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What are the Top Consulting Firms?
While it sometimes seems that everyone wants to get into the top 3 strategy consulting firms McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Bain & Company (Bain), also known as MBB, it's worth noting that there are several other top consulting firms that can give a career a real boost.
While McKinsey, Bain, or BCG will probably provide the most powerful resume augmentation, every one of the top consulting firms carries a blend of size and prestige that can take you places.
Below is a list of top consulting firms evaluated for their performance in several different categories
Boston Consulting Group,
Accenture,
PricewaterhouseCoopers (Strategy&)
How We've Compared Them
Prestige: How much influence does the consulting firm carry in the industry?
Work-Life Balance: What perks and advantages do the firm offer to make it easier for employees to shoulder the workload?
Employee Satisfaction: What's morale like in the consulting firm? Are employees motivated to excel or motivated to jump ship?
Culture: Is the work environment healthy or toxic?
Diversity: What steps has the consulting firm taken to ensure a diverse array of perspectives throughout its ranks? What resources can consultants expect to access?
Career Growth: What does the typical career progression look like?
1. MCKINSEY
McKinsey is the world leader in consulting prestige. It had $8.8B revenue in 2016 and 26,000 personnel. Founded in Chicago in 1926 and currently based in New York, it has more than 120 offices. It has consistently been the #1 most valued brand in the consulting industry and is associated with cutting-edge strategic approaches.
Employees at McKinsey have great learning and networking opportunities. However, they tend to have an intense lifestyle with lots of travel, face-to-face engagements, and long hours as a result. If you are interested in a career with a lot of travel, this could be a good place for you.
Employee Satisfaction
McKinsey is widely regarded as one of the best options for building a high-powered career. Because of its competitive atmosphere, there is sometimes a high turnover among young consultants. But, those who persevere are rewarded with great opportunities.
McKinsey is the definition of competitive. It has an academic culture focused on continuous improvement.Intellectual rigor and factual analysis skills are vital components of success, as is a can-do attitude with an optimistic focus. Feedback is frequent and expected across the organization.Self-starters who don't need concrete, heavily-enforced rules tend to flourish at McKinsey.
Diversity at McKinsey is somewhat impacted by thepreference for candidates from target universities such as Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, or Yale. Many older candidates started at companies like Goldman Sachs or Procter & Gamble.
Consultants typically spend two to three years in each role, with a career ladder spanning six roles from Business Analyst to Partner. Semi-annual evaluations focus on areas likethought leadership, client leadership, and people leadership.
2. BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP
Boston Consulting Group has $5.6 billion in revenue and 18,800 employees. It was founded in 1963 and was one of the first enterprises to focus on thought leadership. It remains influential for the concepts it spearheads.This consulting firm is one of the largest in the industry in terms of global reach — 90 offices in 50 countries. In 2018, Fortune named it #4 among the "100 Best Companies to Work For."
Boston Consulting Group is not known for it's work-life balance. Middle ranks tend to struggle compared to junior consultants and senior partners. Hours are long, and the culture can be demanding.
The high quality of co-workers is often cited as a Boston Consulting Group differentiator. It has "amazing people," but its reputation as a place with excellent exit opportunities can affect turnover. It was ranked #3 best place to work on Glassdoor in 2018 and 2017.
This consulting firm has a bottom-up approach to client and employee engagement, which appeals to those who enjoy collaboration.This consulting firm's culture focuses more on creative and innovative thinking than many major rivals. Post-merger integration, project management offices, and transformation are areas of expertise. Although Boston Consulting Group has a harmonious and positive working atmosphere, consultants have little say in hours.
Boston Consulting Group has several programs focused on diversity and inclusion, including diversity internships. It lists diversity as a founding value and has established policy agendas for advancing women, minorities, and veterans.
Boston Consulting Group varies in career progression, timing, and specialization. Lateral moves and expanded responsibilities are offered in addition to promotions. Learning and development opportunities are integrated into day-to-day duties.
3. BAIN & COMPANY
Bain & Company had a prestigious start when the founder, Bill Bain, left Boston Consulting Group in 1973 to launch it. It was known for a concierge business model: one client per industry, letting it maximize value per client. With 8,000 employees across 56 offices, it accepts clients in private, public, and nonprofit sectors. This consulting firm has become known for its new private equity practice, which has delivered exceptional results for many clients.
Work-life balance is comparable to Boston Consulting Group or McKinsey. Hours, though flexible, can still be long, and travel is a weekly reality. Schedule and workload can be unpredictable according to the needs of individual engagements.
Bain CEO Bob Bechek has a near-100% approval rating on Glassdoor and was ranked Best CEO in 2016. Bain& Company was the #1 best-ranked place to work in 2019 according to Glassdoor and #1 in North America in 2017.
Bain stands out for its culture of ownership, allowing individuals to have a greater say than at most peer enterprises. Its results-focused outlook permits high-performers to use time wisely and avoid long hours in the office.
Although Bain is more collaborative than other consulting firms, it's also been called a highly political work environment. It has been accused of being cliquish or having a "frat" mentality.
A deep-seated mentorship culture supports diversity throughout the organization. With five major affinity groups, Bain earned a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign for 12 years and was named "Best Place to Work for GLBTQ Equality."
Bain is known for a diverse collection of consulting and non-consulting roles, including two internship programs. Career progression is frequently touted as a core brand strength. Excellent performance is rewarded with incentives.
4. ACCENTURE
Founded by Arthur Andersen in the 1950s, Accenture introduced computers to General Electric in one of its first projects. With $35 billion in annual revenue and 459,500 employees, it is highly selective in its choice of clients and still has a focus on technology.
Accenture Strategy is its wing, focused on C-suite consulting. About 95 of the Fortune Global 100 use Accenture services. It has a strong presence throughout the United States, India, and the Philippines.
Work-life balance is a challenge for Accenture. Flexible hours and remote work options are becoming more popular but are not yet mainstream in the culture. Opportunities shift greatly based on individual projects. Overtime is considered optional, unlike in many other firms, but the most successful consultants generally pursue it on a regular basis.
Employees appreciate Accenture's phenomenal opportunities to develop key skills, especially in technology-heavy areas.
Accenture personnel benefit from its strengthening brand, particularly in Europe. Robust training programs and fun company social life take the edge off hard work and long hours, but it's "up or out" for consultants ("up or out" refers to the mentality that a consultant needs to reach a certain level in the company by a certain time or they could be let go). Promotions are sometimes influenced by politics, so networking is essential.
Inclusion is a major strategic differentiator at Accenture. According to its diversity reporting, the workforce is 36.8% women and 49.6% Caucasian. Most reported diversity factors have been on a positive trend since 2016.
Career progression is linear, with a focus on developing young talent. Many former personnel report strong exit opportunities and limited internal growth, leading to a higher turnover. Typical progression can cover 8-9 roles.
5. OLIVER WYMAN
Formed in 2007 when Mercer Oliver Wyman, Mercer Management Consulting and Mercer Delta Mercer Oliver Wyman joined together to become one company,Oliver Wyman. It is growing fast, with 60 offices in 27 countries and 4,500 employees. This consulting firm is located in New York City and has a deep network of business connections in Europe and the Asia Pacific region. In 2016, it was listed in Fortune's best workplaces for both Millennials and working mothers. However, it lacks the brand recognition of some rivals.
With plenty of exciting global prospects, Oliver Wyman is still growing. Work-life balance may suffer as a result of the consulting firm's success. Its focus on financial services can make the working environment intense.
More than 90% of surveyed employees on Glassdoor would recommend Oliver Wyman to their friends; 98% approve of the CEO. Consultants praise the "intelligent," "down-to-earth," and "genuine" workforce, leading to a collaborative, supportive atmosphere.
Oliver Wyman is considered to have a fun, collegial atmosphere in junior ranks, which helps new personnel adapt quickly to strenuous responsibilities from the start. However, consultants must work hard to get noticed.
Employees praise Oliver Wyman's diversity policies. A global staffing model allows for geographical flexibility and a great deal of exposure to other cultures not emphasized elsewhere.
Oliver Wyman centers growth on a performance-based model that weighs past experience and current performance heavily compared to time spent in a given role. Mentoring and workstream leadership roles are available as soon as two years after undergrad. There is no requirement for an advanced degree, and the consulting firm lacks some of the typical "up or out" pressure.
6. BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
Booz Allen Hamilton is widely seen as a solid employer in the top third of consulting firms. Founded in 1914, it has some leading competencies in the technology space. It has $5.48 billion in annual revenue and more than 80 offices worldwide. Its engineering services portfolio is among the strongest of any consulting firm, and it is also known for its business lines in nonprofit and public sectors.
Work-life balance is relatively strong at Booz Allen Hamilton. Because of the focus on federal consulting, consultants don't have to travel as much as they do at other consulting firms. But other factors – like deadlines, billable hour targets, and demanding clients – are similar to competitors.
Employee satisfaction with Booz Allen Hamilton has varied over the years due to major strategic moves and C-level decisions. About 75% of Glassdoor respondents recommend it, but some have complained that the salary is becoming less competitive with lower pay at entry levels.
