The Cultural Barrier that affects the consulting

Process
MBA 720- Consulting Procedure

By

Joy Popoola
 Table of Contents
Introduction 3

The different levels of culture 4

Cultural Barriers 6

Importance of culture’s knowledge in relation to the consulting process 8

Conclusion 10

References 11
1.1. Introduction

Management consulting is about assisting organizations to improve their business

performance by analyzing their challenges and proffering solutions. Consulting as a business

started in the United States and some scholars established that this profession began in

engineering and accounting fields (Saint-Martin, 2011). A management consultant is one who is

independently engaged to objectively assess a business or organization and provide

recommendations without any form of bias (Kubr, 2002). A management consultant can perform

so many roles such as providing additional value and providing advisory services to clients. The

goal consulting is to bring about change and transformation in organizations thereby a learning

and creasing new opportunities (Clegg, et al 2004). Managing change within an organization can

also be faced with challenges that arise from resistance to change, it is therefore necessary that

the consultant is knowledgeable and aware of the complexity of the change process. Despite

engaging a consultant, it is still the role of the manager to provide leadership during a change

process. Consultants provide value by identifying problems, analyzing and providing solutions.

According to Kubr (2002) the consulting process is in phases. The phases are divided into

5- entry, diagnosis, action planning, implementation and termination phases. These phases is

different from the project consulting phases, as the later entails the contact phase, problem

defining, data search, analysis, planning and development and implementation. This phases can

be challenging for both the consultant and the client, hence it is important that the phases are

well understood. A good understanding of culture is relevant for the implementation of change.

Culture in relations to consulting has to do with values and it is beyond locations and boundaries.

Culture is developed in order to cope, manage and create identity in a community, which is why

Kubr (2002) affirmed that culture has a firm that cannot be easily changed in the minds and
hearts of people. Culture can be strongly influential in organizations and are passed down from

generation to generation by forms of values and beliefs. For consulting firms, culture is a blend

of organizational, national and professional factors.

This write-up will be looking at the different levels of culture, the cultural barriers in consulting

and the importance of culture knowledge in relations to the consulting process.

1.2. The Different Levels of Culture

Many organizations use consultants to identify and solve problems in their organizations.

According to Block (2000), anyone or staff within an organization who is saddled with the

responsibility to bringing about change and improvement without a direct control on the

implementation is a consultant. This simply proves that some members of staff in organizations

are consultants by the roles they play within the organization. Managers within the organization

may provide advice to their fellow managers without directing or ordering them.

Management consultants live in our society, controlled and influenced by the culture.

This culture forms an individual’s value and personality. Culture is powerful, it cannot be easily

changed and can affect organizational plans and implementation (Kubr, 2002). A good

management consultant needs to be “culture conscious”. Being culture conscious is necessary to

avoid culture clash with the organization’s culture and also helps to mirror our personal culture.

Tolerance is key when working in an organization or business environment with different or

diverse culture.

Kubr (2002) established that there are three (3) levels of culture. The first level of

culture is the “National culture”. This culture is particular to a country, its people and the values,
beliefs, norms habits and traditions that they share. Some countries are known to share more

than one culture. According to Morden (1995), national culture is seen as the “collective mental

programming” of people living in the same community. This culture can influence the work

environment, management and human resources development of an organization. Management

consultants can learn and improve cross –cultural management through the knowledge of

national culture (Venaik & Brewer, 2016). It is therefore important that consultants be open and

willing to adjust to the changes in cultural orientation by displaying understanding in the work

processes and fostering mutual understanding. Language, according to Kubr (2002), is vital in

culture and can be verbal or non-verbal. In some cultures, the verbal communication is

important while for some the non-verbal messages are necessary too.

This is same and similar for persons that belong to the same profession. It is another

level of culture known as the “Professional culture”. In this level, members of the profession

share same and common roles and content, which is as a result of their training and education.

Asides the professional trainings and education, there are also ethical practices which forms part

of the professional culture. Lastly is the “Organizational culture”, which is specific to people in

the same work environment and organization. Kubr (2002) emphasized that for the management

consultant thoroughly understands the culture of the organization so as to be familiar. Some of

the problems that an organization experience that makes them require the services of a consultant

have been discovered to arise from organization’s culture.

When consulting in a different culture, it is important to be deliberate about relationships.

