Formerly of Apple, I currently write software to solve all manner of interesting problems. I work and live in Coral Gables, FL with my beautiful wife and two kids.
The Scapegoat/Punching-bag consultant is someone who can come into a team locked in a stand-off between management and the rank-and-file to make the "unpopular" decisions. This can be anything from recommending a large-scale reorg, killing-off a project, or (in the worst case) layoffs. By bringing in a consultant to do these things, management gets to save face while the rank-and-file blame the "damn consultant".
A good list, but I'd add one more:
The Scapegoat/Punching-bag consultant is someone who can come into a team locked in a stand-off between management and the rank-and-file to make the "unpopular" decisions. This can be anything from recommending a large-scale reorg, killing-off a project, or (in the worst case) layoffs. By bringing in a consultant to do these things, management gets to save face while the rank-and-file blame the "damn consultant".
I briefly worked as a "strategy consultant" it's amazing how much people will pay not to deliver the bad news