The second challenge is an economic downturn, like the one that looks increasingly possible as covid-19 goes pandemic.
Recessions hurt consultants as cash-strapped clients focus on survival rather than expansion.
Accenture weathered the financial crisis of 2007-09 but its revenues sank.
Its share price has now fallen as it did back then, this time by a quarter since its February peak, faster than the covid-infected markets as a whole.
Ms Sweet’s final predicament is perhaps the most consequential.
If her firm keeps doing such a bang-up job in convincing clients that technology is central to their success, more of them might opt to build and run a bigger slice of it in-house rather than splurging on outside advice.
Accenture seems at times to suggest that companies should let its consultants handle not just their brand and tech innards, but also their power to innovate.
这是《经济学人》2020年3月刊的一篇文章'The rise and rise of Accenture'第8、9段，共7句。
1、
{'downturn':'n.衰退'}
{'pandemic':'adj.（疾病）普遍的，流行的'}
第二个挑战是经济衰退，就像covid-19大流行看起来越来越可能一样。
2、
{'strapped':'adj.缺钱的'}
经济衰退影响咨询顾问，正如资金短缺的客户相对于扩张（业务），更注重生存。
3、
{'weathered':'v.经受住、平安度过'}
埃森哲经受住了2007-2009年的经济危机，但是收益大幅下降。
4、
其股票价格如今也像之前那样下跌，从2月的最高点已经跌了四分之一，这远比整个“covid感染”的速度还快。
5、
{'predicament':'困境'}
Sweet女士的最终困境可能是最重要的。
6、
{'convincing':'v.劝说'}
{'opt':'v.选择'}
{'splurging':'v.挥霍，乱花（钱）'}
如果他的公司继续按照“打击-安慰”这种方式来劝说客户科技是他们成功的核心，那么更多的客户可能会选择在公司内部建立并运营更大的（科技），而不是把钱挥霍在外部建议上。
7、
{'innards':'n.（机器的）内部结构'}
埃森哲似乎偶尔会建议公司应该让其顾问不只是运营品牌和技术内部，还包括他们的创新力。
--总结--
【词汇部分】
{'downturn':'n.衰退'}
{'pandemic':'adj.（疾病）普遍的，流行的'}
{'strapped':'adj.缺钱的'}
{'weathered':'v.经受住、平安度过'}
{'predicament':'困境'}
{'convincing':'v.劝说'}
{'opt':'v.选择'}
{'splurging':'v.挥霍，乱花（钱）'}
{'innards':'n.（机器的）内部结构'}
閱讀更多 業餘經濟學人 的文章
