TY - CHAP

T1 - Organizational identity in management consulting firms

T2 - Professional partnerships and managed professional businesses compared

AU - Stanske, Sarah

AU - Tomenendal, Matthias

AU - Dörrenbächer, Christoph

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - A key resource of professional service firms (PSFs) is their organizational identity (OI). It enables PSFs to develop a positive external reputation and strong member identification. While the significance and effects of OI in PSFs are thoroughly studied, the differences between the two archetypes of PSFs, professional partnerships (P2) and managed professional businesses (MPB), are less clear. Through a multiple qualitative case study with four management consulting firms, it was revealed that both similarities and differences exist. Although notions of elitism were observed in all cases, P2s depict a deeper elite status, which is further fostered through their organic growth strategy. While MPBs, in pursuing a more aggressive approach to growth, depict ideographic identities and tendencies toward environmental adaptation. Thus, OI construction both shapes and is shaped by growth strategies.

AB - A key resource of professional service firms (PSFs) is their organizational identity (OI). It enables PSFs to develop a positive external reputation and strong member identification. While the significance and effects of OI in PSFs are thoroughly studied, the differences between the two archetypes of PSFs, professional partnerships (P2) and managed professional businesses (MPB), are less clear. Through a multiple qualitative case study with four management consulting firms, it was revealed that both similarities and differences exist. Although notions of elitism were observed in all cases, P2s depict a deeper elite status, which is further fostered through their organic growth strategy. While MPBs, in pursuing a more aggressive approach to growth, depict ideographic identities and tendencies toward environmental adaptation. Thus, OI construction both shapes and is shaped by growth strategies.

KW - Managed professional businesses

KW - Management consulting

KW - Organizational identity

KW - Professional partnerships

KW - Professional service firms

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85017599776&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1057/978-1-137-57724-5_3

DO - 10.1057/978-1-137-57724-5_3

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85017599776

SN - 9781137577238

SP - 63

EP - 105

BT - Organizational Identity and Firm Growth

A2 - Dörrenbächer, Christoph

A2 - Tomenendal, Matthias

A2 - Stanske, Sarah

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

CY - London

ER -