So much of it is about information awareness. Like it or not, these consultants and analysts talk to hundreds of C-levels all the time. They become excellent information sources about what is working, what is not working, and about business risks that a particular executive may not be aware of. Yes, there is the potential for group-think, and the bad ones shill for a particular technology or process without any basis in success. But the good ones provide guidance to the executives that might be working in information-free areas, making them aware of concepts, technologies, and processes that either present risks to their businesses or represent good practices they really should adopt. It's easy to be cynical about this, but there are many good business leaders who are not analytical, and are in need of this kind of guidance.