This consulting firm's top-down, hierarchical structure leads to consistent results but might seem stifling to some consultants. Many people consider it a great place to work, citing the high quality of coworkers. Others find it frustrating because decisions move slowly due to the politicized or bureaucratic atmosphere.
Booz Allen Hamilton demonstrates a commitment to inclusion comparable to market leaders. That includes inclusive and non-traditional hiring as well as benefits extended to domestic partners and adoptive parents, frequent reporting on diversity attainment, and affinity groups.
Room for advancement is a key benefit of working at Booz Allen Hamilton. Its mature processes and dense infrastructure help ensure that talent is recognized quickly. Growth can be accelerated if you're willing to take on optional extra hours.
7. DELOITTE CONSULTING
Deloitte is ranked among the most prestigious consulting firms by publications like Forbes. It is the biggest of the Big Four accounting firms and is the largest professional services network in the world both by revenue and number of professionals –more than 286,000 worldwide. It has been rated #1 in market share consulting because of its strong business in the UK and India.
There is a lot of international travel, which curbs work-life balance and adds expense for consultants over the years. Long hours and heavy workloads are two common complaints by alums. A range of initiatives help team members achieve balance, but it can feel overwhelming at times.
Deloitte has some turnover and morale issues because of its challenging workplace culture. However, it is also touted as one of the top consulting firms for fast professional growth.
Deloitte stands out for an unconventional atmosphere with a youthful, vibrant community. The emphasis is on teamwork rather than internal competition. Expectations are high, and analyses can be quite detailed, requiring high academic performance from every contributor. A strong work ethic, multidisciplinary structure, andmeritocratic approach lead to fast development.
Deloitte was recently named one of the best workplaces for women. It has long championed inclusion as a partial solution to business challenges like turnover, productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
Deloitte career development includes an industry-standard set of six roles with 2-3 years spent per level. Lower levels at Deloitte tend to have very low turnover relative to the industry average.
8. PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS (STRATEGY&)
Strategy& was founded in 1914 by Edwin G. Booz and was first to use the term "management consulting." It was sold to PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2014. Combined, the two names retain some clout. Strategy& has been somewhat diluted and is positioned to grow and prove itself. PricewaterhouseCoopers currently provides services to more than 400 of the Fortune 500 and is the 5th-largest private firm in the United States. Of its $37.7 billion in annual revenue, $16 billion is generated by its assurance practice.
Frequent travel and long hours hinder work-life balance at PricewaterhouseCoopers, which adheres to an industry standard career-driven mindset.
This consulting firm is regarded as an excellent place to start a career. Its interdisciplinary teams and multi-sector projects allow consultants to achieve a great deal of valuable exposure quickly. Employee rankings of the consulting firm are ratedtoward the middle on platforms like Glassdoor.
Its entrepreneurial, open-minded approach to business is one of the key differences that sets PricewaterhouseCoopers apart. However, the driven and elite workforce brings with it the challenging edge common to consulting at the highest levels.
Diversity is an issue of global focus at Strategy&. It maintains a number of "circles" for diversity groups and has world-class resources for employees with disabilities. Its commitment to diversity extends to its supplier network and sourcing policies.
A strong mentorship component cultivates excellent performance at all levels of Strategy&, but long periods between promotions are common. Progression includes six roles from Associate to Partner. MBAs may begin at the Senior Associate level.
9. ERNST & YOUNG (E&Y)
Founded in 1989, Ernst &Young is headquartered in London, UK. It was founded in 1889, and today it is one of the Big Four accounting firms. With a total annual revenue topping $34.8 billion, it has 260,000 personnel.
Flexibility and work-life balance are high priorities at Ernst &Young, with less emphasis on travel and "face-time," plus an array of remote work options. However, this is subject to project and team workflow. Different working groups have vastly different experiences.
Employee satisfaction is relatively high at this consulting firm because of the strong bonds between team members and the general approval of the executive direction. However, the consulting firm is not known for exceptional pay or benefits relative to comparable enterprises.
An extremely congenial, helpful, and resilient culture helps separate Ernst &Young from its competitors. "Wonderful" people are consistently praised as one of the best reasons to work here – reflecting an emphasis on support and teamwork. Senior managers and partners are committed to an open-door policy that allows feedback to flow freely across the organization.
A global approach to staffing helps Ernst &Young's diversity efforts and allows greater cultural exchange between employees, particularly U.S. and Europe-based consultants. The overall corporate outlook supports diversity and a warm, inclusive environment.
The structured nature of promotions is a major factor in reducing ambiguity and providing clear, comprehensible career targets for Ernst &Young personnel. Bonuses and raises are awarded based on performance relative to your peers.
10. KPMG
KPMG is another one of the Big Four accounting firms. It is based in the Netherlands and has $26.4 billion in annual revenue and about 200,000 employees. It is well-regarded within the financial sector. It is known for years of aggressive growth in China and Hong Kong. It is also recognized for its depth of experience in outsourcing advice. This consulting firm has been named one of the top leaders in risk management.
KPMG has made work-life balance a leading attraction in its recruitment efforts. Itvalues benefits related to employee wellness and has a lot of remote work options. Flex-time, job sharing, compressed weeks, sabbaticals, and telecommuting are sometimes offered.
Employee satisfaction is generally very high at KPMG. Glassdoor rankings show an extreme affinity for the culture and support for the executive vision. Benefits, salary, work-life balance, and fair feedback from supervisors are considered attractive perks. It was voted the #12 Fortune "Best Company to Work For" by its employees in 2016.
Open and honest communication will stand among the biggest cultural differentiators at KPMG. Feedback is frequent and detailed, and constructive criticism is encouraged in the problem-solving process. A global, cosmopolitan flair contributes to diversity and retention. The enterprise seeks to be a forward-thinking, value-driven "employer of choice."
In addition to inclusive hiring and development programs, KPMG's corporate responsibility encompasses areas like environmental sustainability and human trafficking.
This consulting firm stands out as a place to build a strong early career. However, some have expressed concern that promotions do not track with performance.
11. LEK
Established 1983, LEK was founded by three Bain partners. It is known for its leadership in life sciences and healthcare. Its headquarters are located in Boston and London, and it employs 1,200 consultants worldwide.
Its total consulting revenue exceeds $500 million annually.
LEK is a very selective firm — it was named one of the Top 25 Hardest Companies to Interview For by Fortune. Its corporate social responsibility adds to its cosmopolitan image. In 2008, it became the first global management consulting firm to reach carbon neutral status.
Compensation Outlook
LEK has an average starting salary of around $100,000. Bonuses and incentives can be quite high, potentially doubling pay. LEK benefits and perks include healthcare (with dental and vision) and a 401k.
In 2017, this consulting firm was named among the "100 Best Companies" for Leadership in Family Benefits and Paid Leave by Working Mother magazine.
Cases may be understaffed, creating extra hours and large workloads. Long days are standard at this consulting firm, but management has become proactive in discouraging weekend work. Many former employees cite 60-hour work weeks as a key stressor on morale.
Retention and career progression are concerns at LEK. Many associates leave after two years in the role. However, the skill-building opportunities are widely praised, particularly for those with a deep interest in biotech and pharmaceuticals.
LEK operates in an intense, associate-heavy case team structure. Incoming MBAs must embrace management responsibilities from day one. This can be a challenge for those who do not have experience at a consulting firm, but the opportunities are rewarding. Employees find their coworkers to be smart and collegial, presenting opportunities to build a strong professional network.
Diversity is a cornerstone of management strategy at LEK. It has several well-established programs for fostering diversity in leadership and is among the top names in the industry when it comes to extending benefits to same-sex partners. In 2018, nearly 47% of incoming personnel in the U.S. were female or members of a minority.
LEK is considered a strong consulting firm to begin a strategy consulting career. It provides a broad base of operational and strategic knowledge to consultants. There's a lot of opportunities to move into a leadership role and will give you exposure to multiple industries. Tenure is a major factor in promotions.
12. ROLAND BERGER
Founded 1957, Roland Berger has 50 offices in 36 countries with 2,400 consultants. Its private equity practice has made it a key player in developing European and Asian markets, particularly China. Roland Berger has been characterized as an upper-level "tier 2" firm.
This consulting firm's robust business led to multiple acquisition efforts by the Big Four (it most recently rejected a bid from EY in 2013). It is known for strategy, corporate development, and corporate finance consulting in areas including automotive, capital goods, and energy.
Reported average base salaries range from about $69,000 annually for junior consultants to more than $139,000 for senior consultants. As with many consulting firms, bonuses are a significant part in total compensation. Benefits are strong, with an especially attractive 401(k). Both telecommuting and parental leave have been mentioned as high points.
Work-life balance is supported by a number of initiatives. Flex time is widely available, and Roland Berger has integrated the concept of the sabbatical, lasting 1-6 months, into staffing policies. Telecommuting is a growing alternative to on-site work. Roland Berger is among the few major consultancies to offer many part-time positions, although career advancement may be affected.
Out of employees surveyed online, 81% called Roland Berger a "great" consulting firm to work for; 86% said they would recommend it to a friend; 89% were proud to have it on a resume. Good benefits and pay are praised as major factors in sustaining morale.
