Task, Firm Size, And Organizational Structure In Management Consulting: An Empirical Analysis From A Contingency Perspective (ebs-forschung, ... Business School Schloß Reichartshausen)

The management consulting industry has grown into a sizeable economic sector and employment market. Globally operating consulting firms, with thousands of consultants, have emerged. They coexist alongside many small consultancies and single practitioners. As a result, a remarkable diversity in the organizational structure of consulting firms has developed. Organizational structure is of utmost importance for consultancies as it directly impacts their business and employment models. Yet, little scientific explanation has been offered so far on the factors accounting for the diversity of organizational structure in management consulting. Michael Graubner uses the contingency theory of organizations to investigate consultancies' organizational structure in terms of structural differentiation, specialization, centralization, and formalization. He analyzes extensive qualitative and quantitative data obtained during a series of personal interviews in consulting firms with offices in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The results show that organizational size and to a lesser degree task uncertainty are closely associated with organizational structure. Foreword The management consulting industry has grown into a sizeable eco­ nomic sector and employment market in the outgoing 20• century. Globally operating management consulting firms, with thousands of consultants, have emerged. They coexist alongside many small consultancies and single practi­ tioners. As a result, a remarkable diversity in the organizational structure of management consulting firms has developed. Organizational structure is of utmost importance for consultancies as it directly impacts their business and employment models. Yet, little scientific explanation has been offered so far on the factors accounting for the diversity of organizational structure in manage­ ment consulting. Michael Graubner explores this contemporary topic. His research is guided by the contingency theory of organizations, one of the classical organi­ zation theory schools of thought that has been traditionally applied to investi­ gate organizational structure in manufacturing, banking, and the public sector. The author thoroughly reviews the different aspects of contingency theor- contingency factors, constructs of organizational structure, the concept of fit between contingencies and structure, organic vs. bureaucratic theory - and reflects on them in the light of other organization theory schools of thought. Front Matter....Pages I-XXV Introduction....Pages 1-19 Theory....Pages 21-78 Methodology....Pages 79-135 Results....Pages 137-203 Discussion....Pages 205-241 Conclusion....Pages 243-248 Back Matter....Pages 249-311