The Portuguese model of determinants that make up the management consultancy sector

Abstract

In a historical retrospective, and although the literature entitles the management consultancy industry as an extraordinary industry and a unique phenomenon in the business context, these statements are not accompanied by a number of academic studies that highlight the importance of the effective work of management consultants. To battle the lack of studies in this emerging field, this article aims to build a determinant model that helps to understand this specific sector. The results of empirical analysis in the form of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires given to management consultants and managers of SMEs in Portugal, show that the activity of strategic consultants, mediated by strategic practices, bring in fact to the research of the strategy-as-practice a new direction in strategic thinking. It shows that consultant sector could be viewed as a key factor in the development of knowledge between different sectors in organizations, a Knowledge Intensive Activity, a specialist sector having consultants with the title of specialists and, consultants that could be considered as practical strategists.