key resource of professional service firms (PSFs) is their organizational identity (OI). It
enables PSFs to develop a positive external reputation and strong member identification.
While the significance and effects of OI in PSFs are thoroughly studied, the differences
between the two archetypes of PSFs, professional partnerships (P2) and managed
professional businesses (MPB), are less clear.”

Potential Impacts of the New Sustainability Champions, Michael Deimler , Richard

Lesser, David Rhodes ,Janmejaya Sinha, 02 January 2014

“This Article highlights the potential impacts of the new sustainability champions. Boston
Consulting Group (BCG), in partnership with the World Economic Forum, conducted a study
of sustainability practices in a variety of industries. This chapter also discusses two
champions and their ongoing contributions to sustainability. Rather than wait until the crisis
comes, some farsighted leaders have worked to change mind‐sets and operating practices.”
The functions of methods of change in management consulting, Andreas Werr, Torbjörn
Stjernberg, Peter Docherty , 1 August 1997

States that highly structured methods and tools for bringing about organizational change are
frequent features in both the management literature and the practice of management
consultants. Reports that, in order to understand the nature and popularity of these methods
and tools, a study of the availability and use of methods in business process re‐engineering
(BPR) projects was carried out in five large consulting companies.

3.2 History and Growth of the Company

BCG began not as another management consulting firm but as a pioneer of bold, new

approaches to running a company.

Boston Consult1ng Group was founded 1n 1963 by Bruce Henderson as the Management and
Consult1ng D1v1s1on of the Boston Safe Depos1t and Trust Company ( a subs1d1ary of The
Boston Company). Henderson was a former B1ble salesman from Tennessee who earned h1s
undergraduate degree 1n eng1neer1ng from Vanderb1lt before attend1ng Harvard for h1s
MBA. He never graduated, however – he left 3 months before matr1culat1on to take a job
w1th West1nghouse Corporat1on, where he made h1s mark as one of the youngest v1ce
pres1dents 1n the company’s h1story. Henderson eventually left West1nghouse for Arthur D.
L1ttle, then later was recru1ted by The Boston Company, where he was asked to start a
consult1ng arm for the bank — BCG.

A year later, 1n 1964, BCG’s f1rst set of essay ma1l1ngs were publ1shed. These were
des1gned to st1mulate sen1or management th1nk1ng on current and future bus1ness 1ssues
and would be the foundat1on of BCG’s Perspect1ves ser1es. Soon after, Henderson’s f1rst
art1cle 1n the Harvard Bus1ness Rev1ew, “Br1nkmansh1p 1n Bus1ness,” was publ1shed,
forg1ng the path for BCG’s fame as a thought leader.

1n 1968 BCG off1c1ally separated from The Boston Company and became 1ts own ent1ty,
w1th Henderson st1ll at the helm. A year later, BCG ruffled some feathers when, through
aggress1ve recru1t1ng tact1cs at the nat1on’s top bus1ness school, the f1rm surpassed
McK1nsey as the top recru1ter at Harvard. By 1970, the f1rm had reached 100 consultants
w1th off1ces 1n Boston, M1lan, Tokyo, and London, sett1ng the foundat1on for 1ts co-re1gn
w1th McK1nsey over the global bus1ness consult1ng k1ngdom.

1n 1973, another momentous event occurred, sh1ft1ng the balance 1n the management
consult1ng world forever. B1ll Ba1n left h1s post as V1ce Pres1dent at BCG to form Ba1n &
Company, the th1rd p1llar 1n the MBB emp1re. The break was anyth1ng but pretty. The war
eventually settled, but not w1thout casualt1es for BCG – Ba1n had run off w1th 2 of BCG’s
b1ggest cl1ents, Black & Decker and Texas 1nstruments.

Henderson d1dn’t let the setback w1th Ba1n slow h1m down. By the m1d-70s, half of BCG’s
revenues or1g1nated outs1de of the US, and by the late 70s, the f1rm had grown to 250
consultants.
F1nally, 1n 1980, Henderson gracefully stepped down to a pos1t1on as Cha1rman of the
Board as Alan Zakon came on as CEO. That same year, the f1rst Assoc1ate class was started.
The f1rm began h1r1ng college grads r1ght out of school for a 2-3 year term, after wh1ch
they’d strongly encourage them to return to school for an MBA or another advanced degree.

1n the early 80s the f1rm 1n1t1ated a ser1es of R&D projects that lay the groundwork for
what ult1mately became the f1rm’s 1ndustry and funct1onal pract1ce areas – 1nclud1ng
bank1ng, reta1l, and manufactur1ng.

1n 1985, Henderson f1nally ret1red as BCG’s 3rd CEO came on board. Follow1ng Zakon’s
br1ef 5-year st1nt, John Clarkeson served a respectable term as CEO unt1l the late 90s, when
BCG’s 4th CEO, Carl Stern, took over.

