Management consultants as agents for neo-liberalism

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the role management consultants have in international development (ID) and in the global spread of neo-liberal ideas. ID is a context that brings together international financial institutions, donor governments, NGOs, developing countries and various consultants. We examine a number of issues related to the roles of management consultants in the spread of neo-liberal ideas, such as the consultants’ role as “carriers” of neo-liberal ideas and the agency of consultants in this process. Further, we analyse the mechanisms for the diffusion of neo-liberal ideas by consultants on different levels: direct transformation of practices in the developing states by the professional dissemination of the consultants knowledge, direct and indirect impact on the developing states, direct and indirect impact on those that can be seen as the real clients, from the consultants’point of view. Finally, we analyse the effects of the diffusion in terms of the spread of neo-liberalism, the general efficiency of the projects, the potentially hidden agenda of some influential institutions/groups and the consultants’ need to cultivate their market.