Management consultancy in Portugal: the concept analysis related to the research field of Strategy-as-practice

Abstract

The management consultancy is one of the most ancient activities in the world, because people have always provided support and consultation to others, on many different subjects. However it was only from 1950s onwards that the first real growth of the consulting industry was starting to be noticeable, indicating the beginning of a transformation that makes it today a significant element in the currently dominant services sector. To fight the lack of studies in this emerging field, this paper aims at constructing a definition of management consultancy that is widely accepted. The results of the empirical analysis in the form of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with management consultants and SME managers in Portugal, is redefining the paradox of the management consulting concept, from the analysis perspective of consultants and customers. This redefinition relates from the perspective of the search field of strategy-as-practice, focusing on the four paradigms of business management consulting and on the macro and micro analysis perspectives that constitute the search field of strategy-as-practice.