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‘But does it work?’ Perceptions of the impact of management consulting
Author(s) -
Wright Christopher,
Kitay Jim
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
strategic change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1099-1697
pISSN - 1086-1718
DOI - 10.1002/jsc.603
Subject(s) - dilemma , criticism , legitimacy , public relations , legitimation , information technology consulting , business , work (physics) , professional services , perception , impression management , marketing , psychological intervention , business review , management , psychology , political science , economics , law , social psychology , information technology management , politics , psychiatry , engineering , philosophy , mechanical engineering , management information systems , epistemology , neuroscience , information system
AbstractThe performance and legitimacy of management consultants have come under increasing criticism within the business press, while academic literature has emphasized the often intangible nature of consulting services. Based on extensive interview data, we find that consultants and clients commonly rely on subjective assessments of consulting impact and ‘impression management’. A countervailing ‘high‐impact’ rhetoric is discerned among large consulting firms which stresses the measurable, bottom‐line results of consulting interventions. We interpret this discourse as a legitimation strategy aimed at countering the growing critique of consulting. However, we note that this strategy has served to heighten client expectations and that consultants continue to face the dilemma of successfully managing client perceptions of consulting success. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.