I’m taking an accounting class and I found a definition of management consulting: an area of public accounting ranging from development of accounting and computer systems to support services for marketing projects and merger and acquisition activities.

My question is what’s the overlap between public accounting and management consulting?

Thank you!

I would not call it an overlap rather it is a supportive activity . I remember a saying by Robert Townsend in Up the Organization that a " A management consultant is a person who tells you the time by your watch and bills you for it."

In each of the areas mentioned in your question you must notice that each of them has a specific objective and to achieve that aspect a consultant is needed.

Public accountants are usually appointed by the shareholders for audit of accounts whereas the consultants are appointed by the companies for a specified task other than annual audit.

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