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The Consultancy Process — An Insecure Business?[Note 1. Address for reprints: Andrew Sturdy, School of Management, Bath ...]
Author(s) -
Sturdy Andrew
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6486.00056
Subject(s) - reciprocal , public relations , process (computing) , identity (music) , power (physics) , control (management) , perception , business , sociology , management , psychology , economics , political science , philosophy , linguistics , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , acoustics , computer science , operating system
This paper examines the practices and perceptions of management consultants and their clients. The existing literature, which emphasizes managerial anxiety in accounting for the persistent use of consultants and, relatedly, the transience of management ideas is critically developed. It is argued that such accounts tend to be abstracted from the power relations of organizations and capitalism and to portray management as passive victims of confident consultants. An alternative interactive model is proposed, which is based on reciprocal and self‐defeating concerns of clients and consultants to secure a sense of identity and control. This is explored empirically, highlighting the hitherto neglected active role of managers in resisting consultancy and the pressures and anxieties experienced by consultants. The account selectively draws on secondary sources as well as interview, documentary and survey research of IT strategy consultants and clients in the UK financial services sector.