Roland Berger has an international outlook with deep networks in Europe, especially Germany. Each office has its own traditions, which can include social clubs or sports. Long hours and high standards are offset by a collaborative, team-focused atmosphere where senior consultants serve as mentors.
Diversity in language and cultures inherent in Roland Berger's business model helps support the effort to include a range of perspectives. Special hiring events focus on increasing the community of women, LGBT employees, and individuals with diverse backgrounds.
A high level of client exposure helps junior consultants make their mark at Roland Berger. Career stages include six steps from junior consultant to partner. Learning and development are major focuses at this consulting firm. Clear metrics and regular performance reviews help staff understand how to reach their career goals more effectively.
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Tagged as: management consulting careers, mbb, top consulting firms
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Rory Feb 5, 2013, 5:10 am
Would Everest Group not make to your list of Top 25? Or is it too focussed in its area?
Victor Cheng Feb 7, 2013, 3:04 pm
Rory,
After the top 10, there's not much consensus on the top 11-50. In addition, the majority of firms after the top 10 tend to be specialized either by type of work, by region, or by industry.
Salman Apr 6, 2013, 3:23 pm
In terms of Deloitte Consulting. Do you believe the acquisition of Monitor Group will yield movement in its current ranking?
-Salman
Victor Cheng Apr 10, 2013, 5:07 pm
Salman,
I think it's too early to tell, but I don't think it will change the rankings by much. Frankly, clients don't really look at rankings.
Muthuraama Krishnan Apr 24, 2013, 5:04 am
Considering IBM's strong technology background, do you think they can compete in strategy industry in near future?
– Muthu
Victor Cheng Apr 24, 2013, 12:21 pm
Muthu,
I didn't even realize IBM was trying to compete in the strategy industry. I think they will have a difficult time competing in the short run. Their culture and mentality is totally different than a strategy firm.
Prakash Raj Jun 9, 2013, 11:45 am
I wasn't aware the other Big 4 aside from Deloitte (PwC, KPMG, E&Y) had consulting divisions. Is this something recent does this list refer to their Advisory arms of the company?
– Prakash
G S Nov 26, 2013, 1:54 pm
Prakash,
The Big 4 mostly got out of consulting after the big scandals like Enron. Some new US laws made the business difficult and there were questions of the Big 4 being able to audit independently and still provide consulting services. Deloitte was the only one that stayed in, and their consulting has become a great asset. The others are all getting back in as fast as possible. KPMG's Advisory branch is indeed their consulting side – they've just rebranded it.
GS Nov 26, 2013, 2:01 pm
E&Y, PwC and KPMG all mostly got out of consulting after the big scandals in the 90's and early 00's. Deloitte stayed in and has built up their business nicely. Now the other 3 are diving back in to catch up (hence PwC's recent purchase Booz & Co.) Also you are correct on KPMG. Advisory is just a rebranding of their consulting arm.
Kaeni Mar 19, 2014, 12:53 am
Are you serious? PwC acquired Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, PRTM, Ant's Eye View, BGT, and more recently Booz & Co. Right now, I would say that they have overtaken Deloitte in terms of their consulting presence.
With Deloitte's existing consulting practice and their acquisition of the Monitor Group, both of these guys are well into consulting.
And while not particularly large, both KPMG and E&Y also have non-trivial presence in consulting.
Michael Dec 8, 2013, 11:02 am
First of all, thank you for all your ressources, it's been helping me a lot.
Secondly, I wanted to have your opinion on Arthur D little? Do you consider it a top management consulting firm?
Victor Cheng Dec 15, 2013, 12:45 pm
I don't consider Arthur D Little in the top 10. It's never mentioned in the same sentence as McKinsey, Bain, BCG. Interestingly though it is one of the oldest firms around and some credit it with founding the management consulting industry. I don't know much about ADL and would encourage you to continue your own research.
Richard Jan 7, 2014, 1:57 pm
If someone were to receive offers from the consulting divisions of PwC, Deloitte and KPMG for a London-based position, which would you advise them to take, based on current market trends and recent events surrounding respective acquistions? I note, for example, that Booz continues to operate under its own branding, at least for now.
Victor Cheng Jan 15, 2014, 4:32 pm
I don't know those three firm well enough to draw a significant distinction to recommend one over another. At the prestige level, they are in a similar bracket — with probably a slight edge to Deloitte depending on which group you're in (aka the old Monitor). It's like asking whether one should join McKinsey, Bain or BCG in a particular city. It depends on the people you meet, the mix of industries those office serve more so than brand name.
Simran Jan 5, 2015, 1:04 am
Pleasure to e-meet you.
I need your help in finding a way to help my best friend in finding an appropriate job in this field. He has around 11+ yrs of relevant experience, worked as a Director of a renowned consulting firm, but now eager to find more challenging opportunity in the industry. Can someone suggest me …..
Eric Feb 4, 2015, 5:14 pm
Simran,
What is your friend's name and where is he/she located?
Rajeev Veluswamy Apr 7, 2015, 6:41 am
I'm not sure if this would be the right forum to talk on this. But I have an inquiry related to consulting companies, thought posting here would help.
I am looking for techniques/ways to improve the relationship between the companies with its suppliers (Deloitte, PwC, McKinsey etc.) in different consulting engagements, Different ways to measure the value realized out of these relationships in business environment.
Anyone who can share insights out of their experience with these consulting companies? like what type of contracting terms, SLA's, governance team, tools, processes etc would facilitate a company in measuring the performance of these consulting companies and finally measuring the value generated out of the relationship.
-Rajeev Veluswamy
Eric Jul 13, 2015, 9:29 pm
I'm doing some research on risk and compliance groups and I was wondering if you knew or could point me in the right direction to what the tier 2 and 3 insurance (risk, compliance, governance) consulting firms are?
Victor Cheng Jul 14, 2015, 3:09 am
Unfortunately I don't have any experience in the risk / compliance consulting area.
Amin Assi Aug 25, 2016, 5:00 am
Mr Cheng,
Any idea which of the major 25 firms would be best suited in matters of curbing state administration corruption?
I have a major project in the Middle East.
Paul Aug 27, 2015, 7:33 pm
a couple of the firms you listed above were insurance consulting firm – specifically AON and Mercer – they are employee benefits consultants… with your experience for helping people prep for case interviews… how would you format their typical scenarios
They typically provide the company name (which has their healthcare cost information on the department of labor portal.. so you can see their costs over the years)
and they say something like… this company doesn't like their benefits platform, and is considering doing a alternative way to manage their costs… what can you do to increase their benefits division while maintain costs?
Cloud Sep 13, 2015, 2:07 pm
I am going to start working with IBM consulting. My ultimate goal is to work with MBB. My question to Victor is how should I approach in IBM (practice area like business analytics/ SCM/risk management)that can lead me to MBB??
Victor Cheng Sep 14, 2015, 9:06 am
The only proven path from a place like IBM to MBBis first through a top 5 MBA program. If you've already attended business school or some other similar graduate school, there isn't much of a proven path from IBM to MBB.
The top 3 firms typically do not make lateral from other consulting firms that aren't top 3.
Carter Feb 7, 2016, 12:06 am
Hi Victor:
I'm confused by the relationship between Strategy&, and Booz Allen Hamilton. I would have expected to see Booz Allen Hamilton on this list, but is it accounted for in the Strategy& ranking, even though that is a PwC branch?
Eugene Apr 12, 2016, 7:47 am
Hi Carter,
Strategy&, formerly Booz & Company and now part of PwC, has long been independent/separate from Booz Allen Hamilton.
Booz Allen Hamilton and Booz & Co split way back in 2008, with BAH taking the federal business and Booz & Co taking the commercial business.
So, Booz Allen Hamilton is not on this list, while Strategy& (Booz & Co) is on the list.
Will Feb 25, 2016, 8:51 pm
It is interesting that Parthenon didn't make your list. The 25-year old firm was founded by 2 former Bain consultants and has 600 consultants in 22 offices and is ranked #15 in vault.com.
Tom Sep 20, 2016, 4:35 pm
Parthenon is part of the EY consulting network I think. Strategy& is acquired really as EY's strategy arm.
Sofia Mar 6, 2016, 3:06 pm
I recently finished an exective mba and would target consultancy companies more into the People & organizational development side. Any good recommendations besides the one´s mentioned?
Sohaib Anwar Oct 8, 2016, 1:10 am
Thanks for putting in all this information. Could you also specify which among the following consulting groups are strongly advising clients on corporate sustainability? Issues linked up with climate change and associated business strategies? I am seeking opportunities to work in sustainability industry so trying to streamline those consulting groups that have stronger portfolios on this.
Your insight would be valuable.
Sohaib.
Corina Jan 7, 2018, 8:10 am
Dear Sohaib,
I am very interested in sustainability consulting as well. Do you happen to have any insights on which consulting firms have a strong focus on that?
I'd highly appreciate a response.
Nicolas Nov 21, 2016, 5:40 pm
Dear Contact,
I would like to know about consulting companies that specialize on matters related to the public or NGO sectors (different to McKinsey).
Alexander May 17, 2017, 2:16 pm
Hey there Victor,
Would it be possible to receive an updated list? This list is from 5 years ago and I was wondering if there was movement.
I will be interning at IBM this summer in the GBS section and would like to know where I stand ranking wise, because I would like to consider possible consulting career trajectories. Ideally, I would like to go MBB, and currently have a 3.7 GPA at a state school.
Steve smith Jul 7, 2017, 12:06 am
Need a little help, I have 18 years experience in sales & marketing…founded a successful social media marketing company and now I'm looking to join a management consulting firm. I joined Global Resources as a Senior Business Analyst just to get a feel for working in consulting…any specific recommendation as to which consulting agency & position to approach?
I'm based in Los Angeles btw
Alex Yang Oct 18, 2017, 11:30 pm
As an undergraduate who received offers from Deloitte S&O, Oliver Wyman, and PwC Advisory, which firm would you say is the most "prestigious" of the 3 with the best b-school placement?
John Brown Aug 21, 2019, 5:29 am
What a great article! with a lot of insight. This helped me a lot to know about Top Consulting Firms.
viewed "Top Consulting Firms" 4 hours ago
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Next I want to append the pop over to each image view

