Contested commodification: Consultancies and their struggle with new concept development

In: Human relations: towards the integration of the social sciences, Band 58, Heft 3, S. 283-310

Abstract

This article draws on a product innovation perspective to explore the process of knowledge commodification. It is argued that key suppliers of management knowledge do not particularly regard this process as unproblematic. Using interviews with management consultants, this study provides an understanding of the internal elements that may inhibit or encourage the development of new knowledge products. Exploratory results reveal several major impediments to linking commodification efforts with the consultancy and suggest the importance of internal legitimation efforts before market launch. The findings indicate the importance of considering the process in which management ideas gain 'good currency' within the system of knowledge supply. This has some notable implications for research on knowledge commodification and management fashion.