The consulting pyramid is dying. But what replaces it?
Three competing organizational architectures are emerging:
The Obelisk: 50-70% fewer entry-level hires, junior roles transform from “analysis production” to “AI output curation.” Most Big Four firms are betting here.
The Hourglass: Middle-tier work disappears entirely. Juniors manage AI systems while seniors keep client relationships. McKinsey’s approach — cutting 200 IT jobs while maintaining graduate hiring.
The Box: Near-equal senior/junior ratios. Everyone becomes AI-augmented. The “one-person unicorn” vision scaled.
Each model has a critical vulnerability. The Obelisk kills the talent pipeline. The Hourglass creates a missing career rung. The Box requires execution capabilities that don’t exist yet.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