A: Maybe using setOnLongClickListener on the ImageView help you:
myImageView.setOnLongClickListener(new View.OnLongClickListener() {

        @Override
        public boolean onLongClick(View view) {
            Toast.makeText(context,"Text to show", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

            return true;
        }
    });

In the xml set the ImageView long-clickable:
<ImageButton
    ...
     android:longClickable="true"
/>

Or you can do the same via code:
myImageView.setLongClickable(true);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Modular steel barriers are ideal for the semi-permanent designation of areas.
It is possible to create customized solutions by using vertical stands and horizontal pipes of varying length. The vertical stands are equipped with a flange with three holes which allows them to be fixed to the ground with bolts. The installation with embedded threaded sleeves level with the floor allows them to be removed and repositioned easily. Connectors allow fixing the horizontal pipes to the vertical stands and their tightening by means of a little hex key placed in the bottom part.


Wichita Park and Recreation will host its annual Bunny Blast & Egg Hunt, for kids ages 2-10, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 13 at O.J. Watson Park, 3022 S. McLean Blvd.
Admission is $5 per carload (cash only) at the entrance gate. The gate will open at 9:45 a.m.
Youth will have an opportunity to hunt eggs for their baskets. Bring your own basket and a camera to capture the good times!
The Bunny Blast includes the egg hunt and other activities too, like a jelly bean guessing contest, Easter Basket giveaways, photos with the Easter Bunny and more!
For more information, call Watson Park at 529-9940.


On line POKER: IS IT WORTH YOUR Revenue?
With all the advent of information technology, almost everything seems to be on-line today. From newspapers to card games, nothing at all can beat the convenience online interactivity could bring.Yes, you might have heard it proper. Even card games are now getting exposed electronically by way of on the web gaming. And a single winonlinepokertoday.com of your most preferred on-line card games may be the on-line poker.
On line poker is often a poker game played more than the online world (not surprisingly!). The dawn of a new era for playing poker in the Net has brought vast enhance on the number of poker players throughout the planet.
On the internet poker, contrary for the traditional poker game, are said to become economical since they require less costly upkeep cost. By way of example, in on line poker adding yet another table to accumulate other players won't take up beneficial location like it would for any typical casino and poker rooms.
Besides, in online poker rooms you can find no suggestions you have to spend. Normally, players must spend a dollar or two as tips for the dealer and waitresses whenever you win a sizable pot at stake in live poker rooms.
In addition, as a result of the interactivity feature of all on-line activities, on-line poker likewise offers much more player-oriented capabilities. The software that may be getting employed on on the internet poker reminds the player whenever it truly is their turn to take actions. Plus the greatest thing about on the web poker is the fact that it permits players to play for quite low bet, as low as 1 cent. For newcomers, on-line poker delivers cost-free roll tourneys whenever there are actually no entry fees. By doing so, on line poker is capable to attract extra newbies to play the game.
The other causes why on the web poker rooms are additional practical techniques of playing the game are its safety. On-line poker games have collusion detection abilities. This software enables the on line poker room safety moderators to examine the "hand history" with the previously played cards of any player in the web page. This enables them to detect the behavioral patterns from the on the web players easier, so to speak.
Also, on the net poker game web sites responsibly checks around the player's IP address so as to prevent players around the very same property or on some unknown proxy servers from playing the same tables. These and lots of other interactive security capabilities give online poker players a secured gaming knowledge.
The best on the web poker rooms that are thought of to become secured on their connections are these with Verisign or Thawte Security, a subsidiary of Verisign. These are just two of your most trusted safety certificates on the planet. Add to that, these safety certificates are also the ones employed to protect the United states of america Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. department of Defense, basic Electric, and several other individuals. So, fear no a lot more!
You will discover also other functions that practically lure new players to try the game. An example of this can be the so-called tournaments on the web much better recognized as "satellites" wherein the winning on the internet poker player gets the likelihood of playing to real-life poker tournaments.
On the other hand, because of the vulnerability of the Online to on the internet frauds, on-line poker is deemed a legal on the net game and is becoming regulated in numerous countries including the United kingdom and also other nations about the Caribbean Sea.
Even though, on a extra common view, the legality of online poker really depends on the distinct laws getting implemented on a certain spot.
On the other hand, many people believed that on the internet poker game is a form of an internet gambling exactly where the truth is it is not. It is actually for the reason that in gambling your likelihood of winning is dependent upon the casino's favor. As opposed to in on the net poker, you also play against other players and not machines giving exactly the same odds as using the other players. Also, gambling is actually a game of likelihood although online poker is really a game based on capabilities.
So, why would you wait for one more likelihood or two when playing slots or roulette any time you can essentially have the funds worth your capabilities by playing on line poker? With all of the items pointed out, on the internet poker is surely one of the most thrilling, moneymaking on the net game in the universe now.Think of it!


FERC Staff has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Golden Pass LNG's proposed liquefaction and export terminal on the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Jefferson County, Texas, and the interconnected pipeline. Staff concludes that if the project is constructed and operated in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and proposed and recommended mitigation, the adverse environmental impacts from the project would not be significant. The export terminal project is sponsored by affiliates of Qatar Petroleum International and ExxonMobil.


Here's some interesting Nickel graphs from metalprices.com. I think these add a bit of perspective to the current situation (check up to date news at google news). The strike (between the USW and Vale Inco) started on July 13th, and is in its 10th week. You will notice that prices are about where they were 5 years ago, but inventories are at all time highs.
Here's a website I came across a while ago that I'd like to share with those reading my blog. Its stunning the number of stories that these people are able to pull from the media about impaired driving. These are only the tip of the iceberg, as many are only briefly reported in the media, like Kate's crash.
Here's a great prank video... apparently these people are just out for a Sunday ride.
"It's by doing whatever that one becomes whoever"


text:
Taiaro is een atol dat administratief behoort tot de gemeente Fakarava  in het midden van de Tuamotu archipel in Frans-Polynesië, in de Grote Oceaan. Sinds 1977 is dit atol, samen met zes andere atollen van de gemeente Fakarava aangewezen als Biosfeerreservaat.

Dit atol ligt 45 km ten oosten van het atol Fakarava, het dichtst bijzijnde eiland. Taiaro ligt 530 km van Tahiti. Het atol is ovaalvormig met een lengte van 5,7 km en een breedte van 3,7 km. Het landoppervlak is 6 km2 en het wateroppervlak van de lagune is 12 km2 Er is geen bevaarbare doorgang naar zee.

Beschrijving

Geschiedenis en bewoning
De eerste Europeaan die melding maakt van het eiland is kapitein Robert FitzRoy tijdens de tweede reis met de Beagle (waar Charles Darwin aan deelnam ) op 13 november 1835. Het was het laatste eiland van de archipel dat hij in kaart bracht. Daarna bezochten meer ontdekkingsreizigers, onder andere Charles Wilkes het eiland. Wilkes noemde het in 1839  King's Island.

In de negentiende eeuw werd het eiland Frans territoriaal bezit. Er woonde toen ongeveer 15 mensen. Volgens de bevolkingsstatistiek uit 2017 wonen er nu 2 mensen. Het eiland is privébezit van W. A. Robinson.

Ecologie
Het eiland is een biosfeerreservaat. Op het eiland zijn 23 inheemse soorten planten, naast plantages van de kokospalm. In de lagune komen 50 verschillende soorten vis voor.

Er zijn 40 verschillende vogelsoorten waaronder zeven vogelsoorten van de Rode Lijst van de IUCN voorkomen waaronder de met uitsterven bedreigde phoenixstormvogel (Pterodroma alba) en de endemische tuamotujufferduif (Ptilinopus coralensis).

Frans-Polynesisch eiland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
import os

import argparse
import json

from board import Board

RELEASE = "0.3"

