Symbolic Functions of Consultants

Abstract

Two opposed concepts underlie most management consulting research. The first was developed in the late 1960s and was based on the assumption that the consulting process involves an expert whose function is to transfer knowledge to the staff of organisations. The second concept emerged in the early 1980s during the consulting explosion. It is more devoted to highlighting the negative impact of consulting. By this critical approach, consultants are considered as perilous symbol manipulators who can, for instance, use rhetorical symbols to persuade organisations and managers to contract their services. In the present paper, we try to demonstrate that – far from being detrimental to organisations – the symbolic function of consultants can be beneficial and enforce organisational change. We use a theoretical framework based on organisational symbolism to demonstrate that the consultants' symbolic value is essential for consultants to fulfil their symbolic functions. These functions include legitimation, signalling and sensemaking. These symbolic functions are crucial for facilitating and fostering change.