‘But does it work?’ Perceptions of the impact of management consulting

The performance and legitimacy of management consultants have come under increasing criticism within the business press, while academic literature has emphasized the often intangible nature of consulting services. Based on extensive interview data, we find that consultants and clients commonly rely on subjective assessments of consulting impact and ‘impression management’. A countervailing ‘high-impact’ rhetoric is discerned among large consulting firms which stresses the measurable, bottom-line results of consulting interventions. We interpret this discourse as a legitimation strategy aimed at countering the growing critique of consulting. However, we note that this strategy has served to heighten client expectations and that consultants continue to face the dilemma of successfully managing client perceptions of consulting success. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.