TEMP_FILE_NAME = "/tmp/tp.md"

def main():
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Print Trello.com JSON file')
    parser.add_argument('-f', '--format', choices=["text", "markdown", "html"],
                        default="markdown")
    parser.add_argument('source', metavar="json_file")
    parser.add_argument('-v', '--version', action='version',
                        version='TrelloPrint ' + RELEASE)
    args = parser.parse_args()

    filename = args.source
    with open(filename, "r") as f:
        data = json.load(f)

    b = Board(data)
    if (args.format == "text"):
        print(b)
        exit

    md_string = b.get_md()
    if (args.format == "markdown"):
        print(md_string)
    elif (args.format == "html"):
        with open(TEMP_FILE_NAME, "w") as temp_fd:
            temp_fd.write(md_string)
        os.system("markdown " + TEMP_FILE_NAME)
        os.remove(TEMP_FILE_NAME)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Speaking the Truth in Love
Compelling Commentary on Christian Belief and Behavior
Bishops - Part 2: The New Testament and Early Church Model
November 15, 2010 Length: 45:15
In the second in his series on bishops, Fr. Tom reflects on the New Testament and early Church formulations of the offices and functions of clergy.
In series Bishops - A Series on the Structure and Leadership of the Church
Worship in Spirit and Truth: The Divine Liturgy and Physical Place
Is there a prescribed physical place where the liturgy is to be served or not served? Fr. Tom traces the history from the "house church" to the present day.
Names of Jesus: Jesus - Pastor and Bishop
As Fr. Tom comes close to the end of this series, he explores with us the name of Jesus as Pastor and Bishop.
Speaking the Truth: Bishops - Part 1: Prophetic, Priestly, and Pastoral
Fr. Tom begins a series of talks on the role of bishops in the Church and their relationships to each other, to the priests, the deacons, and to us. He…
Worship in Spirit and Truth: Worship in the Apostolic Writings
How did the New Testament Church worship? Fr. Thomas shows a specific structural practice that Orthodox worship today is based on.
Speaking the Truth: Bishops - Part 7: Martyrs, Monks, and Holy Bishops
In this next episode of the series on Bishops, Fr. Tom reflects on 4th century Bishops, Monks, Martyrs, and Saints.
Church in Time
bishops (847)
early church (233)
fr thomas hopko (472)
This is the second in a series of reflections on Church structure, Church order, particularly focusing on the ministry of the bishop, the place and ministry of the bishop, and, with him, presbyters or priests and deacons and then the saints and the charismatic people in the Church and the whole body of the faithful, the plēroma of the faithful. That's what we're reflecting on now.
Last time, in my first reflection on this subject, I tried to set the stage, as it were, by saying that human beings, male and female, from the beginning were created to be prophetic and priestly and pastoral and royal, that we blew it. Humanity blew it from the beginning and denied their humanity, and denied their prophetic and priestly and pastoral and royal calling by sinning, by rebelling against God, by refusing to keep his commandments, by refusing to be prophetic and priestly and pastoral. So they made themselves fools, and we made ourselves fools. We made ourselves desecraters instead of consecraters. Instead of mediators, we became obstacles between creation and God and other people and God. And instead of being kings and rulers we became slaves and subjects to the very dust and earth and all the demonic powers that we were supposed to rule over.
So that's the tragedy. That's how it was in the beginning. And we said last time—if you didn't listen to it, go back and listen—that the Lord God Almighty didn't give up on us. He kept working with us, and he found righteous people to interact with. He found Enoch; he found Noah. And then he finds Abraham, then he makes the promise to Abraham. And you have Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, the tribes of Israel. You have Moses, the passover exodus, the tabernacle, the temple, the time in the wilderness, the crossing the Jordan, the entering the promised land, the building of Jerusalem Temple, the institution of the priests and all of the sacrificial rites.
You have God doing all of that to reconstruct humanity, to make us again to be prophetic and priestly and royal and pastoral, and to know the truth and to do the truth and to glorify God. That's what he wants from us. That's what makes us human. That's what gives us joy and happiness, peace, shalom of God—that's how we get it.
So God acts through all that, and then, ultimately, all this is for Christ, to produce Christ, who is the one teacher, the one prophet, the one great high priest, the one pastor, the one good shepherd, the one king, the one governor, the one bishop, the one overseer, the one apostle, the one everything. And as we ended our talk last time, we said Jesus is himself everything. He is the Adam. He is the lone humanity. He is the lone Jew. There is only one human being; there's only one Jew—and that's Jesus. You might even say there's only one Christian and that's Jesus.
But what we want to see is that it all is fulfilled in this one person, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messianic prophet, the Messianic teacher, the Messianic priest, the Messianic king, who is prophet, priest, and king by giving himself over to the cross and to death and to suffering in order to destroy death and to raise the dead. So he fulfills all of his Messianic ministry, all of his divine humanity, on the cross. And he takes upon himself the curse and the sin of the world. He takes on himself the foolishness, the rebellion, the perversion of humanity in order to straighten it all out, to heal it, to cure it, to sanctify it, to glorify it, to make it be what God wants it to be from the beginning, and that's what our Lord Jesus does.
So we said last time that there is one priest, one bishop, one teacher, one pastor. There's not many; there's only one. But then we said last time also that by faith and by grace, we all participate in the one priesthood, the one prophetic ministry, the one teaching capability, so to speak, the one being very words of God ourselves as Jesus is. By grace and by faith we become everything that Jesus is by nature. He's divine and human, and we become human, really human, and therefore divine, by communion with him and keeping his commandments through love and through his grace. We can't do it without the grace; it's all grace.
What we said last time is that all Christians participate in the one prophetic and priestly and pastoral character of Jesus himself. But then we said last time that in the Church, in the Church as the qahal Israel, as the assembly of Israel on earth until the Lord comes again in glory, the Messianic community, the Church of Christ, there are some within the community who are ordained, consecrated, receive the laying-on of hands called cheirotonia in the Bible and in Greek, in order to be leaders of the Church, to be the ones who very specifically guarantee the presence of the Lord Christ in the community and his power in the community. Christ's presence and Christ's power in the community is guaranteed in the structure of the Church through the bishops and the presbyters and the deacons who are ordained for that particular purpose.
Here we would like to make a theological nuance, a kind of a fine point which I consider to be extremely important. The bishops and the priests in the Church and, in their own way, the deacons, do not represent Jesus as if he were absent. It's not a vicarious type of ministry. In other words, the bishops and the priests and the deacons don't stand in the place of an absent Christ. What they do it, by their ministries, through their sacramental graces and powers and authorities, they reveal the very presence of Christ—not his absence, but his presence. They show that he is still there as teacher. He's still there as prophet. He's still there as high priest. He's still there as king. He's still there as good shepherd. He's still there, doing all the things that the prophets and the priests and the shepherds and the kings are supposed to do for the sake of the salvation of humanity and the whole world.
So I like to say that the clergy present the Lord Jesus. They don't represent him, they present him. They image him, to use a good Greek Byzantine term: they image Christ. They're the sacramental images of Christ. Here you could say it's kind of iconic, but you've got to be careful, because it doesn't mean they're like photographic representatives or something like that, they have to look like Jesus with long hair and beards or something. That's ridiculous, but what it means is that they have a modality, a form of sacramental reality that allows them to be the sacramental presences, communicating the sacramental powers and authorities of Christ himself, who alone has all power over it in heaven and on earth.
It's a presence of Christ that is being shown, not an absence. And it's being shown in a very particular way, through the bishops and the presbyters and the deacons. It's being shown in other ways through other people. It's being shown in other ways through the holy people, the saints, the prophets, the charismatic teachers, the healers, those whom God raises up for particular purposes. There's lists of these charismatic gifts in the writings of St. Paul. You find them in Ephesians; you find it in Corinthians. You know: "The body has many gifts, yet the same Spirit."
But here we would say that to be bishop, priest, or deacon is not a charismatic gift. It's a sacramental reality that belongs to the very being in order and structure of the community of the Church itself, that you cannot have the Church without bishops, priests, and deacons. You just can't. Well, deacons here, it's a question… But normally there would be those who minister as the hands of the bishop and do certain things that they are ordained to do. And in the earliest Church, some of the deacons were women. There's no doubt about it: men deacons and women deacons, but not presbyters and not bishops. The presbyter-bishop was always a man, and a very particular type of man.
So what we want to see now is: how did all of this develop in the earliest Church? What evidence do we have of this from the New Testament Scriptures, the 27 books of the New Testament, and what evidence do we have [for] this in what is called the post-Apostolic age? In other words, the end of the first century, the beginning of the second century, and throughout the second century: that would be called the [post-]Apostolic age, or the sub-Apostolic age, or however you want to call it, the post–New-Testament age.
And here, that would be the age that would pretty much coincide with the centuries until Constantine's conversion and the de-illegitimization of Christianity, and then ultimately the making of Christianity as the established religion in the end of the fourth century. So we could say the first and second and third centuries. Now, what do we see in those centuries, the 100s and the 200s, before you get to the 300s? What do we see there about bishops and presbyters and Church leadership and Church structure and Church order?
First of all, we have the testimony of the New Testament writings themselves, and we have what are called the "pastoral epistles," meaning the epistles that somehow show this structure. And they are the two letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus. And then you might add to that the letter to the Hebrews, where we see a very clear theological treatise about the unique once-for-all priesthood of Jesus Christ as himself the only victim, and then how that lives in the Church.
But the Timothy and Titus letters—and in Peter you find also, the letters attributed to Peter—you find sentences that use these particular words, and you find them in the writings of St. Paul as well. For example, in the writings of St. Paul—and these are considered to be really Pauline; certainly the Letter to the Philippians is—the Letter to the Philippians actually begins with these words, that this letter is written to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and the deacons (with the episkopoi and the diakonoi). So you have that term "bishop" used, used in Philippians. You have it used in Timothy: "Those who desire the office of a bishop."
It's got to be admitted, because it's simply the truth, that in the New Testament times and in the Scriptures of the New Testament, these terms are not yet formulated in the technical meaning in the meaning that they will have in another 50 years or so. "Presbyters" and "bishops" are almost used interchangeably. The term "deacon" is used as a minister in general and not as a church office. And then you have the problems of translating them. How do you translate episkopos? Do you translate it "superintendent"; do you translate it "overseer"? How do you translate presvyteros? Do you translate it "elder"; do you translate it "presbyter"? Can you even translate it as "priest," which is not recommended, because there's another Greek word that means "priest": ierevs, which is not presvyteros. "Presbyter" means "elder."
And in the Orthodox Church to this day, at least liturgically, those holding this office are called "presbyters." It's only popularly that they're called "priests." They're said to have the gift of the hierosynē, the priesthood, but their title is "presbyter." For example, in the litany of the Divine Liturgy, you pray for the "presbyterate" and the "diaconate" and the "episcopate."
You have these three, though, already mentioned in the New Testament. They're already there, and so for us Orthodox, that's extremely important, because they are already testified to in the Apostolic writings that are canonized by the qahal Israel in Christ, by the Church of Christ. You already have it there in the New Testament. So you have, for example, in Timothy, I Timothy 3:
"The saying is sure: if anyone aspires to the office of episkopos, bishop, he desires a noble task. Now, a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way, for if a man does not know how to manage his own oikos, his own household, how can he care for God's church, the oikos tou Theo, the household of God? He must be not a recent convert (whatever that might mean) or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders or he may fall into reproach and the snares of the devil.
Deacons, likewise, must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Let them also be tested first, that if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.
The women, likewise (and the usual interpretation in our tradition is the women deacons likewise, not women generally, but the women who are doing diakonia, who are doing ministry and service), they also must be serious. No slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well, for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Now, you have similar words, almost identical words in the Letter to Titus. Here's what it says in Titus:
This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective and appoint elders (here the word is "presbyters") in every town as I directed you. If any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers, and not open to the charge of being profligate or subordinate. For a bishop (and then he uses "episkopos"), as God's steward (oikonomos) must be blameless, not arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled. He must hold firm to the sure word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine, health doctrine, and also to confuse those who contradict it.
Here you have qualifications for these positions. What we see is that here—and this is certainly true in the New Testament, generally—the word "presbyter" and the word "bishop" are almost used interchangeably. You could almost speak of "presbyter-bishop" as one and the same office. It will become distinguished very quickly, certainly by the beginning of the second century, but in the New Testament writings themselves, it's pretty much indicating the same thing. It's simply the one who heads the household, who heads the community. That's what it is.
Our understanding, Orthodox understanding would be: this would be the one who is not an apostle. And here, for our Church, it's pretty much agreed upon that apostles, although having episcopal and presbyteral and diaconal functions—in other words, they were overseers and they were elders and they were ministers and they were servants—were not technically what we would call today "bishops" or "priests." They were not. I think we have to really insist that, already by the beginning of the second century, the end of the first, the beginning of the second, that the bishop or elder, the presbyter or episkopos, presvyteros or episkopos, was the one that the apostle established to be the head of the Christian community.
In other words, the first bishop of the community was not the apostle who founded the church. It was the man who was put over the church when the apostle departed. Here we have a good witness to this in the writing of St. Irenaeus in the third century, the 200s, where he says about the church of Rome, that it was the blessed church founded by the Apostles Peter and Paul, whose first bishop was Linus, whose second bishop was Clement, whose third bishop was Eleftherios, and he goes through the names of eleven bishops. But the first one is not Peter.
And here, we have to say very clearly: for the Orthodox, Peter was not the first bishop of Rome. He was not the first bishop of Antioch, either. He was not the first bishop of anywhere, because the apostles were very particular, once-for-all ministry of announcing as eyewitnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ who had a very unique place in Christianity and that place was over when the last of them died.
There were apostles who had to be eyewitnesses and servants of the word. There were the Twelve, headed by Peter. There had to be twelve because of the twelve tribes of Israel, but there were other 70 apostles. Some women were apostolic. Mary Magdalene is called in our Church an apostle: an apostle to the apostles. Namely, those who were sent to be witness to the risen Christ, the crucified and glorified Christ.
"Presvyteros" and "episkopos" were not "apostolos" as such. You may have had apostolically minded bishops and priests—I surely hope we do—but they're not apostles technically. For example, in I Peter, you have again the term "presvyteros" used:
"I exhort the elders (presvyteroi) among you as a fellow elder (synpresvyteros) and a martys (a witness) of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is in your charge, not by constraint, but willingly; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not as domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd (and there you've got it: the poimen, the good shepherd; that's the pastor), when the chief pastor is manifested, you will obtain the unfading crown of glory.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the presvyteroi, to the elders. Clothe yourself, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.
And he continues. So you have this presbyter-bishop person in the Christian community from the beginning as a successor to the apostolic founders of the communities who head the local community. They function as the fathers, and even, in some sense, the husbands, of those communities. They present Christ there. They guarantee the presence of Christ. They exercise the authority and the power of Christ. And that's why they're even called episkopoi or oikonomoi, an oikonomos or an episkopos, because "episkopos" and "oikonomos" were names of household slaves. They were the names of servants.
It's really interesting that the heads of Christian communities were given the title that belonged to a servant at that time. And what did it mean? The episkopos was the chief servant in a household. An oikonomos was the servant who took care of all the master's properties, monies, goods, and powers. Now, the men who held those positions were not the lord; they were not the master. The lord and master was Christ, but they did everything in the master's name. They shone forth the master. They imaged the master. They presented the master. They were there, holding the master's place, so to speak, showing that he was there, but not absent. In some sense absent, of course, but spiritually present: "I am with you always, even to the end of the world," the Lord Jesus told his disciples and apostles.
So the episkopos and the oikonomos, the bishop, the presvyteros, the elder of the community, was an overseer, a manager, a superintendent, a father. St. Paul says, "You have many teachers but not many fathers. I have become your father." And these guys are fathers because they beget people to God through baptism and through their preaching and proclamation of the Gospel.
These are very particular men. I'm stressing men because no women were included in this at all. Whatever some modern scholars try to prove and stand on their head to prove, you can't prove it. There were no women at all, and as we'll see through Church history, when there were sectarian Christian groups that had women bishops and presbyters, when they entered into the one [Church] that we believe was the true orthodox, catholic one, those particular women had to stand among the widows and the virgins. They couldn't stand among the presbyters. They were not presbyters, and they certainly were not bishops.
In Timothy and Titus and in Peter, it's very clear that they're talking about a man. A man, the husband of one wife. He could be a married man, he could have children, but he had to manage his household well. Without going through this in great detail, and I advise you to do it yourself: get Timothy, get Titus, read what it says about the bishop, and you will see that there are very, very specific qualifications: not any man could hold this position. As John Chrysostom would say, that position excludes most of the men in the Church, because they don't have those qualifications, and all of the women, because they don't have those qualifications. That would be the Orthodox Christian teaching, and that would be the ancient Christian teaching.
It would certainly be the ancient Christian teaching in the orthodox catholic churches that we affirm and understand as succeeding. They may not have been, in some sectarian Christian groups like Marcionites or Montanists or Gnostics of various sorts, but in the orthodox catholic Church, that was definitely the case. And that's why some modern feminist scholars say the orthodox catholic Church, the ancient Christian Church that we identify with, was male-chauvanist, and it wanted to be dominated by men, and it killed the real spiritual, mystical Christianity that you found in Montanism and Gnosticism. Well, we don't believe in that. We think that that's just simply totally wrong.
And by the way, those same authors not only had women bishops and mystical leaders who were women, but they also basically rejected the Old Testament and they also basically rejected the Cross of Christ. One thing that really distinguishes Gnostic and heretical early Christian spiritualizing groups from the Church, the Church that we identify with and we are right now in the 21st century, is that their God was not the God of the Old Testament; they did not honor the Old Testament Scriptures; they did not believe in the real Incarnation of Jesus; they did not believe in his real Resurrection; they did not believe in the real crucifixion; they did not, because they said all this had to do with the male body, they spiritualized the whole thing.
They did not believe in the real Presence in the holy Eucharist of the Body and Blood of Christ, and they certainly did not believe in the episcopate, the male episcopate and the apostolic succession. They did not even believe in the authority of the Apostles, because they were all men. If you want to read about this, read Elaine Pagels' book, The Gnostic Gospels. She lays it all out there in four-part harmony. Orthodox catholic Christianity is a male chauvanist plot, according to her. The "real" Christianity were the Gnostics and the spiritualists. Well, people have to decide what is right and what is wrong, what is true and what is false.
Our Church simply says Gnosticism and Montanism was wrong, and the churches of the Apostles and then such men as Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna and Irenaeus of Lyons and Cyprian of Carthage and then, later on, John Chrysostom and Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nyssa and all the holy Fathers, Ambrose, Augustine—this is the true Church; this is the real Church. The other ones are heretical and simply contrary to God's Gospel in Jesus.
What we want to say right now is that in the New Testament, you already have emerging what we call the three-fold ministry that belongs to the very structure of the Church. You have bishops, you have presbyters, and you have deacons. You may even have had a kind of a two-fold in the beginning: the presbyter-bishop and then the deacons. And the deacons were both men and women, most likely, because the Church had women deacons all through history. John Chrysostom in the fourth century he had, like, hundreds of them in Constantinople. They were the women who assisted the bishops with the baptisms with the women and put the chrism on the body and dunked the women in the water and so on. There were women deacons, and we know: Phoebe, Tatiana, Nonna, those were all deacons. They're called deacons.
And by the way, they're called "deacons" in Greek; they're not called "deaconesses." They're called "deacon," but with a feminine article: "ho diakonos" is a man, and hē diakonos" (the same masculine word) is for the woman. That's how it's in the New Testament, and that's why in Timothy when it says, "And the women also," John Chrysostom interprets that as the women deacons, not women generally, but the women who were technically in the diakonia ministry, who were ordained for that purpose.
And we know that by the third century, we have the service for the ordination of the women deacon, which was absolutely identical for the service for the ordination of the man deacon, except that the prayer for women mentioned Phoebe as the prototypical deacon (woman deacon), whereas the prayer for the man mentioned Stephen as the prototypical deacon for men.
But staying in the New Testament now, we have bishops and presbyters and deacons. And they are not considered in the New Testament to be charismatic ministries. They're not like charismatic prophets or speakers-in-tongues or healers or administrators or the people that you find listed in some of the epistles of St. Paul as the holders of the charismatic gifts. I can quickly find some of these lists of the charismatic members of the Church, and these charisms, they come and they go, and they're given by God, and they disappear, whereas the episcopate, the presbyterate, and the diaconate become structures of the very Church itself. They belong to the Church's very being.
For example, in the Corinthian letter, the charisms would be: apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles, are all prophets, are all teachers, do all work miracles, do all possess the gift of healing, do all speak in tongues, do all interpret? Well, the answer, obviously, is no. And then the Apostle Paul says, but the gift that unites them all is love. And then you have I Corinthians 14.
You have a very similar list in the Letter to the Ephesians, which is considered to be a kind of deutero-canonical book, in other words, a Pauline book, but perhaps not written by the hand of Paul himself, but when he speaks about supplying the edification of the Church and supplying what is needed, he also, in the Ephesian letter, gives a list of what these kind of gifts can be. I'm here trying to find it as I speak with you, and I will find it just in a minute. "He gave gifts to men"—here it is—
and his gifts (charisma) were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. For the equipment of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood…
And he continues on.
Some scholars would say, "Well, you see, there were different kinds of structures in the early Church. There was a looser structure like you find in Corinthians, and then there was a tighter structure like you find in Timothy." Sometimes they even like to show that these were contentious parties in the Church, and they were fighting for their own way and all that kind of stuff, because almost all modern scholarship in the New Testament, they see everything in terms of controversy and quarrel and fight and fight-for-power. I think that's sick, frankly; I think that's just plain sick.
I think our interpretation would be that, yeah, you had loose things in the beginning. You had Gentile communities like the Corinthians. But then when it became clear that the Lord was not coming back chronologically very soon and the Church was going to have settle down for a long, or at least a longer history in time and space and had been separated from Judaism by being expelled from the synagogues and becoming Christians as a separate Jewish sect, then they had to develop their own structure, their own order, their own way of existing, and that's when you get the bishops and the presbyters and the deacons, and then they become universally part of all the churches by the end of the first century or the beginning of the second.
It's not for nothing that one of the first post-Apostolic writings that exist is a letter of the bishop of Rome to the Corinthian community, telling the presbyters they are to straighten themselves up and to get in order. In fact, someone once said that the Corinthian community was so wild that it made it into the New Testament the same way that Pontius Pilate made it into the Nicene Creed: for all the troubles they had. They had to be put in order. The Apostle Paul himself had to write to them and say, "I want everything to be done decently and in order. I want the women charismatics to be quiet in church. I don't want many prophesying. I don't want this tongue-speaking all over the place." He already had to tell them that, already in the first century, already in the middle of the first century.