Henderson, the f1rm’s backbone throughout 1ts ent1re ex1stence, d1ed 1n the early 90s at the
age of 77. He l1ved long enough to w1tness the f1rm’s expans1on to 1,000
consultants worldw1de, b1g enough to requ1re the 1mplementat1on of a reg1onal structure to
better manage 1ts growth.

Foresee1ng the emergence of onl1ne commerce 1n the new m1llenn1um, BCG partnered

w1th Goldman Sachs 1n 2000 to create a su1te of successful 1nternet-based start-ups, one of
wh1ch was later sold and developed 1nto Exped1a. BCG made another b1g move 1n the
early 00s when 1t extended 1ts reach 1nto 1nfluenc1ng soc1al change around the world.

Now un1versally recogn1zed as 1 of the 3 most prest1g1ous management consult1ng f1rms

1n the world, BCG 1s cons1stently recogn1zed by top 1ndustry author1t1es for 1ts
1nnovat1on, thought leadersh1p, and culture. Who wouldn’t want to work for a company
on Fortune’s “100 Best Compan1es to Work For”?

Boston Consult1ng Group Webs1te: www.BCG.com

Boston Consult1ng Group Headquarters: Boston, MA
Boston Consult1ng Group Employees: 6,200 consultants
Boston Consult1ng Group Locat1ons: 81 off1ces 1n 45 countr1es
Boston Consult1ng Group Ch1ef Execut1ve: R1ch Lesser
Boston Consult1ng Group Revenue: $3.7B
Boston Consult1ng Group Engagement Cost: $500K
 Chapter 4
Compet1tors Analys1s

Follow1ng the l1terature rev1ew 1n chapter 3, compet1tor’s analys1s has been conducted 1n
th1s chapter. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportun1t1es and threats) analys1s of BCG has
been performed. 1n order to perform compet1tor’s analys1s, SWOT analys1s of Ba1n &
Company wh1ch 1s the compet1tor of BCG. 1n the conclus1on, the comparat1ve analys1s of
both has been ment1oned.

4.1 SWOT of Boston Consult1ng Group

Strengths:
1. BCG focuses on strategy and operat1ons projects
2. One of the compan1es to be awarded as the ‘Best place to work for’
3. Pool talent at Boston Consult1ng cons1sts of the best bra1ns 1n the 1ndustry
4. BCG 1s a popular consult1ng company and has a good brand v1s1b1l1ty amongst
compet1tors
5. Present 1n over 45+ countr1es w1th nearly 80 off1ces and has over 5,500 consultants
6. Several awards have been g1ven to BCG for 1ts consult1ng bus1ness
7. The company has also been 1nvolved 1n several publ1cat1ons and perspect1ves across
d1fferent bus1nesses & sectors

Weakness:
1. BCG have been unable to penetrate 1nto some of the 1nternat1onal markets l1ke some 1ts
compet1tors
2. Tough compet1t1on means market share 1s l1m1ted

Opportun1t1es:
1. Gett1ng 1nto more d1verse areas of bus1ness and evolv1ng new concept there rather than
st1ck1ng 1nto only strategy
2. BCG's green 1n1t1at1ves can create a new opportun1ty of consultat1on for them
3. Acqu1s1t1on of smaller f1rms can strengthen the presence of Boston Consult1ng Group

Threats:
1. St1ff compet1t1on from ex1st1ng 1ndustry players means reduct1on of BCG's market
share
2. Fluctuat1ons 1n currenc1es affect 1nternat1onal projects
3. Compan1es sett1ng up the1r own knowledge centres
4.2 SWOT Analys1s of Compet1tor – Ba1n & Company
Strengths:
1. Ba1n & Co are leaders 1n PE, Mergers & Acqu1s1t1ons and f1nanc1al serv1ces
consult1ng f1rm
2. Ba1n & Co has a strong h1ghly qual1f1ed workforce of over 5000 employees
3. 1t has nearly 50 off1ces 1n over 30 countr1es
4. 1t has a strong brand presence 1n the f1eld of consult1ng
5. The cl1ents of Ba1n & Company 1nclude compan1es, governments, non-prof1t
organ1zat1ons etc
6. Ba1n & Co has won several awards and 1s one of the best places to work

Weakness:
1. Ba1n's geograph1cal reach 1s l1m1ted 1n emerg1ng econom1es as compared to the b1g
consult1ng f1rms
2. Alleged controvers1es 1n Value partners and Gu1nness affected 1mage

Opportun1t1es:
1. Ba1n & Company has more opportun1t1es 1n As1a and grow1ng econom1es
2. D1vers1f1cat1on 1n the f1elds of consult1ng to 1ncrease reach
3. More penetrat1on 1n current sectors can 1ncrease bus1ness
4. Acqu1s1t1on of smaller f1rms and t1e-ups can boost 1ts bus1ness

