The complicated relationship between governments and corporate consultants

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Editor's note: The best corporate consultants are storytellers. They play the role of the courtier in a ruler’s court, mirroring their sovereign’s (client’s) thoughts, trying to stay in favour (and not get fired) and occasionally taking the risk of spinning a fantastical tale that can capture the court’s (company’s/government’s) imagination. Sometimes, they provide useful insights, too. Whether it is selling fantastical dreams of the exploding Indian middle class and their consumptive power in the early 2000s, or trying to attract international investment into India’s sputtering oil and gas block auctions, big consulting firms have been at the forefront of selling India’s growth story both within and outside India. The usual story is that consulting firms provide highly valued services to clients by helping them solve problems that clients perhaps can’t solve themselves. They hire skilled young professionals who are well-paid and work long hours; their partners have networks across industries and often across countries. They don’t only provide analytical solutions to short-term problems, but also use smooth language and a sleek appearance that are often missing from smaller companies and government offices. …