So there had to be some kind of order brought to the Church, and one of the most amazing things, in my mind, is that by the time you get to the end of the first century and the beginning of the second, you have basically the same order in virtually all of the churches throughout the entire Roman Empire. From Rome to Corinth to Jerusalem to wherever, you basically have a church which is headed by a bishop. And in Jerusalem, by the way, it was James, the brother of the Lord, according to Tradition, even according to the Book of Acts. He's the one who presided at the council in Jerusalem, because he was the bishop. And he's always called the first bishop of Jerusalem.
So you had bishops from the beginning. You had deacons and presbyters and deacons and ministers from the beginning, belonging to [the] very structure of the Church. And here I would insist on this: different from charismatic people. The Church always has charismatic people. The modern starchestvo, the eldership in Russia, was a charismatic institution, and they did lots of things—they preached, they [taught], they healed, they heard confessions, they gave advice—but they were not ordained clergy in the same sense as a bishop, a priest, and a deacon.
Very often, they were in a little bit of contention with each other sometimes, because the bishops could get overly domineering, and the charismatics could get overly charismatic. But you have that already in the Old Testament: the prophets versus the kings, and all that kind of stuff, the priests… But it never was big animosity that meant that there were just different parties with different understandings of the faith itself. That is simply not true. And, just like in the Old Testament Ezekiel is a priest and a prophet, so in the New Testament, bishops like Cyprian or John Chrysostom are also prophets while at the same time being bishops.
You had it there from the beginning. It's in the New Testament. By the time you get to the end of the first century, as I just said, you find pretty much the same structure in all the churches. You have one of the presbyters becoming the leader of the community, and that's the one who will ultimately be called the bishop. Then you have council of elders, older men, who exist as a council around the bishop. And then you have the deacons, and then you have other orders: you have the widows, you have the virgins, you have the women deacons.
And you can see this in the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, written before 112. You see this in the apostolic constitutions. You see this in the Didachē. You see this in the writings of Hippolytus. You see this in the writings of Justin the Philosopher and Martyr. You find this witnessed to already in the 200s. You find it already in the 100s. You find it already in the second century. So if you're interested in this, I would recommend that you read the seven letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch. He was the bishop of Antioch who died as a martyr in Rome. He wrote seven very, very important letters about the earliest Church, and in these letters, he uses "bishop," "presbyter," and "deacon." He shows their interrelationship. He says that each community only has one bishop, or, as we might say nowadays, one "protopresbyter," one leading presbyter who then comes to be called bishop.
And then the term "episkopos" is only applied to that one, and then the other ones around him, who co-serve with him, and even celebrate Eucharists with his blessing, are called "presbyters." In modern times, we'd call them "priests." Then you had the deacons who helped, who were his hands, who carried the Holy Eucharist, who read the Gospel, and so on. But the bishop did the preaching, and then he would delegate to presbyters to do preaching. Then the presbyters would even perhaps preside at celebrations of Eucharist of the Lord's Supper in the physical absence of the bishop.
And that's how the whole thing seems to have developed, according to Orthodoxy. This is what you seem to have, very clearly shown, in the New Testament. One thing's for sure: it is what the Orthodox Church sees. Not what they seem to see, but what they actually do see. Our Church Tradition, this is the way we understand it.
So you have the witness of Ignatius, and then you have the witnesses of others. I mentioned Hippolytus; I mentioned Justin the Martyr, but two others that really need to be mentioned are Cyprian of Carthage and Irenaeus of Lyons, both of whom lived in the 200s, in the third century, and even overlapped the centuries, because they give us very, very interesting data and understanding about these bishops and about what they were doing and about how the Church life was organized and how it was interrelated in space and how it was kept intact in time, because human beings live in space and time.
The Christian Church is priest over all the world, so you have churches in different places. How did the churches in the different places relate to each other? Then, of course, from the earliest time, you had problems about that. From the earliest time, for example, the Church of Rome, because of Peter and Paul and because it was the imperial see, tried to have certain prerogatives over other churches, like over the church of North Africa and Carthage. I'll mention that in a future reflection. You have the seeds of what you can call the modern papacy already in the third century. This didn't come from nowhere.
But then you also had contestations between bishops: whose territories is whose? So you had this whole problem of when the Church gets spread out through space, and different towns and different cities have Christian communities, how were they structured interiorly, and then how do they relate to each other? How do churches in particular regions relate to each other?
Then you have the other problem: how do they relate when the bishop dies and they have to keep on going? Not only how do they relate in space, but how do they relate in time? How is the integrity, the identity, the unity, the solidarity, the sameness of the Church with the same Gospel, the same faith, the same worship, the same sacraments, how does that persist in time? What happens as generations die and new generations come up? How does that all work itself out? So we have to reflect on that, and we will do that in our next reflection.
But what we want to see for today, from the beginning, is, to use Bishop Kallistos' formula that we mentioned last time: "You have one, you have all, and you have some." One only is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the teacher, the prophet, the priest, the pastor, the king, the governor, the master, the overlord—it's all his.
Then you have everyone who's baptized into Christ and sealed with the Spirit, participating in Christ. They are in Christ. They have the gifts of Christ. They become by God's grace what Christ himself is by nature. That's not magical; it's not mechanical, but by grace and by faith, by prayer, by fasting, by worship, human beings can become Christians, in other words. We can become, as St. Gregory the Theologian will say in the 300s, "little christs," or "christs," we would say in modern English, with little-c. There's the Christ with the capital C, who was Christ by nature, and then there are christs with a little /c/ who are the Church. And this is all the men and all the women, even all the children, all the retarded people, all the sick people—everybody. It's just everybody in the Church participates in that and actualizes it in his or her own way.
And then, within that community, you have some who have particular gifts and charisms: healers, administrators, speakers-in-tongues, evangelists, and so on. But then you also have some who are bishops, presbyters, and deacons. The bishops and the presbyters are only men with the qualifications that you find in Timothy and Titus and the letter of Peter. The deacons are both men and women, and they also have the qualifications that you have in the letter of Timothy. That's how we would understand it.
Then these churches live in harmony. Ignatius would say they're like a harp with many strings that play the one song, the new song, together. That's how it is. We'll talk about Ignatius a little more later.
So then you have the some: some are bishops, some are presbyters, some are deacons, both men deacon and women deacon, deacons and deaconesses, we'd say in English. You have that reality and that belongs to the very structure of the Church. That belongs to the very structure of the Church. And we Orthodox see it as being there from the very beginning. It had to work itself out in the first century, but we believe it got worked out by the end of the first century, just like the New Testament canon got worked out by the end of the first century, just like the question about what to do about the Gentiles got worked out by the end of the first century, just like the relationship of the keeping of the works of the Law and circumcision got worked out by the end of the first century.
It took time for this to work itself out; there was controversy. I always point out that Peter fought with Paul and Paul fought with Peter and Paul fought with James, and they had to have the council in Jerusalem and so on. It took time to work all this out, and it took time for the local Christian communities, once they were separated from the synagogue, to get their interior order, to get the order by which they would live in history, how they would be organized, how they would be governed, how they would worship. All this had to be developed,even baptism.
By the end of the first century, you have all of the orthodox catholic churches of the baptisms being done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit following Matthew. It was not done in the name of Jesus like some early Christians were doing. That became not the accepted method, although nowadays there are churches that baptize just in the name of Jesus and not in the name of the Trinity. But the churches that we identified with, the ones with the bishops and the priests and the deacons, also baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and you had to be a baptized person and sealed with the Spirit to participate in the Holy Eucharist, in the Lord's Supper, in the Paschal Meal, to eat and drink in the kingdom of God.
The order of the Eucharist was developed at this time, too. So by the time you get to the end of the first century and the beginning of the second, you also have a pretty much universal order of the Eucharist in all the churches that we have records for. It begins with the psalmody and the proclamation of the word of God. Some local particular Christian hymns like the doxology and the trisagion, and then you have the offering of the Bread and Wine, and then the bishop pronounces the prayers of consecration.
And these cannot be done by prophets. It cannot be done by wandering people. It's got to be done by men in apostolic succession. That's what we find in all the churches by the beginning of the second century and to the third century. That's how it worked itself out as far as we can tell, and we can tell not only by the data that we have, by the records that we have, but because our churches organically move through that particular process themselves and it became part of the interior life of the Church.
We read those documents of the second century, and we say, "Yeah! That's just how it is!" That's just how it is, still to this day. By the time you get to the 300s, you have descriptions of baptisms and Eucharists in various places like Jerusalem and Antioch and northern Africa and in Rome and in Milan, by St. Ambrose, that are virtually identical. Cyril's and John Chrysostom's and Cyril of Jerusalem's and Cyprian's descriptions of what's going on, and Hippolytus', they're almost identical. And this is very, very early in Christian history. This is there from the beginning. It's not something developed in the middle ages or something. It's there from the beginning, but it had a long, long history through 2,000 years of Christianity down to the present time.
That's what we're going to try to reflect on more as we move through this. So next time, we will move into the post-New Testamental period, and we'll talk specifically about Ignatius and Irenaeus and Cyprian, or Ignatius, Cyprian, and Irenaeus, in that order, and then we'll get into the fourth century, which then basically gives us the structure that we pretty much have within Orthodoxy in one way or another, with great conflict and controversy about how it's to be interpreted, but basically you have that, and in the canons of the ecumenical councils just down to the present day. But that's for the next time.
But what we want to see today is that the bishop, the presbyter, the deacon, the structure of the Christian Church that was very fluid in the first half-century or so after Christ was worked out to the point where, by the end of the first century, beginning of the second century, virtually that structure became universal in all of the churches of Christ, in all of the communities that were—each one itself, fully—the catholic orthodox Church of Jesus Christ. Certainly the Church that we believe in, and that we believe that, even to this day, we are.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Mid-season hiatus
A lot of shows are starting their mid-season hiatus this week. That means we won't be seeing any new episodes until after the new year. Last night, I watched Chuck, Heroes and My Own Worst Enemy. Granted, My Own Worst Enemy has been cancelled so it's gone for good. Heroes was uninteresting. I'd like to see more of Hiro, Ando and Daphne and less of Claire and the Petrellis. Meanwhile, Chuck remains my absolute favorite show. Let's hear your side. What did you love or hate this season?
In Television Tags Chuck, Heroes, hiatus, mid-season, My Own Worst Enemy, Television, tv
We can be heroes
Since our daughter was staying at her grandparents' house this weekend, my husband and I jumped at the opportunity to pick up City of Heroes again. Well, this time we're playing City of Villains but it's the same game. We've been playing with a few of his World of Warcraft guildmates and it's been tons of fun. I hope that I don't get too addicted to it again! (Don't worry, I still take care of my daughter. It's the mundane things like washing dishes that get pushed to the side.) I forgot just how fun the game was!
In Computers/Internet, Video Games Tags City of Heroes, City of Villains, comic books, Heroes, MMO, MMORPG, NCSoft, superheroes
TV review: Heroes season 3
Despite a terrible second season due to last year's writers strike, the third season of Heroes debuted with a two-hour premiere last night. As a whole, I didn't think it was too bad. There were some "What the hell" moments where I wanted to reach into the television and smack a few characters upside the head. I guess that just goes with the series overall. I'm interested to see what they do with the villains this season. To be honest, I'm finding our heroes (specifically Claire and Nathan) rather boring. They need to do something to step it up a bit. They've had plenty of time to get used to having powers. I'm ready for them to stop whining about it now. I wish I could say I have high hopes for this show. I'm really just hoping they don't screw it up.
In Reviews, Television Tags comic books, Heroes, NBC, superheroes, Television