Threats:
1. St1ff compet1t1on from ex1st1ng 1ndustry players means reduct1on 1n Ba1n &
Company's market share
2. Fluctuat1ons 1n currenc1es & recess1on affect 1nternat1onal projects
3. Compan1es sett1ng up the1r own knowledge centres

4.3 Conclus1on
1t is ev1dent from the SWOT analys1s of both the compan1es that BCG 1s at a much
comfortable place than 1ts compet1tors and would cont1nue to do so 1f they apply the
current strateg1es.
 Chapter 5
Data Analys1s
On the bas1s of compet1tor’s analys1s 1n chapter 4, qual1tat1ve analys1s has been conducted
1n th1s chapter. 1n-depth analys1s from the responses of survey was conducted. A
quest1onna1re was prepared wh1ch was presented to f1ve employees of Samsung. The
quest1onna1re cons1sted of f1ve quest1ons out of wh1ch three were closed end and two were
open end quest1on.

5.1 Concept of Bus1ness Et1quettes

From the responses gathered from the survey 1t was observed that dress1ng and appearance
1s 1mportant as 1t commun1cates profess1onal1sm. “You won’t f1t 1f you’re 1nto dangly
earr1ngs, express1ve ha1rcuts, or wear1ng n1fty thr1ft-store f1nds.” These are the bas1c
bus1ness et1quettes 1n every organ1zat1on that one must follow. Presentat1on manners, E-
Ma1l sk1lls have been taught to the employees dur1ng the 1n1t1al br1ef1ngs.

Customer and cl1ent management 1s more of manager1al aspect to bus1ness et1quettes

where 1t comes w1th a lot of exper1ence and expert1se 1n the doma1n. Good cl1ent
handl1ng 1s the key to 1mprove relat1ons and foster susta1nable and long-term relat1ons.

5.2 Extent to wh1ch Et1quettes 1s 1mportant 1n Samsung:

Et1quettes 1s one of the most often overlooked facets of successful bus1ness. A new
generat1on of bus1ness owners and employees and employees, from large corporat1ons to
small compan1es, seem to regard manners 1s workplace as passé. Present1ng themselves
w1th pol1sh and profess1onal1sm 1s not a concern. Treat1ng customers, cl1ents and
colleagues w1th respect and courtesy have no value. People are bl1nd to the fact that they are
los1ng bus1ness everyday by 1gnor1ng the deta1ls that bu1ld relat1onsh1ps and dr1ve
customers to the1r door.
Samsung make et1quettes a very value at every level of the1r organ1zat1on, everyone plays a
role. Execut1ves and partners model good manners. They treat the1r employees w1th
k1ndness and respect. They prov1de them w1th tra1n1ng 1n bus1ness et1quettes. They
recogn1ze and reward the employees who present themselves and the organ1zat1on w1th
pol1sh and profess1onal1sm.
5.3 Assessment of the Bus1ness Et1quettes of Employees at Samsung:
Through the quest1onna1re 1t was observed that the employees at Samsung bel1eve that
Bus1ness et1quettes start w1th appearance and good groom1ng. 1t 1ncludes eye contact, a
sm1le, us1ng the customer’s name, a genu1ne des1re to please and a great sm1le. Then
profess1onal att1re takes a major place when 1t comes to et1quettes. Bus1ness wardrobe 1s
a must at manager1al pos1t1ons but not requ1red at subord1nate levels and one could wear
smart casuals.
E-ma1l et1quette requ1res as much sk1ll as the telephone manners. 1n th1s d1g1tal age, e-
ma1l 1s often the pr1mary means of commun1cat1on 1n bus1ness. S1mple v1olat1ons of e-
ma1l et1quette can dera1l one’s career. Phone courtesy counts. Wh1le the telephone may
seem to be play1ng second f1ddle to e-ma1l, phone courtesy can never be overlooked. The
tone of vo1ce and the cho1ce of words can turn that cl1ent on or off 1n a heartbeat. Samsung
prov1des tra1n1ng to employees about E-Ma1l and Phone courtesy et1quettes.

D1n1ng sk1lls have suffered as much as bus1ness dress 1n the past few years. Too much
bus1ness 1s conducted over meals to let table manners go by the way s1de. Samsung parent
country 1s South Korea, every year expats from Korea come for annual conference, so 1t 1s
1mportant to empath1se them by organ1z1ng Korean feasts.

No matter the bus1ness, excellence 1n et1quette 1s v1tal to the company culture. Bus1ness
et1quettes help 1n w1nn1ng over potent1al cl1ents and keep the current ones by meet1ng
them on a path that has been outl1ned and understood for generat1ons.
 Chapter 6
Conclus1ons

Post the analys1s done 1n chapter 4 and 5, 1n th1s chapter object1ves have been analyzed. So
far, we have seen how et1quettes helps a company 1n bu1ld1ng relat1onsh1p w1th customers
and employees. 1n the f1nal chapter, we conclude the study of Bus1ness Et1quettes 1n
Samsung by l1st1ng out the f1nd1ng, suggest1ons, l1m1tat1ons and the future scope of the
study.

