Chapter 2: The Social Construction of Global Management Consulting: A Study of Consultancy Web Presentations

Management consultants play a significant role in the production and diffusion of management knowledge as they are seen as readily influencing and regulating activities across most aspects of contemporary organization (cf. Furusten, 1995; Knights & Morgan, 1991; May, 1994). The intangible nature of the service performed by management consultants, however, implies that a vital part of their work is the need to convince clients of the splendor of their ideas and solutions. As a result, consultants must actively take command of “the process by which images, impressions and perceptions of their value, and service quality is created” (Clark & Salarnan, 1996, p. 14).