Which of the following consulting firms from highest to lowest number will have the biggest layoffs at the following positions – Entry Level Analyst, Research Teams, Design Teams

“The impact on traditional roles will be profound. Entry-level analysts will see their ranks reduced by 50-75% as AI takes over data crunching and problem structuring. Research teams are set to shrink by up to 95%, with AI generating faster, smarter insights for those who know the right questions to ask. Even design teams might face a 50% reduction as AI transforms how professional outputs are created.” – James O’Dowd, LinkedIn Post (Jan. 2025)

The ranking accounts for the 50-70% ProcureTech failure rate and economic uncertainty impacting consulting, per Hansen’s Metaprise model (Procurement Insights, 2025). Accenture leads due to its scale and prior large-scale cuts, while OC&C ranks lowest due to its boutique nature.

Evaluation Criteria

• Firm Size and Headcount: Larger firms (e.g., Accenture, Big Four) have more employees, increasing absolute layoff numbers, per Glassdoor data (2023).
• Recent Layoff History: 2023 cuts (e.g., Accenture’s 19,000, McKinsey’s 2,000) signal patterns, per Fortune (2023).
• Economic Exposure: Firms reliant on tech or discretionary consulting (e.g., Accenture, BCG) face higher risks amid reduced IT spending, per SiliconANGLE (2023).
• Role Vulnerability:
  • Entry Level Analyst: High turnover, cost-cutting targets, per Business Insider (2024).
  • Research Teams: Vulnerable in strategy firms (e.g., MBB) if demand slows, per Wall Street Oasis (2023).
  • Design Teams: At risk in digital-heavy firms (e.g., Accenture) due to tech pullbacks, per Dice (2023).
• ProcureTech Stability: Firms with robust data cleansing (e.g., ORO Labs-like integration) may resist cuts by ensuring client value, per prior analyses.
• Industry Trends: Consulting faces turnover and reduced allure, impacting junior roles, per Business Insider (2024).

Results

Rank	Firm	Est. Layoffs (2025)	Rationale
1	Accenture	5,000-10,000	Largest headcount, 2023 cuts (19K), tech exposure, high role vulnerability
2	Deloitte	3,000-7,000	Big Four, large analyst/design teams, tech risks, selective 2023 cuts
3	EY	2,000-5,000	Big Four, hiring reductions, moderate role exposure, diversified services
4	PwC	2,000-4,000	Big Four, rumored shifts, analyst/design risks, Strategy& exposure
5	KPMG	1,000-3,000	Smallest Big Four, 2023 cuts (700), narrower scope, moderate risks
6	McKinsey	500-1,000	MBB, 2023 cuts (2K), research team risks, prestige limits analyst cuts
7	BCG	400-800	MBB, rumored cuts, research exposure, up-or-out model, stable clients
8	Bain	300-600	Smallest MBB, selective exits, moderate research risks, resilient base
9	Oliver Wyman	100-300	Tier 2, small scale, financial services strength, low design exposure
10	Kearney	100-250	Tier 2, operations focus, minimal cuts, low analyst/design risks
11	OC&C	10-50	Boutique, smallest headcount, niche focus, minimal role exposure

Insights

• Accenture tops due to its 740,000 headcount and 2023 precedent (19,000 cuts), with analyst/design teams hit hardest by tech pullbacks, despite ORO Labs-like digital strengths.
• Big Four (Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG) follow, with large workforces (~265,000-455,000) and entry-level/design vulnerabilities, cushioned by diversified services, per Business Insider (2024).
• MBB (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) rank mid-tier, with smaller headcounts (~18,000-38,000) and research team risks, but prestige and Hansen-aligned stability (e.g., Anvil-like analytics) limit cuts.
• Tier 2 (Oliver Wyman, Kearney) and OC&C rank lowest, with small headcounts (~500-6,000) and niche resilience, per PrepLounge (2025).
• ProcureTech Context: Firms with robust data cleansing (e.g., ORO Labs’ GenAI, Anvil’s ML) resist cuts by ensuring client value, benefiting top firms, but scale drives absolute numbers.
• Economic Drivers: Reduced IT spending and consulting’s waning allure (Business Insider, 2024) hit junior roles hardest, amplifying 50-70% failure risks without Hansen’s Metaprise resilience.

Limitations

• No 2025 Data: Relies on 2023 trends (e.g., Accenture’s 19,000 cuts) and economic forecasts, per Fortune (2023).
• Role Assumptions: Design teams smaller in boutiques (e.g., OC&C), research varies by firm (MBB vs. Big Four).
• Estimation: Layoff numbers are projections (1-10% headcount), based on historical patterns and role exposure.

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY

While the above projected headcounts are considerably lower than James O’Dowd’s 50 to 95% layoff percentage, the one sure takeaway is that with the up to 80% ProcureTech initiative failure rates, the old consulting system was not working.

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