The Management Consultant: The Hermes of our time

Abstract

Our need for certainty in an uncertain world is not new, but the narratives we choose have to resonate with the times we imagine. In the 21st century, management discourses focus on rapid technological and societal changes to highlight a radically open future that is fundamentally different from the past. Where once oracles used the exploits of Zeus, Apollo and Dionysus to dispense wisdom and provide direction in our collective struggle for survival, we now look elsewhere. With the rise of scientific management in the early 20th century, it has been to Management Consultants that the corporate world and public institutions have looked towards to provide the certainty they require. Not surprisingly with its rise, commentators and critics have sought to understand the nature of the industry and why it has become such a significant part of the business environment. Paradoxically, despite over twenty five years of writing, and many authoritative voices the nature of the industry remains rather vague (Harvey et al. 2016). To shed light on why this might be, this paper draws on Greek mythology, focussing on the god Hermes; the fleet footed traveller who like an ancient consultant was despatched from the heavens to bring messages and wisdom to mortals on Earth.