Single or Multiple Organizational Identities: The Management Consultant’s Dilemma

Chelliah, J; D'Netto, B; Georges, S

Single or Multiple Organizational Identities: The Management Consultant’s Dilemma

Chelliah, J

D'Netto, B Georges, S

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Publisher:: Western Illinois University
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Developing Areas, 2015, 49 (5), pp. 365 - 374
Issue Date:: 2015-01-31

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chelliah, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2351-3784	en_US
dc.contributor.author	D'Netto, B	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Georges, S	en_US
dc.date.issued	2015-01-31	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Developing Areas, 2015, 49 (5), pp. 365 - 374	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0022-037X	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/37505
dc.description.abstract	In this article, we examine the signals consulting firms send to clients and the public through the identities they publish on their websites. The paper begins with a review of academic and practitioner literature on consulting identities and typologies. The literature review leads us to conclude that the consultant cannot be conceptualized by a single definable construct but rather by multiple typologies. To demonstrate this we establish a theoretically informed framework summarizing the main consulting identities from extant literature. The framework is then applied to a sample of 50 consulting organizations currently operating in Australia. Through the application of this framework, the identity of the consulting firms are seen to be multiple and sometimes contradictory in nature. Finally, we discuss the possible strategic implications of identity multiplicity, correlating identity with legitimacy and impression management techniques.	en_US
dc.publisher	Western Illinois University	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Developing Areas	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1353/jda.2015.0073	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Development Studies	en_US
dc.title	Single or Multiple Organizational Identities: The Management Consultant’s Dilemma	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	5	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	49	en_US
utslib.for	14 Economics	en_US
utslib.for	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.issue	5	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	49	en_US

Abstract:

In this article, we examine the signals consulting firms send to clients and the public through the identities they publish on their websites. The paper begins with a review of academic and practitioner literature on consulting identities and typologies. The literature review leads us to conclude that the consultant cannot be conceptualized by a single definable construct but rather by multiple typologies. To demonstrate this we establish a theoretically informed framework summarizing the main consulting identities from extant literature. The framework is then applied to a sample of 50 consulting organizations currently operating in Australia. Through the application of this framework, the identity of the consulting firms are seen to be multiple and sometimes contradictory in nature. Finally, we discuss the possible strategic implications of identity multiplicity, correlating identity with legitimacy and impression management techniques.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/37505