The Enterprise - It's Field	Traditional markets lose their importance, new markets grow, new competitors appear and generally accepted "rules" are no longer applicable. The future is not simply a continuation of the present. Whole industries die or relocate abroad. Service industries are becoming ever more important.
Markets	Products and prices are for the most part interchangeable. Man and his desire for success will increasingly influence the market. Prosperity has only contributed slightly to changes whereas crises promote flexibility and make open-minded people receptive to new thoughts and ideas.
Customers	Customers are increasingly cautious, particularly due to the absence of guidance from politicians. Our field in Europe shows visible weaknesses. These are evident in the growing uncertainty caused by changing values which affect us all.
Environment	Particularly in Europe, the versatility and in effect the financial situation of every person is affected by their environment, although it is often disguised.
Banks	As a result of big insolvencies banks have become much more averse to risk. The fact that clients with long-standing credit facilities always meet their obligations no longer seems to count in itself. As a result of high taxes and duties the availability of equity finance did not develop sufficiently. Lending provided on additional personal securities dominates. Budgets, business plans and management reports prepared or audited by the management consultant or accountant can demonstrate the potential of the business and pave the way for further successful development if presented properly to the client´s bankers.
Shareholders	Business acuman alone is no longer enough. Profitability, not only in the form of the shareholder value principle, dominates.
Staff	Increasing international competition does not only mean challenges for management but also for staff. The success of a company and the job security of the members of staff is largely determined by increased individual input and satisfied customers.
Enterprise	To achieve improvements in efficiency, companies today must start with their management.
	This is no temporary process but is a permonent policy which leads to an improvement in procedures and the fulfillment of requirements. These methods allow clarification of the entrepreneurial targets. The subsequent spreading of this philosophy to all areas and levels of the organisation leads clearly to increased motivation in all members of staff - the basis of success for the whole company. Quality and risk management, also taking into account product and environmental liability, have come into being and must be dealt with more responsibly.
Consultants	The changed rules of competition require new know-how and concepts. The necessary expertise lies within the companies themselves. This potential, however, especially in small and medium sized firms can only be realised by taking external advice.
	Management consultancy is a classical discipline of accountancy and the Institute of Tax Consultants is increasingly recognising this discipline as a new business field. In practice this function is not fulfilled by internal Tax Consultants either because of a lack of technical or entrepreneurial qualifications or as a result of a lack of vision.
	Appointing external consultants may help to solve this problem.