Management Gurus : A Research Overview

This book provides a concise, critical expert overview of the elite group of consultants, analysts and commentators known as ‘management gurus’.Often dismissed as lacking in substance, this volume demonstrates that gurus must be taken seriously given their impact on the world of management.

Building upon decades of research, this shortform book distils the rise of management’s gurus. The author analyses the economic and political changes which facilitated the rise of this new group and offers reflections on the controversies around the development of ‘guru theory’ (a reasonably stable and enduring set of assumptions and associated practices). The rise of management gurus is placed in the context of critiques that the field is empty, insubstantial and faddish. With reflections on the contours of ‘the guru industry’ and insights into the world of "management speak", the text highlights conceptual, methodological and empirical failings and suggests a radical reconceptualisation of the guru-as-performer.This concise book from a global expert on the topic is essential reading for researchers of business and management as well as an insightful addition to the wider social science library.