Change as an Underlying Theme in Professional Service Organizations: An Introduction

Organization Studies · 1996 · Volume 17 · Issue 4

Abstract

This special issue is dedicated to the theme of change within and around the Professional and Human Service Organizations. The introduction points out the ongoing changes in the societal, economic and business environments within which the professions and professional firms are embedded. We suggest that the reality of such environmental changes brings to the fore questions that are important for the research agenda on the professions. Several such issues are raised, like the impact of advanced information technologies, processes of globalization, pressures for business mergers, privatization and more. The concem here was to explore some of the issues involved with the theme of change in professional and human services. The perspectives taken, and the different conclusions presented, initiate an interesting and important debate on macro-level and firm-level changes in the professions and the 'expert power' underlying them.

Keywords

Descriptors: professional services, restructuring of professional organizations, globalization, professional-client relationships, change

Enable JavaScript for citation tools and additional paper interactions.