THE POLITICS OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTING.
Item
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Title
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THE POLITICS OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTING.
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Identifier
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AAI8222965
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identifier
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8222965
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Creator
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MOORE, GERALD L.
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Contributor
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Joseph Bensman
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Date
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1982
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations
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Abstract
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This study presented the politics of management consulting with an emphasis on the role and function of social science specialists. The history of management consulting was briefly reviewed as well as the theories that were first espoused by consultants. The relationship of the consultant to the client organization was given along with a review of the relevant literature.;Since the social science theories applied by management consultants are demonstrated most clearly in the management training programs they conduct or design, the techniques used by the consultants as trainers were delineated.;The theoretical framework underlying management consultant practices was examined in relationship to the specific consultants studied. Organizational and management theories used in the analysis of the client organization as well as social science theories utilized by consultants in training programs were described.;The case study itself covered five management consultants working within a company. Background information about the client company and the external and internal pressures that led to the hiring of the management consultants were reported. The case study recounted the reasons why the consultants were hired, how they entered the company, the problems presented to them, the approaches they used to handle the problems, and the outcomes for the client company.;The conclusions summarizing the study provided an analysis of how the consultant functioned within the client organization in terms of theories presented. Inferences drawn from the case study suggest that consultants may frequently be inadvertently manipulated by management. In this case, consultants were engaged to improve the company image, to pacify dissenters and to give the appearance of having conformed to new social legislation. While management consultants were ostensibly brought in because of their objectivity, they appear to have contributed to the politics of the company and to negative consequences for the organization which had not been anticipated.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Sociology