Behaviors and manners such as dressing, timeliness, written or verbal communication with

clients, use of middlemen, taboos, emotional displays needs to be well researched and

understood. Hence the need to be “culturally literate” and “culturally tolerant”, even though
researchers have established that it may be difficult to totally “behave like the romans, when in

Rome”. The important role as a consultant is to understand and respect your client’s culture.

1.3. Cultural Barriers

In an online document published by Makarios Consulting, Thomas (2012) established

that there are several challenges that pose as barrier to management consulting. These

challenges ranges from emotional barrier to cultural to language, gender and perceived barriers.

The consulting industry hence can impact on an organization’s culture by understanding it and

helping the management to ensure that staff productivity is increased and morale improved.

Incomplete trust and confidence between the consultant and the client may pose as a barrier.

According to Crucini & Kipping (2001), the rise in demand for management expert has become

more complicated due to the numerous culture and the needs for several solutions. Management

styles cannot be generic as the difference in culture will influence the practices (Pillia, et al,

1999). Buttressing this influence of culture, Evaristo (2007) affirmed that cultural barrier can

create misunderstanding within a business environment. This is so because within an

organization are different groups of people from different cultural backgrounds and settings.

Kilburg (2002) further buttressed that the behavior between client and consultant may

portray the difference in culture, hence a management consultant needs to understand to be able

to successfully accomplish their mission or goal within the organization. This understanding will

provide wisdom during interaction and providing culture appropriate advice (Hofsede, 1998).

Cultural difference can pose as a “big” challenge in a society, organization, work-environment or

even a group. This is so because the acceptability and applicability may differ. In as much as

the world is now a global village and practices and implementation will still differ from one
country to another (Saint-Martin, 2011). Zajac (2009) highlighted that factors such as employee

resistance, communication problem, and low work motivation may affect the success of a

consulting process. Moreso, he listed following as cultural barrier, they include; “cultural shock”,

“cultural maladjustment”, “dualism of power”, and “management styles differences”.

Communication is key in a consulting process, and vital to the completion and fulfilment

of a consulting project as well. This communication could be from the fact that there is a

difference in goals and understanding. These difference could create dissatisfaction and reduce

the interest of the client, thereby affecting the confidence and trust in the consultant. Sutter &

Keiser (2015), established that an important characteristic of a good consultant is the ability to

recognize the client’s expertise, knowledge and skills and giving up most regard to the client’s

organizational goal. Due to the service rendered by the consultant, it is necessary that the

consultant and client totally understand one another. Another barrier closely linked with the

communication problem is “language”. Working in a new region, it is important for the

consultant to research and gain knowledge on the values and norms of the new work

environment. Moreso, a good knowledge of the organization and the people will go a long way

in the successful achievement and fulfilment of the consulting process.

1.4. Importance of Culture Knowledge in relation to the consulting process

According to Suchman (2002), culture is very vital for knowledge sharing in local and

international businesses. The share culture (such as values, norms, beliefs, assumptions,

artefacts) within an organization can be a form of representation. The conceptual model of an

organization by Hatch & Cunliffe (1997) established that the culture, technology, physical and

social structure of an organization goes a long in defining the work environment. Consulting
organizations are knowledge intensive as well as management consulting, and consultants are

regarded as custodian of knowledge for their clients (Weer, 2012). The knowledge shared by

consultants in the consulting process is usually what is required and needed by the client

organization.

Consulting companies fall under the professional service firms (PSF) because they deal

with intangible products and related directly with their client whom to assist to solve complex

problems (Alaveesson, 2004). Supporting this assertion, Apostolou & Mentzas (1999) opined

that the solutions created by the consultant is tailor made to meet the organization’s need.

Consultant gain knowledge from their trainings, education and work experiences. This problem

solving and solution providing ability of a consultant makes the profession knowledge intensive.

The consulting industry as a professional service firm constantly wants to create knowledge

because it gives them the edge they desire and also to sustain their role in knowledge production

and consumption (Greenwood, 2001). Consulting in a new environment might be culturally

challenging. Gardner et al (2008) established that the consulting firm generate knowledge from

both internal and external resources. The internal resources ranges from methodological

frameworks and expertise, while the external resources includes the various theories, and client

experiences, to mention a few. The ability to adequately manage these resources gives the

consulting firm a competitive edge.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the world is a global village and the goal of the consultant is to help his/her

client become better, this they do by understanding the work environment and the people and

providing tailor –made specific solutions to their organizational problems.

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