I heard from a couple of friends that IBM is going to close its consulting business and merge it into Outsourcing. Apparently, its going to be called "Smart Outsourcing" or SO.Has anyone else heard this rumour?And the UK Consulting Managing Partner has resigned as he is fed up with this idea.

That's a shame, IBM's a nice company with quite a few experienced folk.Do you know why they're going to close their consulting business?

I seriously doubt this, if only because IBM's consulting offer is too broad and there are too many people to squeeze it all under one "outsourcing" banner. They might be moving a couple of teams or doing some rebranding, but closure is too strong a word for what at most would be an administrative restructure.

Phew, that's good to know. I love those IBM guys, they're solid.

It seems like a big coincidence that this rumour has followed so shortly on the heels of the rumour about E&Y BAS closing. Firms shut every day. More often than not they open the next day.Big deal.Live with it.

I was with one of the Partners in my Sector today and he is going to move to Smart Outsourcing.......so there is a move from consulting to outsourcing going on