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Portrait of Mats Alvesson. Photo.

Mats Alvesson

Professor

Portrait of Mats Alvesson. Photo.

Accomplishments in consultancy work: ambiguity and distribution of praise and blame

Author

  • Mats Alvesson
  • Stefan Sveningsson

Editor

  • Candlin C
  • Crichton J

Summary, in English

This chapter addresses identity constructions in the context of consultant-client relations in consultancy work. The focus is on how consultants and client managers use the image of each other as negative mirrors of themselves, making collaboration tension-ridden and complicated. In particular we emphasize identity dynamics around the attribution of credit and blame, drawing attention to the evaluatory and moral aspects of identity constructions in ambiguous, boundary-spanning work contexts.

Department/s

  • Department of Business Administration

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Publication/Series

Discourses of Deficit

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Palgrave Macmillan

Topic

  • Business Administration

Keywords

  • credit and blame
  • clients
  • management consultancy
  • identity work
  • ambiguity

Status

Published