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Ultimately, (good) consulting just gets decisions made. Companies hire consultants when they don't know what the decision should be, or where to go next. Whether the decision is right or not, depends on the competence and experience of the firm (and also some luck).

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The best case is a company so terminally indecisive that the consultants can undo their own recommendations.

Merge with company N — terrific synergies!

Ten years later: spin out the N business — lots of value to be unlocked!

Or like HBO Max which became Max and now has become HBO Max again. Tremendous opportunity for brand consultants.

Yes, except your example was not a decision made by consultants. Also, the people promoting acquisitions, mergers and spin offs are usually bankers. Indecision can come from a lot of places.

Consultants were involved for the merger, current splitting, and the streaming branding debacle. Of course, all decisions and later actions lay with the Board and executives.

Each of these changes probably got somebody a promotion. There is a lot of incentive to make some big changes, get a bonus or promotion and then run quickly before the consequences get visible.

From what I have seen, consultants are just the messenger of the plans top management has already.

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