Which term best describes costs that can be influenced by consultants?

The term that best describes costs that can be influenced by consultants is "controllable costs." Controllable costs are expenses that management or consultants can manage or affect through their decisions and actions. These types of costs often include areas such as discretionary spending on marketing, administrative expenses, and even some types of labor costs. Consultants can analyze these costs and recommend ways to reduce or optimize them, providing significant value to their clients.

In contrast, uncontrollable costs are expenses that cannot be influenced by management or consultants, such as property taxes or insurance premiums that are dictated by external factors. Fixed costs remain constant regardless of the level of output or business activity, like rent or salaries for permanent employees; these are not typically subjects for direct influence by consultancy. Variable costs fluctuate with the level of activity or production, such as materials or utilities; while they can be managed to some extent, the term "controllable costs" more specifically encompasses the idea of direct influence over the expense. Thus, controllable costs accurately capture the concept of expenses that consultants can affect through strategic guidance and operational changes.