The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens our Businesses, Infantilizes our Governments and Warps our Economies

This critical analysis examines the pervasive influence of the modern consulting industry on global business and public governance. Authors Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington investigate how a reliance on external consulting firms can strip organizations of their internal capabilities, stall organic learning, and diminish state capacity. By evaluating the structural dynamics of major consulting companies, the text demonstrates how these practices reshape economic priorities and alter democratic decision-making. Through extensive research and case studies, the book offers an in-depth look at the consequences of outsourcing expertise in both private enterprise and the public sector, presenting a challenging perspective on contemporary economic systems and organizational dependencies.