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The Role Of Management Consultants In The Development Of Information Technology: The Indissoluble Nature Of Socio‐Political And Technical Skills

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  • Brian P. Bloomfield
  • Ardha Danieli

Abstract

This paper explores the role of management consultants in the development of information technology (IT) in organizations. Contending that the process of IT systems development is characterized by the exercise of power, the central theme of the argument concerns the indissoluble nature of the technical and socio‐political skills inherent in IT consultancy practice. IT consultancy practice is not just socio‐political when winning a contract ‐ the sales pitch ‐ and technical when developing an IT system. Rather, socio‐political skills centred on the mobilization of discursive and symbolic resources are an inherent part of the construction of such systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian P. Bloomfield & Ardha Danieli, 1995. "The Role Of Management Consultants In The Development Of Information Technology: The Indissoluble Nature Of Socio‐Political And Technical Skills," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 23-46, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:32:y:1995:i:1:p:23-46
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1995.tb00644.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Heusinkveld, Stefan & Visscher, Klaasjan, 2012. "Practice what you preach: How consultants frame management concepts as enacted practice," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 285-297.
    2. Stefan Henningsson & Christian Øhrgaard, 2016. "IT Consultants in Acquisition IT Integration," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 58(3), pages 193-212, May.
    3. Alessandro Fedele & Andrea Mantovani, 2010. "The Importance of Being Consulted," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 11(2), pages 231-245, November.
    4. Keys, P., 1997. "Approaches to understanding the process of OR: Review, critique and extension," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 1-13, February.
    5. Khoirul Aswar & Siti Zabedah Saidin, 2018. "Accrual Accounting Adoption In Java Municipalities: An Empirical Investigation," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), International Hellenic University (IHU), Kavala Campus, Greece (formerly Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology - EMaTTech), vol. 11(3), pages 24-30, December.
    6. Quattrone, Paolo & Hopper, Trevor, 2005. "A 'time-space odyssey': management control systems in two multinational organisations," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 30(7-8), pages 735-764.
    7. repec:dau:papers:123456789/8068 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Khoirul Aswar & Siti Zabedah Saidin, 2018. "The Influencing Factors On The Level Of Accrual Accounting Adoption: A Conceptual Approach," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 13(2), pages 30-36, June.
    9. P. Windels & J. Christiaens, 2007. "The Adoption Of Accrual Accounting In Flemish Public Centres For Social Welfare: Examining The Importance Of Agents Of Change," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 07/451, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    10. Irvine Lapsley & Rosie Oldfield, 2001. "Transforming the public sector: management consultants as agents of change," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 523-543.
    11. Leiby, Justin, 2018. "The role of consultants and management prestige in management control system adoption," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-13.
    12. Hartnett, Elizabeth J. & Daniel, Elizabeth M. & Holti, Richard, 2012. "Client and consultant engagement in public sector IS projects," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 307-317.
    13. Contreras, David Osuna, 2014. "Engineering consultant-client relationship: Transactional versus collaborative approach," MBA Research Papers 14683, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Management.

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