Governing public sector use of external management consultancy—beyond client procurement and consultant professionalization

Most research on the use of external management consultancy in the public sector focuses on critique, with less attention given to improving governance. Where governance has been considered, a longstanding concern has been with client procurement and consultant professionalization. However, the persistence of malpractice and critique suggests a need for complementary approaches. In this review article, the authors explore three such options which are linked to core problems in the practice and use of consulting: reward systems and values in consulting firms and spaces where both clients and consultants can openly challenge and speak ‘truth to power’. These are examined in the wider context of an apparent move towards ‘purposeled’ consulting where profit is held to be less important. This is seen to present an opportunity for reform, but is insufficient on its own without other actors and activists intervening and traditional approaches being strengthened or radicalized.