Strategy consultants are hired by clients to support them with strategic decision making, which includes the development of strategy and to an extent also the execution of strategic plans. As the responsibility for strategic decision making falls under the mandate of CxO’s and (senior) management, strategy consultants typically work for executives and high-ranked managers. The main task of a strategy consultant is to provide a strategic advice on a certain management topic. Several activities are part of this phase, including data gathering through desk research, surveys and/or interviews, hypothesis-testing, (fact-based) data analysis, setting up a recommendation and subsequently presenting the advice to client management. The implementation of the strategy – known as ‘strategy execution’ – involves translating strategies to action plans and implementing these plans within the organisation, including areas such project management and benefit realisation.

Preferential Procurement (25 +2 points) is a national policy aimed at public and sector procurement to buy goods and services from previously disadvantaged individuals or businesses.

Supplier Development (10 points) is the process of working with certain suppliers on a one-to-one basis to improve their performance for the benefit of the buying organisation, leading to improvements in the total added value from the supplier in question in terms of B-BBEE rating, product or service offering, business processes and performance, and improvements in lead times and delivery.Enterprise Development (5 points) is an economic development strategy that is underpinned by building SMMEs, and integrating them into competitive markets that are stronger and more inclusive. Enterprise development is achieved by monetary and non-monetary, recoverable and non-recoverable contributions actually initiated in favour of a beneficiary entity by a measured entity with the specific objective of assisting or accelerating the development, sustainability and ultimate financial independence of the beneficiary.

Reduction of general costs: business partnering can be cheaper and more flexible than a merger or acquisition, and can be employed when a merger or acquisition is not feasible.

Business partnering increases “competitive advantage” (Porter, 1985). The direct benefits of business partnering consist in greater competitive advantage through cooperation (the co-opetitive advantage) and even better opportunities of revenue, occupation and investment in the sector of application.

Business partnering creates a no more traditionally-based solidarity or “organic”, but a rationale form of “mechanic solidarity” (Durkheim, 1893). Partnering takes a new approach to achieving business objectives. It replaces the traditional customer-supplier model with a collaborative approach to achieving a shared objective; this may be to build a hospital, improve an existing service contract or launch an entirely new programme of work. Essentially, the Partners work together to achieve an agreed common aim whilst each participant may still retain different reasons for achieving that common aim.