Poll Shows Significant Rise In Interim Management Use

Just-in-time delivery seems to have moved from logistics and the factory floor to the executive suite and the boardroom, as U.K. companies are increasingly using interim management personnel and teams to handle their business-critical projects and management staffing needs. According to an Ipsos MORI annual survey conducted for Britain's Interim Management Association use of interim managers hired from outside sources increased 24% in 2007, which followed a 55% increase in their use in 2006.

The Ipsos results indicate that 39 per cent of interim management assignments were for programme or project management, while change management and business improvement each accounted for one in five postings. Use of temporary management resources by government (particularly local government) agencies increased significantly, accounting for 554 of the 1,613 reported assignments. In the private sector, the largest user of interim management services was the banking and financial sector (accounting for 39% of assignments), followed by manufacturing (accounting for 11% of assignments) and the telecommmunications industry (which accounted for 9% of assignments).

Given the pace of change in all three sectors, it seems likely that use of interim managers and management teams - particularly for business-critical special projects and corporate initiatives required to keep pace with corporate change in a restructuring economy - will grow by leaps and bounds again in 2008.