The work of global professional service firms

Boussebaa, M. and Faulconbridge, J. (2016) The work of global professional service firms. In: Wilkinson, A., Hislop, D. and Coupland, C. (eds.) Perspectives on Contemporary Professional Work: Challenges and Experiences. Series: New horizons in management. Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, UK ; Northampton, MA, pp. 105-122. ISBN 9781783475575 (doi: 10.4337/9781783475582.00014)

Abstract

Global professional service firms (GPSFs) are arguably now one of the key sites for professional work (Faulconbridge and Muzio, 2008, 2012), given their size and power relative to the professions they represent, or some might say now dominate (Greenwood and Suddaby, 2006). They are particularly important because of their central role in choreographing the global economy and setting the rules of the game for capitalist activities (Quack, 2007). In this chapter, we consider their work, both in terms of their activities and internal organization as ‘global’ firms and in terms of their impacts on economies and ultimately societies worldwide. In doing this, we follow on from those who have highlighted the work GPSFs do for capitalism and elites (Morgan, 2006) and for the institutions of the economy (Boussebaa, 2015b; Muzio, Brock and Suddaby, 2013), by drawing attention to the intimate connections between the firms’ modes of organizing, their activities in markets throughout the world, and the structures of the global economy. In particular, we highlight five research agendas which, we believe, relate to a pressing series of questions about the effects of the work of GPSFs in the early years of the twenty-first century. The chapter proceeds as follows. We first explore the rise of GPSFs and their modi operandi, paying particular attention to the structures and practices they have put in place to expand and manage their operations across nations, and some of the key challenges they are confronted with.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Boussebaa, Professor Mehdi
• Authors: Boussebaa, M., and Faulconbridge, J.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
• ISBN: 9781783475575
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Edward Elgar Publishing
• First Published: First published in Perspectives on Contemporary Professional Work: Challenges and Experiences: 105-122
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy