I have heard the term bodyshopping with respect to consulting. Can someone tell me what exactly does this mean? Working as a consultant on a client project I believe would not constitute bodyshopping ?

Bodyshopping refers to the practice of defined pieces of work performed in a commoditised, wholesale fashion, usually at low rates off set against large volumes of repeat work. Think consulting work as factory.

I disagree with Mars on this one. In my last two firms bodyshopping is used very specifically to refer to using a consultant to fill an individual position within the client organisation. E.g. Client urgently needs a project manager for 3 months, and consultany bodyshops one in at a flat day-rate. This is the opposite of a 'real' consulting engagement where a team (or individual consultant) delivers a piece of consulting work involving a defined outcome, which could be priced based on value to the clientIf you're doing a bodyshopping piece of work you could just as well be a contractor or a temp, or it could be considered a type of 'secondment'. Hence the derisory way it is referred to. Derivation could either be from a car bodyshop that replaces dinged panels in your car with new ones (instead of replacing the whole car), or from a firm being just a shop where you can rent out bodies (instead of end-to-end consulting work).

I'd also add that there is an element of it meaning dumping a consultant into a client project who doesn't necessarily have the right skills or experience to do the role but because a body is needed and you happen to be available. Clearly there cannot always be a good match but this is a pretty unpleasant way to work, feeling that you are not able to provide value as you are being asked to perform a role you don't have the experience for. Anyone who talks about 'Transformational Consulting' often practices this.

Bob and Anon, you are both of course using bodyshopping in a way which is internal to consulting firms, devoid of its often derogatory implications. I am referring to the sense in which bodyshopping is often used externally.

Whoops AMAD!Bob and Anon now 'own' you. You're, like, busted?

Oh Dear I suggest you look at the use of the term 'bodyshopping' in this forum and you will find it's popular use is to denote exactly the kind of operation I described - hence often used in reference to Indian outsourcing firms, Axon, Renoir etc.

Bodyshopping is shifting focus from value-adding thought leadership (Consultancy) to delivery and maximum utilisation realised on the timesheet.Ain't no opions comin' from a bodyshop, just blood sweat and tears.

I agree that Mars's definition is one in common use. It's also a respectable business model in its own right as long as straightofrward skilled resource augmentation is what's explicitly being offered (think Sogeti). The tarnish comes from places that ship in generic delivery resource by the yard then call it consulting...

The term can mean many things, and some of those things are described in previous posts to this post. There probably isnt a black and white definition to this term, and it will depend on the context of when it is used.Here is what i use the term for...take an example:Client company Z has an existing project to develop a new website. Due to maternity leave, there is a vacancy for a programmer to fill in. Consulting company Y offers a candidate to the client to fill in for this position. The client accepts.It can be seen that the consulting company has engaged in bodyshopping as it has shopped a body it had in its resource pool to a client.If , now, the consulting company had said to the client...'...no, we will do the entire website for you...', thereby offering a SOLUTION to a business problem, or the like ( e.g. ancilliary web app to the website), and if the client had accepted, then the consulting company is NOT engaged in bodyshopping.So, pretty much, it comes down to individual resources shopped to client engagements vs offering meaningful and significant solutions to business issues.The argument comes around what is meant by 'meanginful' and 'significant'...The pros to bodyshopping ( for the consulting company):1. volume based, generally easier to do.2. Can really make a good profit margin, especially if the 'body' is not benched and is always on a client gig.3. Low overheads if the body is on a client engagement on a constant basis.cons ( for the consulting company):1. The consulting company will be seen as a resource based entity ( i.e. a bodyshopper) and will not be seen as a solution provider.2. Tough to build long term relationships with clients.3. These resources are usually the first ones to go when the gig is finished, or if there is a downturn in client finances, economy, etc...4. Sometimes high risk....especially if you cant get 'placed'.5. Lots of competition - will be competing with lots of recuitment companies here as well.6. A very price sensative industry ( and indeed where it sometimes gets its negative connotations from)7. Because of the above point above price sensativity, its all about the consulting company offering the lowest price to the resource whilst asking the highest from the cleint...and this sometimes causes resentment between the resource and the consulting company....hence tenures are usually short.

Its also specifically how a managed service provider would describe a traditional outsource arrangement i.e. you didn't make a change to the client's cost by changing the service approach e.g. using standard repeatable modules with lower costs of support but by reducing the cost of the bodies involved. Managed services focus more on the systemised approach to cost reduction than on the staff cost reduction from offshoring, using pool resource, bringing in high level technical skills on a short term basis etc.