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Creating the ‘Right’ Impression: Towards a Dramaturgy of Management Consultancy

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  • Timothy Clark
  • GRAEME SALAMAN

Abstract

This article aclopts a novel approach by examining the activities of management consultants in terms of the dramaturgical metaphor: This is a useful frameWork within which to illuminate their activities since a number of service characteristics combine to create a context within which the key task of management consultants is to convince clients of their quality and value. Impression management is therefore a core feature of consultancy work. In this sense management consultants are viewed as systems of persuasion creating compelling images which persuade clients of their quality and worth. This argument is illustrated with reference to the activities of executive search consultants.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy Clark & GRAEME SALAMAN, 1998. "Creating the ‘Right’ Impression: Towards a Dramaturgy of Management Consultancy," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 18-38, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:servic:v:18:y:1998:i:1:p:18-38
    DOI: 10.1080/02642069800000002
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Cappelli & Monika Hamori, 2013. "Who Says Yes When the Headhunter Calls? Understanding Executive Job Search Behavior," NBER Working Papers 19295, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Svenja Keele, 2019. "Consultants and the business of climate services: implications of shifting from public to private science," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 157(1), pages 9-26, November.
    3. Lai-Yu Cheng & Chih-Wei Yang, 2013. "Conceptual analysis and implementation of an integrated CRM system for service providers," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 7(2), pages 307-328, June.
    4. Brandon-Lai, Simon A. & Armstrong, Cole G. & Ferris, Gerald R., 2016. "Organisational impression congruence: A conceptual model of multi-level impression management operation in sports service organisations," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 492-505.
    5. Peter Cappelli & Monika Hamori, 2014. "Understanding Executive Job Search," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(5), pages 1511-1529, October.
    6. Pemer, Frida & Börjeson, Love & Werr, Andreas, 2014. "Government agencies’ use of management consulting services in Sweden – an explorative study," SSE Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2014:3, Stockholm School of Economics.
    7. Laure Cabantous & Jean-Pascal Gond, 2011. "Rational Decision Making as Performative Praxis: Explaining Rationality's Éternel Retour," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 573-586, June.
    8. Mamta Mohapatra & Bhupen Srivastava, 2011. "Career in Consultancy: Problems and Prospects for Women in India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 36(1), pages 31-44, February.

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