Consulting Skills for Social Researchers (Social Research Association Shorts)

Consulting skills help researchers frame and define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders and influence change. This practitioner-oriented text is the first to help social researchers and those active in the social research sector develop these skills. Drawing from the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes’ consulting competence framework, it will aid understanding of effective consulting skills in the UK and international social research community and will be invaluable for all those commissioning, managing and conducting social research.Consulting skills help researchers frame and define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders and influence change. This practitioner-oriented text is the first to help social researchers and those active in the social research sector develop these skills. Drawing from the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes’ consulting competence framework, it will aid understanding of effective consulting skills in the UK and international social research community and will be invaluable for all those commissioning, managing and conducting social research CONSULTING SKILLS FOR SOCIAL RESEARCHERS Contents Acknowledgements List of figures 1 1. Consulting and social research 1 Social research and consulting – key distinctions 2 The structure of this book 3 3. The consulting process 1 Good clients 2 The consulting cycle... and its implications 3 Project intimacy 4 Logic in project design 5 Management models 6 Interviews 7 Data to insight 8 Logic in presentation 9 The Prestige 5. Conclusion Key ingredients of consulting The consulting process Skills in challenging the client Index