Choosing and using consultants for quality programmes-opening address

The author explains briefly how the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) have changed their qualification. Until recently, the basic level of qualification was full corporate membership of the Institute (MIMC). Below that were Affiliate and Associate and above it was Fellowship. Lurking in the background was the Certified Management Consultant designation (CMC), the common standard of the member institutes of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes and, from 1993, Members and Fellows of IMC were encouraged to add CMC to the list of letters after their name. What they have now done is separate membership from qualification and CMC is now the basic standard of professional competence with Fellow Grade (FCMC) above it. The process of attaining CMC is now more rigorous and more transparent.