Expertise and Organizational Boundaries: A Typology of Consulting Roles

The diversity of management consulting has long been recognised by mainstream commentators, but the more critical literature often overlooks this feature. This paper explores different consulting roles by developing a typology based on two dimensions of consulting work: the nature of the knowledge base that consultants purport to use in their work, and the extent to which the boundaries between consultant and client are permeable. Based on interviews with consultants and clients, features of four main consulting roles are outlined. Key developments that are highlighted include the increasingly structured nature of much consulting work and the growth of client-consultant relationships based on social rather than purely market exchange criteria. The discussion shows that the diversity of consulting roles has developed over time in response to both client demands and provider initiatives. The analysis raises questions about the nature of expertise and the structure of organisations.