Shanghai Opera House Orchestra will give a live orchestral music performance against the backdrop of breath-taking high-definition footage from the landmark BBC series "Frozen Planet." "Frozen Planet" is a documentary which focuses on animal life in the world's Polar Regions, as well as the gradual destruction due to global warming. During the concert, the audience can watch documentary through the 150 square meters of LED large screen with the majestic and witty live music. Address: 800 Miaojiang Rd.


Complete the sentences in your own way.
1. We need both to minimize the cost and to … .
2. The organization is seeking both skilled workforce and … .
3. The company has managed both to develop its resources and to detain its … .
4. Both the managers and … are trying to reach a consensus.
5. Both the internal and … factors should be analyzed.
11. Underline the passive causative structure to get sth + Past Participle (or Participle II) in the sentences below. Match the jobs in the box with their definitions. Follow the example.
1. They get board decisions and initiatives implemented and the smooth operation of the firm maintained.
2. They get the trafficking of narcotics and contraband prevented with the help of canine enforcement means.
3. They get all software and hardware solutions in an organization implemented.
4. They get the staff overseen so as to ensure the proper discharge of the operations and duties.
5. They get an organization's supply chain analyzed and the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer coordinated.
6. They get tax and finance reports of the company prepared.
7. They get passengers and cargo screened, illegal goods and immigrants prevented and seized.
8. They get documents and/or electronic submissions prepared, the taxes, duties and excises calculated as well as communication between government authorities and importers/exporters facilitated.
9. They get all tasks related to employment handled and viable employment policies and practices kept up to date with emerging trends.
10. They get people advised about the law and get them represented in court.
11. They get excise and other customs duties and taxes collected.
Fill in the missing words and entitle the text.
Dealing … people is probably … most difficult thing we will ever encounter … life. People … very complex creatures. Not … single person thinks, feels, sees, hears, tastes, understands … behaves in … same way. We all come … different ethnic, cultural, national, religious and political backgrounds. This makes each … us unique, with different morals, beliefs and values. All this forms people's attitudes and behaviors … influence their choice … employment.
This complexity and variety in … workforce is often regarded as … problem. Almost every day organization strategies on how … manage people effectively come and go … lightning speed. We probably have more "management gurus" … A-list celebrities put together around the world.
It is true … complexity is a management challenge. As it is natural … a dog to bark, it … natural for people to … complex. In this sense, managing people can … seen as the most important task at work.
However, realistically, it is extremely difficult and … most cases impossible, … achieve this task fully. The demands of the changing nature of individuals and work require … more sophisticated management function … focuses not only on short-term, day-to-day concerns of the individual and the organization, … also on long-term, strategic organizational goals and individual needs.
Study and memorize the most common Latin abbreviations which you can often find in English texts.
etc. et cetera and the others и так далее; и другие.
Персонал организации – это один из видов ее ресурсов. Данный вид отличается от других (финансовых, материальных, сырьевых) ресурсов. В целом персонал не может рассматриваться как однородная субстанция, т.к. каждый работник имеет индивидуальные мотивы и ценности.
Персонал или кадры – это основной штатный состав работников организации, выполняющих различные производственно-хозяйственные функции.
Результатом эффективного управления персоналом является сосредоточение усилий работников на выполнении задач, намеченных стратегией организации. Конечная цель работы с персоналом – обеспечение максимального сближения планов организации и интересов работника, связанных с профессиональной деятельностью.
Профессионализм как принцип подбора, расстановки и перемещения кадров в органах исполнительной власти, к которымотносятся таможенные органы, имеет особые черты. Таможенные служащие являются государственными служащими. Их профессионализм, прежде всего, предполагает знание особенностей соответствующей управляемой сферы. Кроме того, государственный служащий должен обладать знаниями в области теории управления, конституционного, административного и других отраслей права.
Кандидату на службу в таможню необходимо обладать гибкими интеллектуальными способностями, т.е. быть легко обучаемым и переобучаемым. Большое значение имеют определенные физические данные, а в некоторых случаях – пол и возраст. Кандидат должен уметь подчиняться и соблюдать субординацию. И, наконец, должностными лицами таможенных органов могут быть только граждане Российской Федерации.