Power and the diffusion of management ideas:The Case of McKinsey & Co.

In studies of the diffusion or translation of management ideas, power is frequently implied but is rarely theorised explicitly. Moreover, when it is recognised, the focus is often on only one form of power. This can obscure how different forms of power relate to each other, shape idea diffusion and connect to different forms of resistance. Using Lukes’ classic framing of power, we explore the activities of a key agent in the diffusion of ideas – management consultancy – and one of the leading players in that field – McKinsey & Co. We draw on diverse, publicly available forms of data on three different management ideas to identify how different forms of power and resistance enable and constrain the diffusion of management ideas. Our study emphasises both the dynamic relations between different forms of power over time and the importance of acknowledging the unintended consequences of power. At the same time, by focusing on power dynamics mostly operating outside of consulting projects, we add to our understanding of the role of consultancy in the diffusion of management ideas more generally

Archetypes of translation: recommendations for dialogue

This paper reviews 128 works on translation in management studies and identifies four perspectives (diffusion, actor-network theory, Scandinavian Institutionalism, and organisational boundaries) which are argued to be underpinned by four relatively disparate theoretical archetypes (scientism, actualism, social constructivism, and symbolic interactionism). It is argued that, individually, these archetypes possess strengths and weaknesses in understanding translation, yet are relatively incommensurable, which mitigates against inter-perspective dialogue and the insights that this might promote. With illustrations, the paper suggests that the stratified and emergent ontology proposed by critical realism can provide a more inclusive foundation for inter-disciplinary engagement on translation, which combines many strengths and ameliorates several weaknesses of the individual archetypes

Acquiring knowledge through management consultancy:A national culture perspective

This paper examines how national culture informs the sourcing of management knowledge through external consultancy. First, it hypothesises and compares the relationship between quantitative measures of Hofstede's cultural indices with adjusted expenditure on consulting in nine countries. Two cultural indices are found to correlate with consulting use – power distance (negatively) and individualism (positively). However, the disparity between our findings and prior research suggests limitations of generalisation in studies solely employing quantitative cultural indices to understand the purchasing of business knowledge. We therefore propose the use of supplementary, qualitative data with sensitivity to local contexts and briefly apply this by using secondary sources to provide historical narratives for two countries – the UK and Japan. Overall, we find and tentatively explain significant statistical relationships between Hofstede's cultural indices and adjusted expenditure on consultancy. We then draw attention to wider implications for consulting research and for practitioners involved in this context

How can the loggerhead sea-turtle survive? Exploring the journeys of the Caretta caretta using ANT and critical realism

The endangered loggerhead sea-turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on the shores of the Mediterranean, but faces threats to its existence from a variety of sources. Answering the question of how this species can survive is complex as it involves examining the relationships between the turtle, its natural environment, local tourists, property developers, conservation organisations, governments and law-makers. We argue that actor-network theory (ANT) provides a powerful methodology for tracing these relations and identifying crucial actors which enable the survival of this animal. Using a rich ethnography and drawing on insights from 116 interviews, we trace three actor-networks that highlight factors important to the survival of the species. Yet, we also highlight the conceptual difficulties that result from using an ANT ontology for understanding socio-ecological interactions and argue that these may be ameliorated by embedding the ANT methodology within a critical realist (CR) ontology. We argue that this engagement between CR and ANT offers researchers a powerful method for understanding relations between socio-ecological actors whilst overcoming some of the theoretical difficulties of ANT

Explaining national variation in the use of management consulting knowledge:A framework

The management literature frequently assumes that management consultancy is the predominant source of external management knowledge for organisations. However, its use is invariably confined to a few Western, developed economies. Such variation is rarely acknowledged, let alone explained. In this conceptual article, we draw on diverse literatures to explore what drives national variations in consulting usage. To achieve this, we develop a basic framework of influencing factors and apply it to the Japanese context. We conclude by explicating how our analysis has a wider application with respect to other knowledge sources in comparative studies

Bricolage and identity work

Levi-Strauss’ concept of bricolage has been used widely in a variety of management and organisational studies to highlight creative ‘situational tinkering’. Yet, we know little about ‘the bricoleur’ beyond the assumption of a functional agent responding to conditions of resource scarcity or environmental complexity. As such, studies offer limited possibilities in explaining the occurrence of bricolage in absence of external demands, nor much about who the bricoleur is. Drawing on 136 in-depth interviews with management consultants, our study argues for a richer understanding of bricolage by exploring the identity of the bricoleur. In doing so, the paper achieves three outcomes. First, it uses the original symbolic and cultural insights of bricolage made by Levi-Strauss to detail how bricoleur identities are constructed; Second, it highlights how different organisational strategies enable and constrain the pursuit of bricoleur identities; Finally, it emphasises the bricoleur’s status as primarily an aspirational elite identity in the context of consultancy work, in contrast to its usual treatment as a ‘low status’ activity

Researching Management Practices:Understanding, Explaining and Improving the Practice of Management

This Workshop addresses theoretical and practitioner challenges in studying management practice. Many organization, strategy and management researchers have commented on the value of the practice-based approach which, drawing on movements in social sciences more generally, has been referred to as 'the practice turn' (Whittington, 2006; Schatzki, Knorr-Cetina, & von Savigny, 2001). While practice is often conceived as bundles of activities, there are significant differences in the conceptions of activities and their connections to one another. Practices are the context of action and are themselves constituted through meaningful action. Thus the study of practices incorporates understanding activities, experiences, presentation (and re-presentation), skills, learning and the materiality of action. However, a rich theoretical background and diverse contributions create conflicting advice for managers and researchers alike. The purpose of this workshop is not to reduce this rich complexity but to enable those in the field to explore the different positions adopted and to discuss where productive dialogues and debates between those positions might be fostered. The workshop is designed to facilitate discussion and mapping activities of the multiple theoretical and practitioner implications. We set out to explore the many approaches associated with different traditions of practice-based research. The workshop will be of interest to those concerned with theory building in practice-based research; the theory-practice interface; and faculty and doctoral candidates seeking research inspiration. The overarching aim is to stimulate dialogue between fields where there is an interest in practice

Constructing habitus: the negotiation of moral encounters at Telekom

This article uses Bourdieu's concept of habitus and a relational view of agency to illuminate the role of the actor in negotiating moral norms in organizations. Drawing upon case-study evidence from a major start-up company, the article illustrates how power, time and agency intertwine in a series of 'moral encounters'. It is argued that the outcomes of these reflexive negotiations feed into the creation of dispositions which inform the creation and interpretation of subsequent action