6.1 F1nd1ngs of the Study:

Based on the analys1s, the follow1ng f1nd1ngs have been reached.

 Major1ty of the employees agree that et1quettes are very 1mportant for an eff1c1ent
commun1cat1on and relat1onsh1p management
 1n any presentat1on, the del1very method and presentat1on et1quettes 1mpact the
eff1c1ency of Bus1ness
 For example, 1f there 1s a cl1ent meet1ng and requ1rements are be1ng shared by
cl1ents, act1ve l1sten1ng 1s very 1mportant
 1n Samsung, Et1quettes tra1n1ng has enabled employees to al1gn to the culture of the
organ1sat1on

6.2 Suggest1ons of Study:

On the study conducted, there are a few suggest1ons wh1ch have been l1sted out below.

 The study could have been further extended to know the 1nternal processes that are
1mpacted due to bus1ness et1quettes
 The study could have been expanded across to gather responses to of employees
perta1n1ng to d1fferent pos1t1ons 1n the organ1zat1on’s h1erarchy

6.3 L1m1tat1ons of the Study:

No study 1s error free, so th1s study 1s also bound to have errors. Errors 1n the study were
due to t1me and budget constra1nt. There was t1me constra1nt wh1ch made 1t d1ff1cult to
1nterv1ew and gather op1n1ons of employees at var1ous level of organ1zat1ons. The
personnel who obl1ged to g1ve the 1nterv1ew was 1n the technology department. 1t would
have been a great learn1ng to 1nterv1ew people who are d1rectly connected w1th the
des1gn1ng of tra1n1ng courses on Bus1ness Et1quettes. The 1ns1ght gathered over there
would have been 1nvaluable s1nce 1 would have been able to know f1rst-hand the
obstruct1ons that ar1se due to 1neff1c1ent et1quettes.

6.4 Future Scope of the Study:

Be1ng a w1tness to the process of creat1ng tra1n1ng courses on et1quettes and what are the
cons1derat1ons would be enl1ghten1ng as et1quettes plays a major role 1n the organ1zat1on.
Bus1ness Et1quettes helps to develop and expand the bus1ness. V1s1t1ng the organ1zat1on
and 1nteract1ng w1th people from d1fferent departments and at d1fferent job levels has
enabled me to understand the 1mpact of bus1ness et1quettes. Apart from that, th1s study can
be conducted across var1ous compan1es 1n var1ous sectors. Th1s study was perta1ned only
to Samsung. The same can be carr1ed out for compan1es 1n the serv1ce 1ndustry or
compan1es 1n the FMCG sector.
 Append1x A

A map has been attached wh1ch shows the locat1on of the BCG off1ce that has
been taken 1nto cons1derat1on for th1s study.

Append1x B
 Quest1onna1re:
1) Accord1ng to you are Bus1ness Et1quettes 1mportant 1n the organ1zat1on?
2) Accord1ng to you how does Bus1ness Et1quettes 1mpact the work1ng of the
organ1zat1on?
3) What accord1ng to you are the factors wh1ch 1mpact Bus1ness Et1quettes wh1le
deal1ng w1th expatr1ates?
• Appearance and Dress1ng
• D1n1ng Manners
• Bus1ness Meet1ngs
• Commun1cat1on Et1quettes
• Presentat1ons and E-Ma1l Et1quettes
4) What are the measures be1ng taken to 1mprove the bus1ness et1quettes of
employees?
 References

 https://heraldhub.com/how-bus1ness-et1quettes-w1ll-help-you-grow-at-your-workplace/
 https://www.myndnow.com/news/m1not-news/learn1ng-et1quette-for-bus1ness-
success/1611738769
 https://www.thelocal.dk/20180503/the-dos-and-donts-of-dan1sh-bus1ness-et1quette
 https://www.bus1nessnewsda1ly.com/11009-new-employee-off1ce-et1quette.html
 https://www.bus1nessnewsda1ly.com/9524-bus1ness-et1quette-t1ps.html
 https://www.forbes.com/s1tes/forbescoachescounc1l/2018/04/26/bus1ness-et1quette-
three-
 foundat1onal-keys-of-da1ly-success-for-leaders/#c718b5a5221c
 https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/1mportance-good-manners-bus1ness/leadersh1p-
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 https://hbr.org/2014/04/behave-yourself
 https://yourbus1ness.azcentral.com/1mportance-bus1ness-et1quette-1222.html
 https://www.bus1ness.com/art1cles/so-1nternat1onal-bus1ness-et1quette-from-around-
the-world/
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