O’Mahoney and Markham: Management Consultancy, 2nd edition Dr. Joe O’Mahoney and Calvert Markham O’Mahoney and Markham: Management Consultancy, 2nd edition Chapter 9: Critical Themes in Consulting

Chapter Objectives By the end of this lecture, you will be able to: Explain the history and importance of critical thinking. Outline the role of consultants in developing the knowledge economy. Assess if consultants can be described as innovators. Explain the professionalisation of the consulting industry. Outline the relationship between consultancy and the risks inherent in modern capitalism. Describe the approaches academics have taken to explain consulting identities. Examine consultancy as a contributor to the spread of capitalism.

9.1 Thinking Critically

Introduction: Thinking Critically What being critical means. What being critical is important Unitarism vs. the sociological perspective Critical management studies

9.2 Knowledge & Innovation

Knowledge and innovation The growth of information The specialisation of work Consultancies as innovators The market Fads & fashions Networks Evolving knowledge? Not so innovative after all?

Consultants as knowledge managers Applying knowledge Commodifying knowledge Legitimising knowledge

9.3 Professions

Professions What is a profession? Why are professions interesting? Is consultancy a profession?

Should consultants professionalise? Reducing ethical problems? Helping clients? Helping consultants?

9.3 Trust, Risk and Ambiguity

Trust, risk and ambiguity Conditions of modernity Sources of uncertainty Dealing with ambiguity Legitimating institutions Trust Distrust Living in liminality Charisma and the leap of faith

9.4 Consulting identities

Consulting identities From rationality to postmodernism Consulting identities Consulting as the elite Consultants as scientists Consultants as magicians Too many identities?

9.5 Culture, Colonisation and Capitalism

Colonisation and capitalism The neo-liberal agenda Missionaries for capitalism? Aiding and abetting New Public Management Cultural Relativism

Summary

Summary This chapter has shown that consultants: Epitomise the rise of ‘knowledge workers’. Contribute to the creation and diffusion of management innovations. Find, apply, commodify and legitimate knowledge. Exhibit some characteristics of becoming a profession. Incorporate considerable ambiguities but there are also mechanisms for dealing with these. Have identities that are complex, fragmented and contested. Have been integral to the diffusion of neo-liberal capitalism.