Consulting as a Liminal Space

Czarniawska, Barbara; Mazza, Carmelo

doi:10.1177/0018726703056003612

Cited by 367 publications

(453 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Liminal spaces can be envisaged as a virtual area which may be a highly structured, conservative concept and very challenging or alternatively they can be infused with high levels of creativity and dynamism although potentially quite unsettling as well (Czarniawska andMazza 2003, Sturdy 2006). …”

Section:  Informal and Non-standardised Production Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The change of production systems through consultancy involved projects: a multiple case study in Chinese SMEs

Williams

Mason

et al. 2016

Production Planning & Control

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Production systems, such as Lean Production System (LPS), have been developed to improve organisational performance. In their application to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), resource constraints mean that business assistance from external agencies, such as management consultants, is often required. This study aims to explore the practical issues associated with consultancy-involved LPS implementation in Chinese SMEs and the possible approaches to deal with them. A multiple case study is conducted focusing on four real-life, consultancy-involved, lean projects in Chinese SMEs. Four key problems that arise from consultancy-involved change of production systems are identified and four relevant approaches to handle these four problems are also addressed. The case study implies that to better embed new production systems, such as LPS into SMEs, both consultants and SME clients need to adopt a more proactive approach when engaging with each other.

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Section:  Informal and Non-standardised Production Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The change of production systems through consultancy involved projects: a multiple case study in Chinese SMEs

Williams

Mason

et al. 2016

Production Planning & Control

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…When Eservers enacted the challenging mode of CRIA when pitching their proposal to Pubco, their actions were produced on the basis of a symmetrical power relation-an ideal promoted by the social studies of consulting work (Czarniawska and Mazza 2003). The enactment of the challenging mode reflected Eserve's giving proper consideration to Pubco's competence in the publishing industry and using its own web-based strategy and design expertise.…”

Section: Client-consultant Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborating on Multiparty Information Systems Development Projects: A Collective Reflection-in-Action View

Levina

2005

Information Systems Research

214

176

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Growth of business-to-consumer (B2C) applications such as electronic storefronts, catalogues, and customer support websites has drawn a great number of diverse stakeholders into the IS Development (ISD) practice. Marketing, strategy, and graphic design specialists have joined a variety of technical professionals and business stakeholders in developing B2C applications. Oftentimes, these professionals work for different organizations with different histories, cultures, and reward structures. A longitudinal qualitative field study of a B2C application development project was undertaken in order to build an indepth understanding of the collaborative practices of diverse professionals in ISD projects. The paper proposes that the multi-party collaborative practice can be understood as a "collective reflection-in-action" cycle through which an IS design emerges as a result of agents producing, sharing, and reflecting upon material objects. Agents from diverse backgrounds exert different influences over emergent designs depending on their organization, profession, and project involvement-based power relations. These power relations shape whether collaborators "add to" "ignore," or "challenge" the work produced by others. In turn, agents' actions either reinforce or transform existing power relations depending on who gets to claim credit for and ownership of the emergent design. Implications for the study of boundary objects, team diversity, organizational learning, and contemporary ISD are drawn.

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“…Consulting itself can be seen as a liminal activity. Czarniawska and Mazza (2003) used the concept of liminality to examine the positions of both clients and consultants, concluding that they both occupy a liminal space, neither wholly inside nor outside the client organization or the consulting firm. There are often tensions about objectives and there is uncertainty about identity, position and routines.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Liminality, Anthropology, and the Global Organization

Gluesing

2016

jba

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Turner described liminality as a "realm of pure possibility" that can give rise to novel configurations of ideas within a ritual framework, while Bourdieu referred to liminality as a "space of possibles." One of the greatest challenges managers and their employees face in multinational enterprises that cross multiple boundaries is the increased complexity brought about by ambiguity, multiplicity, interdependence, and constant, rapid change. Working in global organizations means operating simultaneously in multiple contexts. Anthropologists can make a contribution to an understanding of global work by managing ambiguity and crossing boundaries; by living and working liminally-something acquired in both anthropological training and through experience; and by bringing creativity to the forefront to foster global understanding.

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Consulting as a Liminal Space

Cited by 367 publications

References 17 publications

The change of production systems through consultancy involved projects: a multiple case study in Chinese SMEs

The change of production systems through consultancy involved projects: a multiple case study in Chinese SMEs

Collaborating on Multiparty Information Systems Development Projects: A Collective Reflection-in-Action View

Liminality, Anthropology, and the Global Organization

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