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idered by managements. Whilst engagement of consultants can lead to improvement of productivity and good value for money, organisations need to be careful in evaluation and monitoring of costs of consultancy firms and exercises. Cost effectiveness can be realised if organisations are careful in choosing consultancy teams and in the planning and management of consultancy and research projects (Lancaster, 2005, p 43).

5. Importance for Companies to use Consultants as Advisors
Management consulting is described as a professional and independent advisory service that aids organisations and their managers to achieve organisational objectives and purposes by resolving business and management issues, identifying and seizing fresh opportunities, implementing changes and enhancing learning (Kubr, 2002, p10).

The importance of engaging management consultants lies in their capability to render independent advisory services that facilitate decision-making rather than in the assumption of decision-making roles. As advisors they can contribute significant value in terms of idea validation, benchmarking data, professionalism and industry best practices, and it follows that they should in the regular course of business be engaged for these purposes instead of for facilitation of decision-making.

External consultants can help in development of internal know-how and learning and in deciding upon outsourcing of services, particularly in organisations that are heavily dependent on third-party providers for services in various functional areas like Information Technology, procurement, finance, human resources and facilities (Lindstrom, M., 2011, p1).

The use of external consultants over internal managements in marketing enables organisations to obtain greater market insight and market information. The extent of utilisation and type of consultancy services depends upon their organisational wherewithal and capabilities and their abilities to deliver required services within given time-framesÂ (Lindstrom, M., 2011, p1).

6. Conclusions and Recommendations
This study examines various aspects of the roles played by management consultants in client organisations, with specific regard to their participation and influencing of organisational decisions.

It is evident from the investigation that the utilisation of management consultants has both advantages and limitations in areas of organisational decision making. The role of management consultants is largely seen to be advisory in nature in facilitation of decision-making by client organisations. Their lack of comprehensive familiarity with client organisations, as also their lack of final responsibility for organisational performance, works against their assumption of roles of decision makers or of changers of decisions taken by organisational managements.

The use of management consultants should be limited to advisory and facilitation purposes, rather than in the making or changing of decisions. Organisational managements must in the final run assume full responsibilities for organisational decisions and take such decisions on their own, albeit supported by the advice and expertise of management consultants.