Critical Consulting
New Perspectives on the Management Advice Industry
1. Edition September 2001
296 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBN:
978-0-631-21820-3
John Wiley & Sons
The critical analysis presented here evaluates what management
consultants offer as well as analysing the emergence of their
industry as a contemporary social phenomenon.
* * Presents the latest research from the most influential
researchers in the field.
* Takes an inter-disciplinary approach, chapters analyse critical
theory, organizational behaviour, sociology, psychology,
actor-network theory and narrative analysis.
* Provides the first critical evaluation of the different actors
and activities that comprise the management advice sector.
List of Figures and Tables.
Notes on Contributors.
Introduction: The Emergence of Critical Perspectives on
Consulting: Robin Fincham (Stirling University) and Timothy Clark
(King's College).
Part I: Setting the Scene: The Nature of Management Consultancy
and Management Advice.
Part II: The Contexts of Management Consultancy and Management
Advice.
Part III: Critical Reflections on Management Consultancy and
Management Advice.
Index.
Notes on Contributors.
Introduction: The Emergence of Critical Perspectives on
Consulting: Robin Fincham (Stirling University) and Timothy Clark
(King's College).
Part I: Setting the Scene: The Nature of Management Consultancy
and Management Advice.
Part II: The Contexts of Management Consultancy and Management
Advice.
Part III: Critical Reflections on Management Consultancy and
Management Advice.
Index.
"...an important and theoretically innovative book highlighting the
power games and discursive strategies that consutlants used to
legitimise their knowledge claimes". Denis Saint-Martin,
Universite de Montreal
"This book represents an admirable resource for learning about
current consulting practices, about their historical roots, and
their underlying assumptions. The case studies are rich with
concrete illustrations and informed by sound scholarly research."
Chris Argyris, Harvard Business School
"Management Consultants are unloved - perhaps even by their own
mothers - and they are misunderstood. This splendid volume tackles
the latter problem with considerable success; now we understand why
management consultants are unloved." Stuart Macdonald,
University of Sheffield
"With contributions from the leading researchers in the area,
this book provides fresh insights into the growth of the management
advice industry and a valuable addition to the critical literature
in this area". Dr Christopher Wright, University of New South
Wales
"This book is a landmark that will set the parameters for future
thinking about the role of consultants." Professor Stephen Hill,
London School of Economics
power games and discursive strategies that consutlants used to
legitimise their knowledge claimes". Denis Saint-Martin,
Universite de Montreal
"This book represents an admirable resource for learning about
current consulting practices, about their historical roots, and
their underlying assumptions. The case studies are rich with
concrete illustrations and informed by sound scholarly research."
Chris Argyris, Harvard Business School
"Management Consultants are unloved - perhaps even by their own
mothers - and they are misunderstood. This splendid volume tackles
the latter problem with considerable success; now we understand why
management consultants are unloved." Stuart Macdonald,
University of Sheffield
"With contributions from the leading researchers in the area,
this book provides fresh insights into the growth of the management
advice industry and a valuable addition to the critical literature
in this area". Dr Christopher Wright, University of New South
Wales
"This book is a landmark that will set the parameters for future
thinking about the role of consultants." Professor Stephen Hill,
London School of Economics
Timothy Clark is Professor of Organisational Behaviour at
the University of Durham Business School. He has written or edited
seven previous books including Managing Consultants (1995)
and has written numerous articles in a range of leading journals.
He is also an Assistant Editor of Human Relations.
Robin Fincham is Senior Lecturer at Stirling University.
He has written or edited three previous books, including
Principles of Organizational Behaviour (1999), now in its
third edition.
the University of Durham Business School. He has written or edited
seven previous books including Managing Consultants (1995)
and has written numerous articles in a range of leading journals.
He is also an Assistant Editor of Human Relations.
Robin Fincham is Senior Lecturer at Stirling University.
He has written or edited three previous books, including
Principles of Organizational Behaviour (1999), now in its
third edition.