Factors Affecting Diffusion of Management Fashions during Consulting Missions: An Exploratory Study in Tunisian Context

Abstract

The aim of this research is to present factors that influence the management fashions diffusion in organizations during consulting missions. Due to lack of researches that present explicitly such factors, we adopt an exploratory approach. So, through a literature review and semi-structured interviews conducted with Tunisian consultants, we propose a framework presenting some factors that may influence the diffusion of management fashions. This framework shows that adoption and diffusion of such fashions is related to consultants and managers behaviors rather than fashions characteristics. Thus, the legitimacy of consultants, the nature of their discourses and the quest of rationality by managers are presented as the main factors that can favor adoption and diffusion of management fashions. From a theoretical perspective, these factors would help, in future researches, to develop and test research models that present the determinants of management fashions dissemination. From a managerial perspective, knowing these factors would help business managers to have more control on management fashions diffusion since some of these fashions are not so benefic for organizations.